Senior Manager, Guidance, Navigation, and Controls (GNC)
Company Overview:
Relativity is the first and only company to automate aerospace manufacturing by integrating intelligent robotics, software, and proprietary metal 3D printing technology. Disrupting 60 years of aerospace, Relativity offers a radically simplified supply chain, building a rocket with 100x fewer parts in less than 60 days. Our long-term goal is to upgrade humanity’s industrial base on Earth and on Mars.
Team:
The Vehicle Engineering team at Relativity Space is responsible for ensuring that our rockets achieve our overall objectives. Our department comprises teams responsible for Flight Sciences, including Aerodynamics, Thermal Science, Loads, and Dynamics; Vehicle Simulation & Performance; Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC); and Systems Engineering. We architect and execute analysis, simulation, and test projects for all of Relativity’s hardware and software teams in pursuit of mission success, and ensure that our designs and practices meet stringent customer and government requirements. Overall, this team is critical to the launch success of Terran 1, among many other firsts!
As the Senior Manager of Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC), you will lead a team of engineers responsible for modeling and development of Relativity vehicles' GNC function, including simulation tool development, system modeling, controls architecture, algorithm development, certification, and launch operations.
You will collaborate with our propulsion, avionics, flight software, and dynamics teams to deliver simulation and controls projects on time and budget, while meeting our technical requirements. A high degree of autonomy along with an ability to prioritize work in our fast paced environment is required.
What you’ll do:
You will play a key role in driving the Terran 1 launch vehicle to first flight, developing initial architecture for the upcoming Terran R vehicle - including for re-entry, landing, and re-usability - and growing our talented and experienced group of analysts and coders. You will work closely with a multidisciplinary vehicle engineering team to deliver world-class ascent and entry vehicle GNC. Additionally, you will help build an outstanding GNC organization at the cutting edge of commercial aerospace.
Here are some examples of projects you could be working on:
- Establish and execute roadmaps for GNC in collaboration with Relativity’s engineering leadership team to achieve our strategic objectives
- Leverage simulation and analysis to shape Terran 1 and Terran R system elements and operational concepts (conops) to meet criteria for performance, stability, and accuracy
- Serve as company technical authority for GNC, with ownership of relevant requirements, criteria and verification activities; launch operations; customer and range certification; and methodology, tool sets, and workflows
- Hire, train, guide, and mentor GNC engineers to be product-focused, creative, collaborative, and technically rigorous
- Define and lead campaigns for system modeling, algorithm development, and sensor development, including tool development, analysis, test, and validation & verification
- Mature Relativity’s simulation and algorithm development processes, including custom and commercial tool selection and implementation, workflow automation, methodology development, and data and results processing and communication
- Direct consultants and contractors in supporting analysis and modeling activities
In order to be successful in this role, you should be self-motivated, adaptable and able to lead a team in a fast-paced, integrated vehicle program. You should also be able to resolve ambiguity and drive projects to completion. Ideally, you have significant controls, simulation, and leadership experience as well as a proven track record completing projects successfully in a highly collaborative environment.
On a weekly basis, you will be providing guidance for the team, upholding the highest level of accountability, reviewing or performing simulation and algorithm development, as well as supporting testing, certification, and operations of Relativity launch vehicle systems. You will also use your strong organizational skills to properly manage the documentation and communication of your team’s actions, recommendations, and decisions.
What you need to know:
- A graduate degree in engineering or related field and 8+ years relevant experience
- 3+ years experience in managing and leading simulation or controls teams, including hiring and performance management
- Industry-leading expertise in vehicle GNC and performance
- Experience in a GNC role from concept through V&V and certification on at least one vehicle program, including on-console support of vehicle operations
- Experience solving complex problems on integrated vehicles
- Proficiency in Python and C++
- Experience structuring, negotiating, executing, and delivering complex control systems and simulations for software, hardware, and certification customers
Nice to haves but not required:
- 15+ years relevant experience
- Experience managing and developing simulation toolsets and workflows
- Expertise in multiple technical domains (e.g. guidance and controls)
- Experience with vehicle entry and landing GNC
Relativity Space offers competitive salary and equity, a generous vacation policy, an annual L&D stipend and more!
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.