Manager of Guidance, Navigation, and Controls

About Varda

Low Earth orbit is open for business. Varda is accelerating the development of commercial space infrastructure, from in-orbit pharmaceutical processing to reliable and economical reentry capsules. 

From life-saving pharmaceuticals to more powerful fiber optics, there is a world of products used on Earth today that can only be manufactured in space. Varda is accelerating innovation in the orbital economy by creating both the products and infrastructure needed so space can directly benefit life on Earth. Our mission is to expand the economic bounds of humankind. 

Our team is uniquely suited to accomplishing this goal, with leadership and staff comprised of veterans from SpaceX, Blue Origin, major pharmaceutical companies and Silicon Valley. Varda was founded in January 2021 by Will Bruey and Delian Asparouhov with significant backing from world class investors including Khosla Ventures, Lux Capital, Founders Fund, Caffeinated Capital, General Catalyst, and Also Capital. 

Varda is headquartered in El Segundo, California, where we have offices and a production facility where our vehicles, equipment, and materials are built, integrated, and tested. Varda also has offices in Washington, DC and Huntsville, AL (coming soon).

Join Varda, and work to create a bustling in-space ecosystem.

About This Role

We are seeking a highly talented, self-motivated technical leader to join our rapidly growing startup as the Manager of GNC. You will have the leadership opportunity to architect, design and implement full-cycle GNC designs for future reentry vehicles, unlocking the future of space factories with rapid flight and entry for next generation products. You will work closely with a top-notch multidisciplinary vehicle engineering team to develop control and guidance solutions, assess the impact of designs on vehicle controllability and performance, work with the flight software team to implement guidance and control algorithms and navigation solutions into reality. You will own the full cycle of GNC development, from requirements definition and design, supporting functional and system levels tests with hardware-in-the-loop, on-vehicle functionality, to mission planning and on-orbit and reentry operations. We are looking for team members who enjoy solving complex and open-ended problems, can work effectively in a fast-paced environment and share our passion in creating in-space industry.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver highly reliable GNC algorithms, simulations and mission analysis to ensure that the spacecraft, satellite bus, and reentry capsule operate per requirements through the entire mission
• Design and implementation of autonomous satellite attitude control, collision avoidance, orbital rendezvous, and atmospheric re-entry algorithms
• Perform trajectory design, optimization, and dispersion analysis for the reentry of a next generation space vehicle
• Lead and drive trades for the new vehicle capabilities, coordinating with other departments to optimize system complexity and capability trades specifically for GNC (ie GNC sensor and actuator architecture)
• Own all aspects of GNC development, from initial architecture, design, testing, integration and mission operations, inclusive of tooling, simulation and testing infrastructure, including but not limited to:
• Interfaces to vehicle software and successful implementation/validation of flight algorithms
• Interfaces to avionics and other subsystems to ensure sensor and actuator sizing, accuracy and qualifications meet system requirements
• System level budgets for GNC, including but not limited to momentum and pointing, ensure appropriate inputs are captured and documented, ensure final mission requirements are met prior to flight readiness milestones
• GNC Mission Operations support, tooling required for flight decisions and vehicle operations and validation, and mission support staffing for GNC specialists
• Develop 6 degree of freedom vehicle simulation using C++/Python/Matlab, integrate with software in the loop, hardware in the loop simulation frameworks. Run Monte Carlo analysis to characterize performance of new features
• Hold the highest bar for GNC and mission analysis development through tooling, code reviews, process development, testing, training and mentorship for the GNC team
• Own, drive and develop mission analysis and planning portions of FAA Part 450 regulatory submittals. Work closely with government regulatory partners through relationship and credibility building to ensure Varda is on track to obtain reentry licensing on par with mission cadence.
• Manage and mentor GNC team development priorities and hiring, career development and growth for GNC team

Basic Qualifications

• B.S. degree in aerospace, mechanical, electrical engineering, computer, physics, or related field
• 7+ proven years of experience, or advanced degree with 5+ years of relevant experience
• At least two years of leadership experience
• Teamwork, communication, and problem solving in a collaborative environment
• Scope projects including requirements capture and initial design trades given open-ended problems
• Demonstrated knowledge in designing, modeling, testing, and flying aerospace guidance, navigation, and control systems
• Strong software and model development skills, particularly in C++/Python/MATLAB/Simulink
• Understanding of orbital mechanics, modeling and simulation, and software development 
• Experience anchoring/fitting first principles models to test data or high-fidelity external simulations
• Proven system engineering and configuration management skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Understanding of multi-body dynamics, flexible body dynamics, gas dynamics, fluids, and thermodynamics
• Experience developing and verifying physical models for the purpose of control design, component sizing, and system performance evaluation
• Experience supporting flight test or flying spacecraft
• Ability to continuously manage risk and provide solutions with lean software development techniques
• Experience with project management for cradle-to-grave projects
• Prior work in a technical leadership role for a launch vehicle or satellite development effort
• Prior work in a startup or agile development environment
• Capability to solve complex problems autonomy as an individual or as a member of an integrated team.
• Passion for advancing the commercial space industry 

Pay Range

• Salary range: $180,000 - $225,000/per year.
• This role is on-site in El Segundo, CA
• Leveling and base salary is determined by job-related skills, education level, experience level, and job performance
• You will be eligible for long-term incentives in the form of stock options and/or long-term cash awards
• Offer compensation also includes the ability to purchase company stock through the Employee Stock Purchase Plan

• Varda, like all employers, must ensure that its employees working in the United States are lawfully authorized to work in the U.S.  Additionally, our employees are exposed to and have access to certain export-controlled items. At present, some of our technology to which employees have access requires a license to be exported to individuals other than “U.S. Persons” as defined in U.S. export regulations. Because our employees are provided access to export-controlled items, our current policy is to only hire “U.S. persons” who are permitted to have access to our technology without an export license. 

  “US person” means: U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident, or protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) (i.e., individual admitted to the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum in the U.S.)

   Learn more about the ITAR here.  

Benefits