GNC Engineer (Spacecraft)

Location: San Carlos, California or Seattle, Washington, United States

Salary: $150,000–$200,000 annually

Company

hirify.global is building satellite infrastructure for powering and connecting the orbital economy through space-based energy and high-bandwidth optical data systems.

What you will do

• Design and develop guidance, navigation, and control algorithms for spacecraft attitude and orbit control.
• Build high-fidelity simulations of spacecraft dynamics, sensors, and actuators.
• Develop state estimation algorithms, including Kalman filters, and control laws for pointing, stabilization, and orbital maneuvers.
• Integrate sensors and actuators with propulsion, hardware, and flight software systems.
• Validate GNC performance through simulation, hardware-in-the-loop testing, and real-world flight data.
• Support system architecture, launch preparation, on-orbit operations, anomaly troubleshooting, and continuous performance improvements.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in GNC, controls, or related fields.
• Strong fundamentals in dynamics, control theory, and estimation.
• Experience with MATLAB/Simulink, Python, or similar simulation tools.
• Experience implementing or testing control systems in real-world or simulated environments.
• Must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, protected individual, or eligible to obtain required U.S. Department of State authorizations under ITAR.

Nice to have

• Advanced degree in Aerospace Engineering or a related field.
• Spacecraft GNC or orbital mechanics experience.
• Familiarity with star trackers, IMUs, GPS, and propulsion-integrated control systems.
• Experience with hardware-in-the-loop testing, mission-critical systems, flight software, or embedded systems.

Culture & Benefits

• High-ownership work in a fast-paced, multidisciplinary engineering environment.
• Equity in hirify.global.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and eligible dependents.
• 401(k) retirement savings plan, paid time off, 10 paid holidays, and paid parental leave.
• Relocation assistance where applicable.
• Daily office lunch and a stocked kitchen with beverages and snacks.