Senior GNC Engineer, Space

Company: Anduril Industries
Location: Costa Mesa
Posted on: April 1, 2026

Job Description:

ABOUT THE TEAM Anduril's Space team is dedicated to expanding our AI-powered capabilities into the final frontier, enhancing Space Domain Awareness, Space Control, and Command and Control for U.S. military and allied partners. We're developing fully integrated hardware and software systems, including Lattice for Space Missions and modular payloads, to address growing threats in space and ensure our Guardians maintain a decisive advantage in this contested warfighting domain. ABOUT THE JOB As a Sr. GNC (Guidance, Navigation & Control) Engineer for our Space team, you own the understanding and design of all satellite GNC subsystems to include but not limited to hardware sensors and actuators, orbit mechanics, navigation algorithms, flight software implementation, subsystem integration & test (I&T), and vehicle I&T. The GNC engineering team will work closely with related teams, including Systems, Flight Software, Mission Operations, and Ground Software. The Sr. GNC Engineer will lead algorithm design, truth and physics modeling, simulation and analysis for a wide variety of spacecraft and space missions to include but not limited to LEO, MEO, GEO, Reentry, and RPOD (Rendezvous Proximity Operations and Docking). The Sr. GNC Engineer will help lead successful implementation, validation and GNC operations of Anduril’s fleet of spacecraft. This role is directly tied to ongoing, funded programs within Anduril’s Space Business Line. The programs require building and fielding a resilient, software-defined spacecraft systems across numerous mission threads. We work with mission partners and customers to deploy reliable and robust capabilities on operationally-relevant fielding timelines to meet complex challenges across the DOD and IC . WHAT YOU’LL DO Lead spacecraft GNC software and hardware subsystems for various spacecraft efforts in all orbital regimes and work closely with bus providers for successful implementation. Develop modern, software-defined approaches to autonomous spacecraft operations with maneuvering capabilities to successfully accomplish mission objectives. Develop appropriate test plans and procedures to validate the GNC system during ground checkout, on-orbit commissioning and operations. Collaborate across multiple teams to plan, build, and test complex functionality. Coordinate with end-users, other operators and customers to turn needs into features while balancing user experience with engineering constraints. Support challenging schedules during ground testing, launch windows and on-orbit operations of the spacecraft systems. Directly interact with customers to ensure mission success. Design of flight software, algorithms, and simulation products. Development of spacecraft autonomy tools for dynamic space operations Test process development and execution. Define automated fault detection and responses. Provide hardware-in-the-loop and monte-carlo simulation capabilities. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS Strong engineering background from industry or school, ideally in areas/fields such as Astrodynamics, Aerospace Engineering, Dynamics and Controls Engineering, Computer Science, or other engineering degree. Experience with MATLAB, Simulink, Python, C++, Go, and/or Linux Systems. Experience conducting spacecraft operations and satellite command and control with an emphasis on system reliability and uptime. Ability to quickly understand and navigate complex systems and detailed requirements. Experience with orbital mechanics and resident space object tracking capabilities. Experience developing 3-DOF simplified and 6-DOF high-fidelity dynamics simulation models used for GNC systems analysis and validation. Familiarity with rendezvous proximity operations and docking, orbital mechanics with propulsive spacecraft, spacecraft attitude determination and controls. Strong knowledge of spacecraft dynamics, orbital mechanics, and control theory. Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Top Secret security clearance. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS A desire to work on critical software and hardware designs in the space domain. Experience testing propulsion subsystems in laboratory environments that mimic the space environmental constraints. Experience with testing/validation leveraging FlatSats, Hardware-in-the-Loop testbeds and digital spacecraft simulators through nominal and fault scenarios. Experience with computer vision and perception algorithms to support GNC operations. Exposure to US satellite operations policy and constraints for relevant mission threads in all orbits. US Salary Range $191,000 - $253,000 USD The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary offer may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are included in the majority of full time offers; and are considered part of Anduril's total compensation package. Additionally, Anduril offers top-tier benefits for full-time employees, including: Healthcare Benefits US Roles: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans at little to no cost to you. UK & AUS Roles: We cover full cost of medical insurance premiums for you and your dependents. IE Roles: We offer an annual contribution toward your private health insurance for you and your dependents. Additional Benefits Income Protection : Anduril covers life and disability insurance for all employees. Generous time off : Highly competitive PTO plans with a holiday hiatus in December. Caregiver & Wellness Leave is available to care for family members, bond with a new baby, or address your own medical needs. Family Planning & Parenting Support: Coverage for fertility treatments (e.g., IVF, preservation), adoption, and gestational carriers, along with resources to support you and your partner from planning to parenting. Mental Health Resources: Access free mental health resources 24/7, including therapy and life coaching. Additional work-life services, such as legal and financial support, are also available. Professional Development: Annual reimbursement for professional development Commuter Benefits: Company-funded commuter benefits based on your region. Relocation Assistance: Available depending on role eligibility. Retirement Savings Plan US Roles: Traditional 401(k), Roth, and after-tax (mega backdoor Roth) options. UK & IE Roles: Pension plan with employer match. AUS Roles: Superannuation plan. The recruiter assigned to this role can share more information about the specific compensation and benefit details associated with this role during the hiring process. Protecting Yourself from Recruitment Scams Anduril is committed to maintaining the integrity of our Talent acquisition process and the security of our candidates. We've observed a rise in sophisticated phishing and fraudulent schemes where individuals impersonate Anduril representatives, luring job seekers with false interviews or job offers. These scammers often attempt to extract payment or sensitive personal information. To ensure your safety and help you navigate your job search with confidence, please keep the following critical points in mind: No Financial Requests: Anduril will never solicit payment or demand personal financial details (such as banking information, credit card numbers, or social security numbers) at any stage of our hiring process. Our legitimate recruitment is entirely free for candidates. Please always verify communications: Direct from Anduril: If you receive an email from one of our recruiters, it will only come from an @anduril.com address. Via Agency Partner: If contacted by a recruiting agency for an Anduril role, their email will clearly identify their agency. If you suspect any suspicious activity, please verify the agency's authenticity by reaching out to contact@anduril.com . Exercise Caution with Unsolicited Outreach: If you receive any communication that appears suspicious, contains grammatical errors, or makes unusual requests, do not engage. Always confirm the sender's email domain is @anduril.com before providing any personal information or clicking on links. What to Do If You Suspect Fraud: Should you encounter any questionable or fraudulent outreach claiming to be from Anduril, please report it immediately to contact@anduril.com . Your proactive caution is invaluable in protecting your personal information and upholding the security and trustworthiness of our recruitment efforts. Data Privacy To view Anduril's candidate data privacy policy, please visit https://anduril.com/applicant-privacy-notice/ .

Keywords: Anduril Industries, Bell Gardens , Senior GNC Engineer, Space, Engineering , Costa Mesa, California