What You’ll Do

1. Understand spacecraft architecture and missions
2. Review current model and simulation capability
3. Identify any gaps in current simulation framework
4. Evaluate how simulation integrates with other teams within the company GSW, FSW, AI&T, MOPS, etc
5. Train as an operator to prepare for upcoming mission
6. Identify gaps from assessment and create the simulation architecture roadmap
7. Identify required models (Spacecraft subsystem, environment, GNC, etc)
8. Establish a framework that defines how hardware models, software models, and operational scenarios interact within the simulation environment
9. Establish how the digital twin gets integrated into a physics based “universe sim”
10. Establish a concrete validation strategy

 Mindset + skills: 

Mindset 

1. Systems level thinker understanding the crossroads of Physics, Software and Hardware
2. Ownership mindset serving as the technical authority across design and implementation
3. Ability to prioritize needs from multiple internal and external customers
4. Excels while operating in a fast-paced New Space environment
5. Strong desire to build and design something from the ground up
6. Someone willing to get dirty and produce code not just design
7. Passionate about creating a product that is used throughout the company 

Skills 

1. Strong understanding of orbital mechanics and astrodynamics
2. Experience modeling spacecraft dynamics, control systems, and environmental effects
3. Ability to design modular and extensible simulation architecture
4. Experience implementing physics-based simulations in Python and C++
5. Strong knowledge of numerical methods, time integration, and stability considerations
6. Experience building “universe-style” multi-body simulation environments
7. Ability to design simulations that support historical replay, real-time execution, and accelerated future-time scenarios
8. Experience with integrating simulations with GSW, FSW, AI&T, and HITL testing
9. Ability to design constellation level simulations
10. Experience designing event-driven or time-stepped simulation frameworks
11. Experience generating realistic synthetic telemetry 
12. Strong V&V practices  

 Your Ideal Background

Required

1. 10+ years of experience in modeling and simulation for complex aerospace missions
2. Deep understanding of physics engines or digital twins (subsystem/component models, dynamical systems, etc)
3. Experience developing for multiple internal stakeholders such as AI&T, GSW, MOPS, FSW, etc
4. BS in Aerospace Engineering, Physics, Computer Science or closely related STEM field
5. Deep knowledge in C++, Python, Basilisk (or similar Framework), Docker, K8, CI/CD 

Preferred 

1. Proven ownership of the design and architecture of a multi-model and simulation system
2. Understanding of distributed simulation frameworks
3. Strong foundation in multiple subsystems such as GNC, Flight Dynamics, EPS, Propulsion, etc
4. Nice to have experience simulating 6-DOF relative motion and ROPD missions 

Additional Requirements: Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed.

Compensation and Benefits: Your base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience. The anticipated salary range for this role is $130,000 - $240,000 annually.

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at Katalyst. You will also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of the Employee Stock Option and Equity Plan, as well as a relocation bonus and other discretionary bonuses. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, and unlimited Paid Time Off.

At Katalyst our work on projects involving the U.S. Department of Defense requires adherence to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 C.F.R. Parts 120-130, which requires compliance with U.S. export laws before allowing employees to perform certain positions. Currently, our available roles necessitate access to ITAR-controlled information, and as a result, Katalyst would have to ensure any non-US person is authorized access to ITAR information before the commencement of employment. We are committed to equal employment opportunities and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.

Overview

As a Senior Space Systems Engineer, you’ll play a key role in developing cohesive system architectures and ensuring the effective integration of spacecraft subsystems to meet mission objectives. This position is a Senior Space Systems Engineering role, focused on the engineering of space systems, rather than a systems engineer for space. We’re looking for someone with a deep understanding of how complex subsystems interact and impact overall system performance.   

What You’ll Do

• Oversee and perform system-wide architecture design, ensuring subsystems function cohesively and meet overarching system goals
• Lead detailed technical efforts and spearhead trade studies of space system architectures
• Identify and address gaps between requirements and top-level objectives, constraining broad problems and decomposing them into actionable tasks to implement solutions
• Support the sourcing and selection of key suppliers, components, and technologies
• Integrate spacecraft components, ensuring cohesive system functionality and compatibility across all subsystems
• Define Key Performance Parameters, select quantifiable metrics, and determine modeling approaches to directly address and answer key design questions in physics-based modeling and simulation efforts
• Lead small multi-discipline teams on spacecraft design, space mission design, and R&D projects
• Assist proposal capture efforts, including private/public, DoD, OGA, and other commercial partnerships
• Conduct comprehensive system analyses, including risk assessments, reliability analyses, and trade studies to optimize system performance
• Participate in design reviews, ensuring that designs meet mission requirements, are feasible, and incorporate best practices
• Support hardware-in-the-loop testing to validate integrated system performance in simulated operational environments 
• Provide technical guidance to junior engineers 

