Houston, TX
About Intuitive Machines:
Intuitive Machines is an innovative and cutting-edge space company making cislunar space accessible to both public and private customers. Our mission is to further science and exploration, communications, and economic progress from the Earth to the Moon and beyond. With multiple NASA lunar missions in development and additional private missions on our manifest, we pride ourselves in supporting NASA, our customers, and the nation in paving the way to return humans to the surface of the Moon. Our world-class team includes experts in all aspects of spacecraft subsystems design, development, and test, on-orbit operations, and safety.
About the Position:
The GN&C Lead Engineer will be responsible for leading Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GN&C) design, development, integration, and verification activities in support of the Lunar Data Network (LDN), which will provide navigation and communications services to lunar users. This role serves as the technical authority for GN&C, ensuring robust system performance from early design through flight operations.
Responsibilities:
- Lead GN&C system architecture, requirements definition, and design for the Altus-2 LDN mission.
- Develop and oversee guidance, navigation, and control algorithms for spacecraft and lunar mission operations.
- Own GN&C subsystem performance, margins, and verification closure across all mission phases.
- Coordinate GN&C interfaces with avionics, propulsion, structures, software, and systems engineering teams.
- Support sensor selection, actuator sizing, and control law tuning to meet mission objectives.
- Guide GN&C analysis, simulation, and Monte Carlo performance assessments.
- Support hardware-in-the-loop (HIL), software-in-the-loop (SIL), and integrated system testing activities.
- Participate in mission planning, fault management development, and operational readiness reviews.
- Generate GN&C technical documentation, including design descriptions, analysis reports, and verification plans.
- Mentor and provide technical leadership to GN&C engineers supporting the mission.
General Requirements:
- Bachelor's, Master’s, or Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
- Significant experience in spacecraft GN&C design, analysis, and implementation.
- Experience leading GN&C development efforts for complex aerospace systems or flight missions.
- Strong background in guidance algorithms, navigation filtering, and control system design.
- Experience with GN&C simulation tools, modeling environments, and scripting languages (e.g., MATLAB/Simulink).
- Familiarity with spacecraft sensors, actuators, and avionics interfaces.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to lead technical discussions and reviews.
- Proven ability to work across multidisciplinary teams in a fast-paced development environment.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
- Flexible and adaptable to evolving mission requirements and schedules.
US EEO Statement:
Intuitive Machines is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Skills Required
- Bachelor’s, master’s, or Ph.D. in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, or a related field
- Significant experience in spacecraft guidance, navigation, and control design, analysis, and implementation
- Experience leading GN&C development efforts for complex aerospace systems or flight missions
- Strong background in guidance algorithms, navigation filtering, and control system design
- Experience with GN&C simulation tools, modeling environments, and scripting languages such as MATLAB and Simulink
- Familiarity with spacecraft sensors, actuators, and avionics interfaces
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to lead technical discussions and reviews
- Ability to work across multidisciplinary teams in a fast-paced development environment
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills
- Flexibility and adaptability to evolving mission requirements and schedules
What We Do
Intuitive Machines' complete lunar program unlocks the lunar economy to explore the solar system further and gain knowledge for the progress of humanity. As the premier provider of space services and technologies, Intuitive Machines is reestablishing the United States' dominance on the ultimate high ground, the Moon. Designed by the greatest minds in spaceflight, IM's lunar program will send the first American spacecraft to the surface of the Moon since the Apollo program and send the first spacecraft ever to reach the lunar south pole.
