Manager, GN&C

Manager, GN&C

At ICEYE, we design, build and operate the largest fleet of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites in the world. Using advanced technology, our constellation collects topographical data about any location on Earth, day or night, through any weather conditions.

Headquartered in Southern California, our customers are society’s heroes – intelligence professionals, warfighters, first responders, and scientific researchers. As a trusted mission partner, the United States and its allies depend on us for critical information when it matters most.

Role Description

ICEYE US is developing next-generation spaceborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) payloads and full space vehicles, and is seeking a Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GN&C) Manager to lead the engineering team responsible for spacecraft attitude control, orbit dynamics, and modeling and simulation (M&S). Sitting within the Space Systems engineering team, this role owns the GN&C architecture and simulation infrastructure across both standalone SAR payload integrations and complete satellite vehicles — ensuring that spacecraft agility, fine-pointing accuracy, stability (jitter), and orbital dynamics meet stringent SAR imaging performance and mission ConOps requirements.

The manager will lead the creation and ownership of the team's core Modeling & Simulation (M&S) environment, as well as GN&C functionalities. They will serve as the primary GN&C technical authority across all program lifecycle reviews and drive the team toward a verified, integrated flight article ready for environmental test, launch, and on-orbit operations.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and grow a team of GN&C, modeling and simulation, and astrodynamics engineers; own hiring, onboarding, performance development, and technical career growth for direct reports.

• Own GN&C and M&S program execution: work breakdown, scheduling, resource loading, risk tracking, and status reporting against program milestones (SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, FRR).

• Set and enforce GN&C and modeling & simulation engineering standards, processes, and operating framework governing how guidance, navigation, control algorithms, flight dynamics, and simulation tools are designed, implemented, tested, and verified across the program lifecycle — including simulation architecture standards, SIL/HIL integration criteria, model correlation practices, and flight software verification requirements.

• Serve as the GN&C and M&S technical authority and primary cross-functional counterpart to systems engineering, flight software, avionics, mechanical/thermal, SAR payload, AIT, and program management stakeholders.

• Own the spacecraft GN&C architecture, control algorithms, and operational flight modes (detumbling, sun pointing, nadir pointing, fine target tracking for SAR imaging, orbit maneuvers, and momentum management).

• Guide the team in GN&C hardware selection, trade studies, and vendor management (star trackers, sun sensors, IMUs, magnetometers, reaction wheels, torque rods, and propulsion/thruster interfaces).

• Oversee orbit design, mission analysis, constellation geometry, orbit maintenance maneuvers, eclipse duty cycles, and deorbit/end-of-life disposal planning.

Required Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in spacecraft GN&C, attitude control, astrodynamics, or modeling and simulation for space vehicles through the full design lifecycle.

• 2+ years of direct engineering management or technical lead experience, including tasking, mentorship, and performance ownership for a multi-discipline GN&C / simulation engineering team.

• Deep background in design, implementation, and flight verification of spacecraft attitude and orbit control algorithms (detumbling, fine pointing, momentum management, slew planning).

• Proven ownership of high-fidelity 6-DOF spacecraft modeling and simulation environments (MATLAB/Simulink, C++, Python, STK, or equivalent).

• Demonstrated experience with GN&C hardware selection, interface definition, and vendor management (star trackers, IMUs, reaction wheels, torque rods, GPS/GNSS receivers).

• Experience developing pointing error budgets, jitter analysis, and SIL/HIL test automation frameworks.

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, or a related technical field.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Astrodynamics, Control Theory, or related field.

• Direct experience with fine-pointing GN&C architectures for SAR payloads or optical remote sensing spacecraft (handling stringent agility, fast slew, stability, and disturbance rejection during payload operation).

• Experience hand-coding GN&C algorithms into C/C++ flight software running on RTOS or bare-metal targets.

• Experience with spacecraft FDIR architecture, momentum unloading strategies, and autonomous safe-mode logic.

• Familiarity with satellite constellation maintenance, propulsion integration, or autonomous orbit control.

• Experience with STK (Systems Tool Kit), Orekit, or custom astrodynamics toolchains.

• Familiarity with NASA, DoD, or commercial space GN&C design and verification standards.

Pay Range and Compensation Package

· The estimated base salary range for this role is $165k - $195k depending on experience

· Other benefits include health coverage, flexible PTO, a friendly work environment, plus extra fun perks!

Physical Requirements

This position primarily works in an office environment. It requires the ability to sit or stand for long periods of time and frequent walking. Daily use of a computer, phone, office equipment and other computing and digital devices is required. Some travel may be necessary – the ability to travel by car, plane, train, bus, vessel, or metro, operate a motor vehicle and maintain a valid Driver’s License and/or effectively navigate public transportation is required.

While performing the responsibilities of the job, the employee must be able to read and respond to inter-office communications as well as effectively participate in meetings. The employee is often required to sit and use their hands or fingers, to lift up to 50 lbs., pull, push, carry, handle, or feel. The employee is required to carry, handle items, reach with arms and hands, to stoop, kneel, or crouch; talk, or hear. Mental demands may require prolonged concentration, reading comprehension, understanding and interpretation of concepts, ideas, and philosophies. The physical demands of the position described herein are essential functions of the job and employees must be able to successfully perform these tasks for extended periods. Reasonable accommodations may be made for those individuals with real or perceived disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job described unless such accommodations would cause ICEYE US an undue burden.

EEO Statement

ICEYE US is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, age, or any other protected characteristic under federal, state, or local law.