The Role
Design, implement, and validate spacecraft navigation algorithms and software. Perform orbit determination, trajectory reconstruction, covariance analysis, and tune Kalman filters for radiometric, optical, and GPS data. Configure navigation toolchains, support navigation operations and console activities, communicate results to mission teams, and contribute to requirements, planning, IRAD, and BD efforts.
Summary Generated by Built In
We are seeking a Navigation Engineer III to join a team that is leading humanity back to the Moon and pioneering innovative solutions in the space industry. Based in Westminster, Colorado, this incredible team is looking for a Spacecraft Navigation Engineer who's eager to push the state of the art in the aerospace industry.
This position is responsible for development of navigation algorithms, supporting a technically diverse team, and conducting detailed analyses related to spacecraft navigation. The ideal candidate will have experience in developing spacecraft navigation software, evaluating new estimation formulations, and improving legacy approaches to spacecraft navigation. This role will support multiple projects and programs. Our exciting flight programs include CAPSTONE, an ARTEMIS pathfinder spacecraft operating in a Near Rectilinear Halo Orbit (NRHO) at Earth-Moon L2, and Oracle, an Air Force Research Lab mission for space situational awareness at the Moon.
This position will be headquartered at our customer's Westminster, Colorado offices and is primarily an on-premises role. The Spacecraft Navigation Engineer will work closely with a multidisciplinary engineering team focused on spacecraft navigation, mission design, and technology development.
This position is open to U.S. Persons only (U.S. citizens, or lawful permanent residents), as required by applicable laws and regulations.
We do not provide visa sponsorship or support work authorization for this role. Candidates must be authorized to work in the U.S. without the need for current or future sponsorship.
Responsibilities:
- Perform spacecraft navigation analyses, including orbit determination, trajectory reconstruction, and covariance assessment.
- Configure, tune, and validate Kalman filters and other estimators for radiometric, optical, and GPS navigation.
- Set up and run navigation toolchains (e.g., MONTE, FreeFlyer, ODTK, GMAT), including force and measurement models.
- Support navigation operations, including console activities, routine OD updates, and procedure refinement.
- Communicate navigation results and recommendations to customer and mission teams.
- Support navigation requirement and task identification and work planning.
- Contribute to IRAD and BD efforts
Required Qualifications:
- 5–8 years of professional experience in spacecraft navigation, orbit determination, or related astrodynamics roles.
- Bachelor’s degree or higher in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics, or related field.
- Hands-on experience applying Kalman filters or related state estimation techniques, including basic tuning and troubleshooting.
- Proficiency with at least one major navigation/astrodynamics tool (e.g., MONTE, FreeFlyer, ODTK, GMAT, STK).
- Working knowledge of tracking measurements (range, Doppler, angles, GPS, optical) and their impact on accuracy and observability.
- Ability to use Python, MATLAB, or similar tools to automate navigation analyses and data processing.
- Strong analytical and communication skills for presenting navigation findings to diverse stakeholders.
- U.S. Person (U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident), able to work on-site in Westminster, CO.
Desired:
- Experience leading spacecraft flight operations (OD updates, trajectory monitoring, maneuver planning).
- Experience as lead or supporting navigation engineer during the development phase of a flight program.
- Familiarity with cislunar or three-body orbit regimes (e.g., NRHOs, Lagrange orbits) and associated navigation strategies.
- Experience using MONTE for OD, covariance analysis, and measurement/force model configuration.
- Understanding of timing and clock errors, error sources, and tracking network constraints on navigation performance.
- Experience contributing to navigation-related proposals or IRAD (e.g., technical sections, estimates, prototype estimators).
- Active or prior security clearance a plus.
Skills Required
- 5-8 years of professional experience in spacecraft navigation, orbit determination, or related astrodynamics roles.
- Bachelor's degree or higher in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics, or related field.
- Hands-on experience applying Kalman filters or related state estimation techniques, including basic tuning and troubleshooting.
- Proficiency with at least one major navigation/astrodynamics tool (e.g., MONTE, FreeFlyer, ODTK, GMAT, STK).
- Working knowledge of tracking measurements (range, Doppler, angles, GPS, optical) and their impact on accuracy and observability.
- Ability to use Python, MATLAB, or similar tools to automate navigation analyses and data processing.
- Strong analytical and communication skills for presenting navigation findings to diverse stakeholders.
- U.S. Person (U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident), able to work on-site in Westminster, CO.
- Experience leading spacecraft flight operations (OD updates, trajectory monitoring, maneuver planning).
- Experience as lead or supporting navigation engineer during the development phase of a flight program.
- Familiarity with cislunar or three-body orbit regimes (e.g., NRHOs, Lagrange orbits) and associated navigation strategies.
- Experience using MONTE for OD, covariance analysis, and measurement/force model configuration.
- Understanding of timing and clock errors, error sources, and tracking network constraints on navigation performance.
- Experience contributing to navigation-related proposals or IRAD (e.g., technical sections, estimates, prototype estimators).
- Active or prior security clearance a plus.
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The Company
What We Do
Red Canyon Engineering and Software develops cutting-edge technology to help humankind explore space and other planets, as well as advanced renewable resources on Earth. We are proud to be involved with important missions ranging from searching for water on Mars, to analyzing the composition of distant comets, and building the next human spacecraft. Our clients include government agencies such as NASA, NOAA, NREL, JPL, and DOD, in addition to customers such as Lockheed Martin Space, Raytheon, Sierra Nevada Corporation, a.i. solutions, Walt Disney Imagineering, SAIC, Ball Aerospace, SpaceX, Honeywell, KBRwyle, Maxar, Blue Origin, and Moog. We are an SBA certified HUBZone and Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB).
