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Full-Time

Principal GNC Engineer II

Updated on 10/29/2024

CesiumAstro

CesiumAstro

51-200 employees

Develops compact communication systems for space

Aerospace
Defense

Compensation Overview

$160k - $190kAnnually

Senior, Expert

No H1B Sponsorship

Broomfield, CO, USA

This position is onsite in Broomfield, CO.

US Citizenship Required

Category
Flight Dynamics
Research & Development
Aerospace Engineering
Required Skills
Python
C/C++
Requirements
  • Master of Science (MS), or Doctorate (Ph.D.) degree in Aerospace Engineering from an accredited university or institution.
  • Minimum of 11 years of industry experience in satellite attitude and orbit systems.
  • Expertise in attitude estimation, guidance, and control; coordinate frame transformations; linear algebra; and non-linear systems.
  • Experience with multiple spaceflight missions from concept to operations.
  • Experience in low earth orbit satellites, especially in a New Space paradigm.
  • Experience with post-CDR test failures and on-orbit failures that guide your design and test philosophies.
  • Experience with successful and unsuccessful recovery from on-orbit failures.
  • Experience in conceptualization, architecture design, requirements specification, design, test, and operations of various GNC architectures and components.
  • Familiarity with space mission simulation tools such as STK, Basilisk, GMAT, or FreeFlyer.
  • Experience defining spacecraft trajectories and orbital requirements.
  • Fluency with Python and C++, or other modeling languages.
  • Familiarity with spacecraft mission design including events, pointing modes, maneuver planning, and operations.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Responsibilities
  • Lead a small team in the design and analysis of GNC systems for Cesium satellites and payloads.
  • Perform trade studies, lead design reviews, create models, and complete simulations and system testing.
  • Build, test, and fly hardware and software.
  • Present engineering design review materials to customers and the executive team.
  • Participate in proposal-writing efforts.

CesiumAstro develops compact and efficient communication systems specifically for space applications. Their products, such as the Nightingale Series and CommPack, are designed to be small and scalable, optimizing Size, Weight, Power, and Cost (SWaP-C) for aerospace needs. The company also offers a range of products including a software-defined radio, a credit-card-sized single-board computer, and a compact DC-to-DC converter. CesiumAstro differentiates itself by providing modular hardware and software solutions that can be customized for specific missions, catering to clients like NASA. The goal of CesiumAstro is to deliver affordable, mission-ready communication payloads by leveraging advanced semiconductor and manufacturing technologies.

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

$120.2M

Headquarters

Austin, Texas

Founded

2017

Growth & Insights
Headcount

6 month growth

24%

1 year growth

48%

2 year growth

96%
Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • The recent $65 million Series B+ funding round led by Trousdale Ventures provides significant financial backing for expansion and product development.
  • Selection by Rocket Lab to provide multi-beam Ka-band communications payloads for the Space Development Agency's Tranche 2 Transport Layer Constellation highlights CesiumAstro's industry leadership.
  • Founder and CEO Shey Sabripour's appointment to the Texas Aerospace Research and Space Economy Consortium Executive Committee underscores the company's influence and leadership in the aerospace sector.

What critics are saying

  • The lawsuit alleging trade secret misappropriation by a former executive could lead to legal and financial repercussions.
  • The niche market of space-based radio technology is highly competitive, with only a handful of companies working at the cutting edge, increasing the pressure to continuously innovate.

What makes CesiumAstro unique

  • CesiumAstro's focus on compact, high-performance communication systems for space applications sets it apart in the aerospace market, where size, weight, power, and cost are critical factors.
  • Their modular hardware and software building blocks offer seamless integration for mission-specific payload configurations, providing a unique value proposition.
  • The company's utilization of the latest semiconductor and manufacturing technologies ensures they remain at the forefront of innovation, offering affordable solutions with a first-mover advantage.

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