Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) Engineer

A thriving economy in space is needed to make life on Earth more vibrant, sustainable, and equitable. Space technology will enable global access to information, solutions to climate change, answers to global food security, products that transform healthcare, clean energy production, and more. Today, rocket launch options are slow, expensive, and unreliable. Stoke is building the world's most efficient fully and rapidly reusable rocket designed to fly daily that will radically increase access to space and open up the space economy to safeguard our precious home, Earth.
Description
Reusable systems are the key to seamlessly connecting Earth and space, and require unique GNC solutions for the journey to space and back again. As a core member of a small and agile GNC team, you will work on all aspects of launch vehicle and spacecraft dynamics and control including launch into orbit, maneuvering through orbit including rendezvous and proximity operations, and reentry from orbit to a precise landing location. You will own GNC algorithms from early architecture definition through rigorous qualification test and flight operations. You will work closely with the vehicle hardware design team to develop vehicle control devices and set system-level interfaces. You must be ready to stay focused, move fast, self-direct, and learn on the fly.
Responsibilities

• Develop software capabilities such as algorithms for vehicle guidance, attitude control, engine control, and state estimation
• Develop and validate vehicle and environment models to simulate GNC algorithm performance and robustness
• Ensure system quality and performance through rigorous test
• Conduct Monte Carlo analysis of nominal and failure cases for flight safety and regulatory authorization
• Document GNC algorithm and plant model verification and validation for FAA licensing and customer mission assurance insight
• Collect design requirements from multidisciplinary teams, and use these to create concepts for GNC algorithm and mission designs

Qualifications

• Exceptional command of fundamentals of feedback control system design
• Experience with simulation and modeling of physical systems
• Experience in guidance, navigation, and control algorithm design and validation
• Familiarity with fundamentals of orbital mechanics and orbital trajectory design
• Proficiency in MATLAB/Simulink
• Excellent written and verbal communication
• Ability to lead
• Ability to follow
• Bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering or similar

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree or PhD in aerospace engineering or similar
• Experience with developing algorithms and simulation models for Rendezvous, Proximity Operations, and Docking (RPOD) of spacecraft

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision and basic life insurance
• 401(k) match
• Paid time off
• Flexible scheduling
• Equity

Compensation
Target Levels:

• Level 1 range: $91,00 - $114,900
• Level 2 range: $104,500 - $141,400
• Level 3 range: $123,000 - $184,000
• Level 4 range: $144,100 - $240,100

Equal Opportunity
The Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including with respect to disability and veteran status. It is committed to compliance with all equal opportunity laws, including the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and Title VII. It does not discriminate on the basis of nationality, race, citizenship, immigration status, or any other protected class when it comes to employment practices, including hiring.
Employment at the Company is contingent upon satisfactory completion of reference and backgroundchecks, and on your ability to prove your identity and authorization to work in the U.S. for the Company. Employees must comply with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services employment verification requirements, and, therefore, they must complete an Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9 at the start of employment and re-verify authorization to work periodically.
Separate from this I-9 process, this position entails access to certain technology and technical data that is restricted under U.S. export control laws and regulations. Employment or continued employment may be conditioned on your legal authorization to work with or have access to export control materials as necessary to perform your job.