 Your Ideal Background

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in a technical engineering discipline
• 5+ years of experience working on satellite systems with direct involvement in flight programs and the entire Validation and Verification chain
• Ability to define and lay out solutions to ambiguous problems
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Capable of identifying and solving complex problems with little to no supervision or direction 
• Expertise in the space environment, commercial space operations, and/or robotics 

Preferred 

• Direct involvement in flight operations or launch campaign  
• Hardware Validation and Verification experience 
• Proficiency with Python, Matlab, STK, Ansys, and/or JAMA 
• Experience in orbital mechanics / astrodynamics 
• Experience in Space Domain Awareness, RPOD, or Robotics  

Additional Requirements: Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed.

Compensation and Benefits: Your base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience. The anticipated salary range for this role is $130,000 - $180,000 annually.

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at Katalyst. You will also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of the Employee Stock Option and Equity Plan, as well as a relocation bonus and other discretionary bonuses. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, and unlimited Paid Time Off.

At Katalyst our work on projects involving the U.S. Department of Defense requires adherence to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 C.F.R. Parts 120-130, which requires compliance with U.S. export laws before allowing employees to perform certain positions. Currently, our available roles necessitate access to ITAR-controlled information, and as a result, Katalyst would have to ensure any non-US person is authorized access to ITAR information before the commencement of employment. We are committed to equal employment opportunities and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.

Overview

The Contract Manager is responsible for overseeing the full lifecycle of contracts, ensuring compliance with contractual obligations, and supporting business development and proposal activities. This role works cross-functionally with legal, finance, and proposal teams to manage risk, review terms, and maintain alignment with company policies and regulatory requirements, including U.S. Government contracting standards. 

What You’ll Do

Contract Administration & Compliance 

• Manage and monitor active contracts to ensure ongoing compliance with contractual terms and conditions
• Track deliverables, obligations, and key milestones across all active agreements
• Identify and mitigate contractual risks, ensuring adherence to company policies and applicable regulations
• Maintain organized contract records and documentation 

Contract Review & Negotiation 

• Review prospective contracts, subcontracts, and agreements for legal, financial, and operational risk
• Analyze and interpret FAR/DFAR clauses, identifying provisions that require negotiation, clarification, or escalation
• Provide recommendations on terms the company should push back on or closely monitor
• Support contract negotiations in collaboration with leadership and legal counsel 

Proposal & Business Development Support 

• Partner with proposal teams to review solicitation requirements and contract terms during the proposal phase
• Assist in developing and maintaining boilerplate contractual language
• Ensure alignment between proposed terms and company capabilities and risk posture
• Support compliance reviews for RFPs, RFQs, and other solicitations 

Agreements & Legal Documentation 

• Draft, review, and manage Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs), Teaming Agreements, and other standard agreements
• Ensure proper execution and tracking of all pre-contract and contract-related documents
• Coordinate with internal stakeholders to ensure consistency and completeness 

 Your Ideal Background

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Law, Finance, or a related field (or equivalent experience)
• 5+ Years of experience managing active contracts and ensuring compliance with contractual obligations
• Demonstrated experience reviewing on government prospective contracts, including identifying and assessing FAR/DFAR clauses and related risks such as SBIR Phase I, Phase II, Phase III, OTA, and other vehicles.
• Ability to identify terms that require negotiation or escalation and provide actionable recommendations
• Experience supporting proposal teams, including contract review, compliance checks, and development of boilerplate language
• Familiarity with drafting and reviewing NDAs and other standard contractual agreements
• Strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple contracts simultaneously 

Preferred 

• Experience with commercial B2B contracts for large enterprise services procurements 
• Experience in government contracting or aerospace/defense industry
• Familiarity with contract lifecycle management (CLM) tools
• Strong understanding of federal acquisition regulations (FAR/DFAR)
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment 

Additional Requirements: Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed.

Compensation and Benefits: Your base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience. The anticipated salary range for this role is $95,000 - $130,000 annually.

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at Katalyst. You will also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of the Employee Stock Option and Equity Plan, as well as a relocation bonus and other discretionary bonuses. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, and unlimited Paid Time Off.

At Katalyst our work on projects involving the U.S. Department of Defense requires adherence to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 C.F.R. Parts 120-130, which requires compliance with U.S. export laws before allowing employees to perform certain positions. Currently, our available roles necessitate access to ITAR-controlled information, and as a result, Katalyst would have to ensure any non-US person is authorized access to ITAR information before the commencement of employment. We are committed to equal employment opportunities and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.

Overview

Katalyst is seeking a highly capable, hands-on Director of Finance own the company’s full finance operating rhythm across monthly close, budgeting and forecasting, cash management, accounts payable, accounts receivable, financial reporting, internal controls, and strategic finance support. 

