Advanced Space
Spacecraft Navigation Engineer
About this role
Advanced Space seeks a Spacecraft Navigation Engineer to develop and validate navigation algorithms for lunar and cislunar missions, including the ARTEMIS pathfinder CAPSTONE and Air Force orbital awareness programs. The role combines algorithm development, Kalman filter tuning, and flight operations support using industry-standard astrodynamics tools.
What you'll do
- Develop and validate spacecraft navigation algorithms including orbit determination, trajectory reconstruction, and covariance analysis
- Configure and tune Kalman filters and state estimators for radiometric, optical, and GPS navigation measurements
- Operate navigation toolchains (MONTE, FreeFlyer, ODTK, GMAT) with force and measurement models
- Support active flight operations including orbit determination updates and procedure refinement
- Present navigation analyses and recommendations to customers and mission teams
- Contribute to proposal development and internal research initiatives
What they're looking for
- Spacecraft navigation and orbit determination
- Kalman filtering and state estimation techniques
- Astrodynamics tools (MONTE, FreeFlyer, ODTK, GMAT, or STK)
- Python or MATLAB programming for automation and analysis
- Tracking measurement theory (range, Doppler, angles, GPS, optical)
- Cislunar and three-body orbit mechanics (NRHO, Lagrange points)
- Flight operations and trajectory planning
- Technical communication and stakeholder engagement
Benefits
- Competitive salary $115,500–$148,400 based on experience
- Signing bonus and quarterly performance bonuses
- Company health insurance and 401(k) plan
- Free snacks, drinks, and grab-and-go food options
- Relocation assistance available
- On-site team environment in Westminster, Colorado
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Advanced Space
Advanced Space develops navigation systems and software for lunar and cislunar space missions, including programs like CAPSTONE and Oracle. The company is hiring spacecraft navigation engineers and software engineers to build flight operations tools, estimation algorithms, and ground/flight software for deep space exploration.
- Website
- advancedspace.com
Likely interview questions
- Walk us through a specific spacecraft navigation analysis you led—what tools did you use, and how did you validate your results?
- Describe your hands-on experience tuning and troubleshooting Kalman filters. What challenges did you encounter, and how did you resolve them?