GNC Systems Engineer w/TS/SCI Clearance (Onsite)

Must be a US Person w/ Active TS/SCI
W2 with full benefits - 1 year contract position with potential for extension or conversion

Customer and contract specific training will be required and provided.

Location - Pasadena, CA (Onsite)

Offer contingent on ability to successfully pass a background check and drug screen

LCAT - Systems Engineer III

The US base salary range for this full-time position is $70-84.55/hr+ benefits. Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for the position across all US locations. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

Overview:
As a cleared Guidance and Control Engineer at JPL, you will work for the Guidance and Control Section in the Control Analysis Group. You will contribute to the advancement and development of spacecraft and payload/instrument guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) architectures, designs, algorithms, simulations, flight software implementations, performance validation and on-orbit commissioning and operations.

Responsibilities include:
• Conceiving, designing, analyzing, simulating, and evaluating complex GNC subsystem performance
• Delivering advanced algorithms and associated flight software code for integration and test at the GNC subsystem and system level
• Developing and executing detailed subsystem test and verification plans at the system level
• Leading teams that develop and operate GNC systems and coordinating the validation and documentation of subsystem performance prior to delivery

Required:

• A Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical field with at least 6 years of relevant experience; or a Master’s degree with at least 4 years of experience; or a PhD with at least 2 years of experience.

• Active TS/SCI clearance
• Strong technical background in modern guidance, estimation, and control for aerospace systems
• Experience in the research and development of advanced GNC systems for precision pointing
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in teams and lead technical efforts; excellent communication and presentation skills

Highly desired experience includes:

• GNC system architectures
• Precision payload dynamics and controls
• Advanced control methods (linear and nonlinear)
• Estimation (Kalman filtering, random processes, nonlinear filtering, computer vision)
• Linear and nonlinear dynamics, multi-rigid-body dynamics
• On-board guidance and navigation (optimization, convex methods)
• Attitude estimation and control
• Precision pointing control
• Pointing, acquisition, and tracking systems
• GNC for autonomous aerial vehicles
• Rotorcraft dynamics and control
• Vision-based navigation
• Terrain-relative navigation (TRN)
• 3D lidar-based navigation
• Fast steering mirror control
• High-bandwidth mechatronics
• Active and passive vibration control
• Control of gimbaled or articulated platforms
• Controlled optics
• Optical wavefront and path-length control
• Structural modeling and finite element analysis
• GNC-related on-board and ground calibration
• Integrated modeling (flexible structures/optics/thermal, dynamics and control)
• Time-domain simulation and multi-rate systems
• Small spacecraft design
• Multi-vehicle formation flying
• Control of large monolithic or segmented telescopes
• Control of large distributed systems
• Aerodynamic control for deep-space planetary exploration
• Comfortable working with Matlab/Simulink
• Additional desired experience:

• Strong background in technology development

• Experience with instrument/optical pointing systems and integrated GNC hardware/software

• Experience with lasers, detectors, fast steering mirrors, and high-rate control systems

• Experience in autonomous system design and spacecraft autonomy

• Demonstrated ability to manage cost and schedule in new technology development

• General familiarity with signal processing