About Lúnasa:

Lúnasa Space is a UK-based space-tech start-up with a mission to accelerate sustainable, reliable, and affordable in-space logistics and infrastructure. The company is developing an innovative, dual-stage, and reusable in-space satellite servicing vehicle to provide very affordable access to space for SmallSats through rideshare and last-mile transportation, and ultimately satellite life extension services in Earth orbits and beyond.

With a team of over 50 years of developing space technology experience, Lúnasa intends to de-risk its intelligent visual-based guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) system for rendezvous proximity operations and docking (RPOD) on-orbit by early 2024.

Location: Harwell Campus, Atlas Bldg., Didcot.
Salary: £40,000 – £60,000 (depending on prior experience).
This position is for a candidate who has the right to work in the UK.

Job summary:
As the Satellite Controls Engineer at Lúnasa, your role will be responsible for developing control systems to support a variety of upcoming Lúnasa missions. A major emphasis will be in reliable controls schemes for spacecraft rendezvous proximity operations and docking (RPOD). What we look at beyond individual skills and qualifications, is the aptitude for complex technical challenges and your practical experience designing/developing/coding variety of systems that will trump specific qualification or tools any day.

Responsibilities:

• Develop control schemes including spacecraft attitude and manoeuvre controllers.
• Architect, plan and implement software solutions for control during in-space formation flying and proximity operations.
• Plan and implement tests and simulations of spacecraft controls systems.
• Assist in overall system design and development providing input to trade studies and hardware selection particularly for thrusters and reaction wheels used for spacecraft control.

• Knowledge of linear and non-linear systems, feedback control, signal processing, and signal filtering.
• Experience developing control laws for complex dynamic systems.
• Practical experience implementing controls in software including Python, Matlab, Simulink, C or similar programming languages.
• Ability to develop simulations to test and analyse controller performance.
• Minimum of Bachelor’s degree in a relevant engineering field.
• Minimum 2 years of experience in the space industry.
• Attention to detail, follow-up, and resolution.
• Excellent time and project management skills, with the ability to deliver to tight deadlines.
• Excellent communication skills, both as written and spoken.