Director, Guidance Navigation & Control

Role overview: We are seeking a Director of GNC to shape and lead the technical and organizational direction of our Guidance, Navigation, Control (GNC) team. In this role, you will own the architecture, roadmap, engineering standards, team development, and cross-functional execution required to deliver high-performance GNC systems across the product lifecycle. You will lead a team of GNC engineers and technical leads working on Turion’s upcoming spacecraft missions – including RPO, reconnaissance, surveillance, refueling and Space Domain Awareness – and provide support for our current on-orbit LEO operations.

Key responsibilities

• Set the long-term technical vision, strategy, and roadmap for GNC capabilities, tools, processes, and team development.

• Own system-level architecture decisions for guidance, navigation, control, simulation, validation, and autonomy-related functions.

• Lead the GNC team at Turion Space by owning team structure, hiring plans, and team development.

• Serve as the senior technical authority for GNC, providing direction on trade studies, requirements, interfaces, performance targets, and risk management.

• Establish engineering standards, review practices, modeling and simulation expectations, verification methods, and certification or compliance approaches where applicable.

• Mentor and develop senior engineers and technical leads, while raising the overall technical bar of the organization.

• Drive make-versus-buy decisions, provide technical oversight of suppliers, and manage external partnerships related to GNC/RPO technologies.

• Represent GNC technical direction and program status in executive reviews, customer discussions, design reviews, and major decision forums.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of experience in roles related to guidance, navigation, and control engineering, with progressive growth from hands-on technical execution to senior technical leadership, architecture ownership, and strategic decision-making.

• Expertise implementing GNC algorithms as production flight code (C/C++) and ground analysis tools (Python/MATLAB).

• Extensive experience leading GNC engineering teams for complex aerospace, robotics, autonomous systems, defense, space, aviation, or similarly platforms.

• Proven experience supporting satellite bus operations, providing support for GNC-related activities and resolving on-orbit anomalies.

• Demonstrated ownership of GNC architecture, technology roadmaps, and system-level technical direction across multiple programs or product generations.

• Deep expertise in control theory, estimation/navigation, flight dynamics, guidance algorithms, modeling and simulation, and verification and validation.

• Proven ability to influence executive stakeholders, manage technical risk, and make high-impact decisions under uncertainty.

• Experience building, mentoring, and scaling high-performing engineering teams.

• Strong communication skills with the ability to translate complex technical topics into clear strategical recommendations.

• Preferred: Direct spacecraft GNC experience in SDA, autonomous navigation, rendezvous safety, maneuver planning, or proximity operations.

Director of GNC: $200,000-$273,000

Employees may be asked to support alternate shifts, extended shifts, and/or travel during peak work periods.

ITAR Requirements:

This position may include access to technology and/or software source code that is subject to U.S. export controls. To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Benefits:
We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits package designed to support the well-being and professional growth of our employees. In addition to a competitive base salary and company stock, determined by factors such as job-related knowledge, education, skills, experience, and market demand, full-time employees are eligible for:

• Equity: Receive equity in Turion Space, letting you benefit from the company's success

• Health Insurance: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and their dependents.

• Retirement Plans: Access to a 401(k) plan with a 3% Employer Direct Contribution to help you plan for your future.

• Paid Time Off: Generous vacation days, personal days, sick days, and holidays to ensure you have time to recharge.

• Parental Leave: Paid parental leave following the birth of a newborn or adoption.

• Emotional Wellbeing: A no-cost Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to support you and your household’s emotional health and wellbeing.

• Professional Development: Opportunities for ongoing internal training, workshops, and courses to advance your skills and career growth.

• Team Building Activities: Regular social events, team outings, and company-sponsored activities to foster a positive work environment.

We are dedicated to providing a supportive and enriching environment for our team members, recognizing that our collective success is built upon the well-being and satisfaction of each individual.

Turion Space is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Turion Space is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.