Guidance, Navigation & Control (GNC) Systems Engineer | Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC | Fastwater

Location: Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, Canada
Employment Type: Full-Time
Work Arrangement: On-site preferred; hybrid/remote consideration for exceptional candidates
Start Date: TBD
Compensation: TBD — based on skills and experience

Important Screening Requirements

• Must have a B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Physics, or a related field.
• 10+ years of GNC/AOCS experience on LEO, MEO, or GEO satellite platforms.
• Strong experience in orbital mechanics, attitude dynamics, and control-law design.
• Experience implementing real-time filtering and control algorithms in embedded code.
• Hands-on experience with navigation sensors and actuators.
• Strong aerospace systems engineering background.
• Experience supporting systems integration, testing, and troubleshooting.
• Experience with Confluence and JIRA.
• Ability to work independently with limited supervision.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in an English and French work environment.

About the Role

We are seeking a senior Guidance, Navigation & Control (GNC) Systems Engineer to support the design, integration, verification, and operational support of GNC subsystems for current and next-generation remote sensing and communications satellites.

This role spans the complete GNC subsystem lifecycle—from algorithm development and hardware implementation through integration, verification, and on-orbit operational support.

The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in orbital dynamics, attitude determination and control, navigation, and real-time flight software integration, while being comfortable working closely with subsystem and mission operations teams throughout the spacecraft lifecycle.

What We're Looking For

We're looking for a senior GNC/AOCS systems engineer who can work across the full spacecraft lifecycle and bridge GNC algorithms, spacecraft hardware, flight software, systems engineering, integration, verification, and mission operations.

The ideal candidate goes beyond analysis and simulation, with hands-on experience translating GNC concepts into integrated spacecraft systems and supporting those systems through testing and on-orbit operations.

Key Responsibilities

Architecture & Requirements

• Derive GNC functional, performance, and safety requirements from mission-level requirements.
• Define requirements related to pointing accuracy, slew rates, orbit-maintenance ΔV, and fault tolerance.
• Develop and maintain System Requirements, Interface Control Documents (ICDs), and system description documentation.
• Manage requirements and maintain bidirectional traceability throughout the project lifecycle.

Modeling & Trade Studies

• Conduct trade studies involving navigation sensor suites and actuator families.
• Perform high-fidelity spacecraft dynamics simulations using MATLAB/Simulink and STK.
• Develop and maintain error budgets.
• Analyze control-law stability, fuel consumption, and survivability margins.
• Evaluate GNC architectures and design alternatives.

Algorithm Development

• Design and implement attitude-determination algorithms.
• Develop orbit-determination solutions.
• Develop control laws for:
  • 3-axis stabilization
  • Slew maneuvers
  • Station keeping
• Validate algorithms using Monte Carlo analysis and worst-case scenarios.
• Support Software-in-the-Loop (SIL) and Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing on avionics test benches.

Cross-Functional & Systems Engineering

• Translate GNC algorithms into requirements for real-time flight software.
• Collaborate with C&DH and flight software teams on telemetry/telecommand, schedulers, and FDIR logic.
• Present technical status, risk analyses, and trade-study results to senior management.
• Negotiate and maintain ICDs with other spacecraft subsystems.
• Support Phase 0 and pre-Phase A activities.

Hardware Selection & Design

• Specify GNC sensor and actuator hardware.
• Define electrical, mechanical, and thermal interfaces.
• Conduct trade studies involving redundancy architectures.
• Work with structures and thermal engineering teams to ensure appropriate mounting, thermal paths, and vibration survivability.
• Review harness routing and power distribution for GNC electronics.

Integration & Verification

• Develop Verification Plans, Test Matrices, and Validation Procedures for unit, subsystem, and spacecraft-level GNC testing.
• Lead functional testing, including:
  • Sensor calibration
  • Actuator command-response testing
  • Closed-loop attitude-control testing
  • On-orbit checkout sequences
• Conduct FMEA, FTA, and reliability assessments.
• Support system integration and troubleshooting activities.

Technical Leadership & Documentation

• Mentor and guide junior engineers and interns.
• Serve as a technical liaison with customers, partners, and external vendors.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives, engineering standards, and organizational knowledge bases.
• Support technology road-mapping and innovation activities.
• Maintain GNC standards covering sensor/actuator interfaces, filter design, and control-law documentation.
• Ensure analyses, software, deliverables, and technical documentation are properly version controlled.
• Support major design reviews including SRR, PDR, CDR, MRR, and TRR.

On-Orbit & Operations Support

• Support operational procedures for detumble, orbit maintenance, safe mode, and related GNC activities.
• Provide real-time GNC support during launch, early-orbit checkout, and contingency events.
• Analyze on-orbit telemetry and update filter parameters as required.
• Generate GNC performance reports.
• Support Satellite Operations Handbook (SOOH) development and operator training.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Physics, or a related field.
• 10+ years of GNC/AOCS experience on LEO, MEO, or GEO satellite platforms.
• Strong knowledge of:
  • Orbital mechanics
  • Attitude dynamics
  • Control-law design
  • Classical and modern optimal control
• Experience with navigation sensors and actuators.
• Experience implementing real-time filtering and control algorithms in embedded code.
• Strong understanding of aerospace systems engineering fundamentals.
• Hands-on experience supporting systems integration, testing, and problem resolution.
• Experience with Confluence and JIRA.
• Ability to work efficiently with limited supervision.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Physics, or a related field.
• Specialized academic or professional background in flight dynamics, control theory, or navigation.
• Experience across the complete spacecraft GNC lifecycle, from concept and algorithm development through integration and on-orbit operations.
• Experience with MATLAB/Simulink and STK.
• Experience with SIL/HIL testing and avionics test benches.
• Experience with spacecraft FDIR, telemetry/telecommand, and flight software integration.
• Experience supporting spacecraft design reviews and Phase 0/pre-Phase A activities.
• Experience with GNC hardware interfaces, redundancy architectures, and spacecraft environmental considerations.
• Experience conducting FMEA, FTA, and reliability analysis.