Jobs at Fortastra

Lead end-to-end flight software development for autonomous spacecraft, including mission operations tools, ground services, embedded vehicle software, telemetry, commanding, testing, simulation, and flight readiness. Collaborate with avionics, propulsion, GNC, and systems teams to define interfaces and data models. Support CI/CD, software- and hardware-in-the-loop testing, environmental testing, and flight campaigns in a fast-moving, on-site aerospace startup environment.

Own full-cycle recruiting for engineering, technical, and business roles, including sourcing, candidate screening, interview coordination, offer support, pipeline reporting, and candidate communications. Partner with hiring managers to define requirements and hiring strategies, build passive-candidate pipelines, and improve recruiting processes. The role is fully onsite in Torrance, California and requires U.S. citizenship.

Leads Fortastra’s company-wide GN&C function, owning architecture, technical strategy, flight-critical algorithms, system performance, simulation, verification, hardware-in-the-loop testing, and flight readiness. The role covers autonomous rendezvous, proximity operations, formation flying, orbit determination, and precision maneuvering. It also includes recruiting and mentoring a high-performing engineering team, integrating GN&C with flight software and avionics, and serving as the technical authority for executive, customer, and program decisions.

Summer engineering interns will support the design, development, integration, and testing of autonomous spacecraft systems. Responsibilities include engineering analysis, modeling, simulation, software development, hardware testing, technical documentation, cross-functional collaboration, design reviews, and presenting project results. Interns will work with experienced engineers across disciplines including guidance, navigation and control, propulsion, thermal systems, flight software, mission planning, robotics, autonomy, and mechanical engineering.

Own end-to-end RF communications design for spacecraft TT&C and crosslinks. Responsibilities include RF architecture, link-budget analysis, radio selection or design, antenna integration, protocol implementation, requirements development, waveform and FPGA collaboration, and RF testing. The role supports resilient communications and electronic warfare capabilities in contested environments and requires close collaboration across mechanical, digital, software, and systems engineering teams.

Design and integrate mechanical hardware for spacecraft batteries, solar arrays, and related power subsystems. Own CAD models, packaging, mounting, deployment interfaces, thermal and structural considerations, connector placement, and harness routing. Create drawings, BOMs, and controlled documentation while collaborating with power, avionics, thermal, structures, manufacturing, and integration teams. Support installation, fit checks, testing, and resolution of mechanical integration issues.

Develop and integrate end-to-end flight software for autonomous spacecraft, including mission operations tools, telemetry and command services, embedded vehicle software, and visualization systems. Collaborate with avionics, GNC, propulsion, and systems teams on interfaces and data models. Contribute to CI/CD, simulation, software-in-the-loop, hardware-in-the-loop, environmental testing, and flight-readiness activities.

Develop computer vision and machine learning algorithms for autonomous spacecraft to detect, classify, and track orbital objects. Build sensor-processing pipelines, curate datasets, integrate perception software with ROS and simulation tools, and implement Python and C++ systems on Linux. Collaborate with autonomy, GNC, and flight software teams to define interfaces and reliability requirements for real-time, safety-critical onboard perception.

Lead end-to-end development and integration of spacecraft flight software, including mission operations tools, embedded vehicle software, telemetry, commanding, visualization, testing, simulation, and flight readiness. Collaborate with avionics, propulsion, GNC, and systems teams to develop reliable software for autonomous spacecraft and support flight campaigns.

Develop autonomous spacecraft software and algorithms for multi-agent coordination, navigation, trajectory planning, sensor fusion, and contingency behaviors. Implement and validate autonomy capabilities in Python and C++ using Linux, ROS, simulation environments, and onboard edge-compute systems. Collaborate with GNC, avionics, and flight software teams on interfaces, data models, testing, safety, and flight integration from simulation through on-orbit operations.

Design and develop spacecraft ground control software for commanding, monitoring, flight operations, and ground testing. Own telemetry data infrastructure, streaming pipelines, databases, visualization tools, and analysis systems. Collaborate with flight software, avionics, test, and integration teams to define interfaces, support real-time operations, investigate data-flow issues, and improve anomaly detection and post-test reconstruction. Maintain documentation and ensure ground systems are reliable, testable, and serviceable.

Design, implement, tune, and validate guidance, navigation, and control algorithms for autonomous spacecraft rendezvous, proximity operations, formation flying, and precision maneuvering. Develop attitude and orbit determination systems, state estimation and sensor fusion, orbital simulations, Monte Carlo analyses, and failure testing. Integrate algorithms into embedded flight software and hardware-in-the-loop environments while collaborating with systems, avionics, and autonomy teams.

Design and integrate mechanical components for autonomous spacecraft, including CAD models, packaging, mounts, brackets, drawings, bills of materials, and system interfaces. Collaborate with propulsion, avionics, GNC, thermal, manufacturing, and integration teams to ensure hardware is buildable, testable, and maintainable. Support fit checks, floor integration, build activities, and hardware rework while maintaining disciplined configuration control.

Own full-cycle recruiting for engineering, technical, and business roles, including sourcing, candidate screening, interview coordination, offers, pipeline reporting, and candidate communications. Partner with hiring managers to define requirements and hiring strategies, build passive-candidate pipelines, and improve recruiting processes and systems. The role requires strong technical recruiting experience, particularly in aerospace, defense, software, robotics, or autonomy, and is fully onsite in Torrance, California.

Own full-cycle recruiting for engineering, technical, and business roles, from sourcing through offer acceptance. Develop sourcing strategies, build candidate pipelines, screen applicants, coordinate interviews, support offers, and maintain candidate communications. Partner with hiring managers on requirements and hiring plans, track recruiting metrics, improve processes, and deliver a strong candidate experience in a fast-paced aerospace startup.