Senior Manager Guidance Navigation Control GNC

Capella Space stands at the forefront of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite technology and signal intelligence. We provide customers in governments academia and commercial sectors with reliable information that enables unparalleled understanding of the world. Our mission is centered on delivering timely and reliable Earth imagery supporting diverse applications in defense & intelligence disaster response energy environmental monitoring and more. Utilizing cuttingedge technology Capella Space designs manufactures and operates an advanced constellation of SAR imaging satellites. Our marketleading SAR satellites are complemented by an unmatched data infrastructure and automated ordering and delivery platform for fast reliable insights where and when customers need it most.

Recognized for our technological prowess Capella Space was honored as one of the 10 most innovative companies in Space in 2023 by FASTCOMPANY. Capella Space is an internationally trusted Earth Observation data provider working closely with the U.S. Space Systems Command U.S. Space Force NASA U.S. Air Force U.S. Navy U.S. National Reconnaissance Office the Canadian Government and more to make unclassified highresolution SAR data more accessible.

What Makes Capella Unique

Capella Space is a highly collaborative team environment providing an opportunity to work with some of the brightest minds in the space industry though no prior space experience is needed. Were looking for people excited about tackling seemingly impossible challenges learning new skills and concepts and helping each other achieve success. Our mission and our products are meant to understand the whole world and help everyone in it regardless of race creed or any other distinction. We encourage you to bring your unique perspective to help make us stronger including applications from those who are traditionally underrepresented in tech.

About the Role & Team

We are looking for an experienced technical Senior Manager for Guidance Navigation and Control (GNC) team consisting of Flight Dynamics Attitude Determination and Control Systems (ADCS) and Propulsion Systems. In this role you will lead a small team of highly specialized engineers who collectively are responsible for all aspects related to pointing knowledge and control algorithms ADCS and propulsion hardware sizing and selection maneuvering & orbit control formation flying orbit determination orbit propagation collision avoidance lifetime analysis and deorbit of a constellation of satellites.

As the Senior Manager of GNC you will act as the technical leader in this domain at Capella. You will be mentor and people manager while providing technical expertise and contributions to various projects within the company. You will guide the team through technical challenges help develop the teams skills and enable growth of the team taking on new challenges (such as formation flying & autonomous control) as the company evolves and our opportunities diversify. You will lead the development of a technology roadmap related to this domain in collaboration with senior company leaders and inline with company strategic objectives and projects.

As a leader in your field you will represent the companys expertise related to GNC to customers and partners including in public settings (such as conferences) as appropriate and provide technical input into proposals.

Role Responsibilities

• Lead our dynamic Capella GNC team
• Manage and mentor engineers on the team
• Provide technical expertise related to GNC within the team projects
• Perform resource allocation across company programs
• Define and provide accountability for shortterm (quarterly) and longterm (annual) team goals that support company objectives
• Collaborate with and support adjacent teams with operationalizing GNC & Flight Dynamics systems & CONOPS
• Design and implement orbit determination orbit propagation and automated thrust maneuvering in an operational system
• Design and implement state estimators and control algorithms for the localization and pointing of radarimaging spacecraft
• Support trade studies and concept development for future missions through constellation design defining system performance requirements to satisfy high level mission objectives and conducting hardware system sizing design and work closely with Supply Chain on vendor selection
• Define & implement the technology roadmap related to GNC in collaboration with senior leaders and inline with the company strategic objectives
• Coordinate and/or manage portfolio of development projects in collaboration with the company Program Management Office (PMO)

Qualifications

• 10 Years in the field of GNC/ADCS/Flight Dynamics on complex space programs
• Strong working knowledge of orbital mechanics space system control systems and the space environment
• Handson project level experience in at least one of the following areas: formation flying repeat orbit acquisition precision orbit maneuvering
• Experience managing and delivering Python or C/C development projects to a production environment
• Proven ability to lead a diverse team through complex projects
• Ability to work in a dynamic environment with high degree of uncertainty
• Excellent communication skills
• Ability to manage conflicting priorities approaches ideas and requirements
• Willingness to travel to Capella SF office and other locations as necessary up to 25
• To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) Capella Employees must be a U.S. citizen lawful U.S. permanent resident (i.e. current Green Card holder) or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State and/or the U.S. Department of Commerce as applicable. Learn more about ITARhere.

Compensation

The annual salary range for this role as it is posted is $156000 $206500. The final job level and annual salary will be determined based on the education qualification knowledge skills ability and experience of the final candidate(s) specific office location and calibrated against relevant market data and internal team equity. Benefits listed in this posting may vary depending on the nature of your employment with Capella Space.

Benefits/Perks

In addition to an opportunity to take part in an innovative collaborative and fastgrowing business with a highly motivated and skilled team we also take pride in taking care of our employees. Here are just a few ways that we show our appreciation:

• We provide extensive medical coverage including strong vision and dental plans flexible spending accounts and additional supplemental health options.
• Stock option grants for new hires
• 401K Plan to invest in your longterm retirement goals
• Generous Parental Leave
• Paid Flexible Time Off Policy
• Lifestyle Spending Account
• Commuter & Parking Benefits
• Mental Health Resources
• Monthly Phone Stipend
• Daily provided lunches and stocked kitchens.
• Furry friends Weve got you covered with dogfriendly work environment & them with pet insurance options

Equal Opportunity Statement

Capella Space is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace and upholding equitable hiring practices.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race color religion sex sexual orientation gender identity national origin disability protected veteran status or any other characteristic under federal state or local law including those with a criminal history in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws including the CA Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance. We actively encourage members of recognized minorities women Veterans and those with disabilities to apply and we work to create a welcoming and supportive environment for all applicants throughout the interview process. If you need assistance or require an accommodation during the job application process please notify

To learn more about us explore our site: and follow us on X and LinkedIn to see our SAR imagery!