This leader will be expected to operate as both a player and a builder: personally driving core accounting and finance processes in the near term while designing the systems, controls, and team structure needed to scale the business over time. The Director of Finance will serve as a key thought partner to leadership team, ensuring the company has accurate financials, strong operating discipline, and forward-looking financial visibility. 

This role is especially well suited for a finance leader who thrives in early-stage environments, can move fluidly between detail and strategy, and is excited to build a finance function that will support the company through its next phase of growth. 

Reporting Structure 

This role will report to the VP of Operations and work closely with department leaders across the company. 

What You’ll Do 

Build and lead the finance function

1. Establish the foundation of the finance organization
2. Design and implement scalable finance processes, controls, policies, and reporting cadences
3. Build the finance roadmap, including team design, systems architecture, and outsourcing strategy where appropriate
4. Hire, develop, and lead future finance team members across accounting, FP&A, and AP/AR as the company grows
5. Establish clear ownership, documentation, and standard operating procedures across all core finance activities 

Own the monthly, quarterly, and annual finance operating cadence

1. Lead the monthly close process, including reconciliations, journal entries, accruals, prepaids, revenue recognition considerations, and financial statement preparation
2. Ensure accurate and timely monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reporting
3. Maintain budget-to-actual reporting and variance analysis across departments
4. Support quarterly reforecasts and annual planning processes
5. Prepare management reporting packages and support board-level reporting
6. Translate financial results into actionable insights, risks, and recommendations 

Lead accounting operations and controllership activities 

1. Own day-to-day accounting operations in a hands-on manner until team scale supports greater delegation
2. Oversee and improve accounts payable, procurement controls, accounts receivable, invoicing, and collections
3. Maintain balance sheet integrity through timely reconciliations
4. Ensure disciplined expense classification, cutoff, and period-end accruals
5. Develop and maintain internal controls appropriate for a scaling venture-backed business
6. Prepare the company for increasing audit, diligence, tax, and investor reporting 

Drive budgeting, forecasting, and strategic finance 

1. Develop monthly cash flow forecasts, including a rolling detailed cash forecast and long-term runway model
2. Partner with the leadership team on hiring plans, expense decisions, and resource allocation
3. Support pricing, vendor, customer, and investment decisions with financial analysis and scenario modeling
4. Support fundraising readiness by ensuring the company’s financial story, metrics, and supporting schedules are credible and consistent 

Cash management and working capital ownership 

1. Monitor daily and weekly cash position and ensure strong visibility into liquidity
2. Manage payment timing, collections, and cash conversion discipline to preserve runway
3. Build and maintain clear reporting on burn rate, runway, and key cash drivers
4. Identify risks and opportunities related to working capital, customer receivables, vendor obligations, and large spend commitments 

Systems, controls, and GAAP readiness 

1. Lead the migration from the company’s current accounting environment to a GAAP-compliant accounting system and finance infrastructure capable of supporting scale, investor expectations, and future audit requirements
2. Assess and improve the current accounting systems, close processes, chart of accounts, and reporting architecture
3. Implement systems and workflows that improve data integrity, auditability, and reporting efficiency
4. Establish accounting policies and procedures aligned with U.S. GAAP and the needs of a venture-backed business 

Compliance and government contracting support 

1. Partner with internal and external stakeholders to support tax, compliance, and regulatory requirements
2. Help ensure finance processes and records are maintained in a manner consistent with applicable government contracting expectations, including familiarity with DCAA/DCMA-related accounting environments, cost structures, and documentation disciplines 

What We're Looking For

1. You’re a hands-on builder with strong judgment for balancing accuracy and efficiency
2. You have meticulous attention to detail and enjoy producing financial and cost data that stands up to scrutiny
3. You like owning the numbers end-to-end and understand how they impact programs, contracts, and business decisions
4. You enjoy digging into cost structures and variances and turning them into clear, useful insights for leadership and program teams
5. You’re comfortable working in ambiguity and building frameworks, systems, and processes as the organization grows and matures
6. You enjoy working closely with engineering, operations, and program teams and helping finance enable execution 

Your Ideal Background

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field
• 8+ years of experience across accounting, controllership, or a related finance role
• Prior experience in public accounting at a major firm
• Strong foundation in accounting, financial reporting, close processes, reconciliations, and internal controls
• Experience owning or materially contributing to budgeting, forecasting, cash management, and executive reporting
• Demonstrated ability to operate in a highly hands-on role with limited infrastructure and build processes from scratch
• Experience implementing, upgrading, or migrating accounting systems and improving finance tooling
• Strong knowledge of U.S. GAAP and the practical application of GAAP in a scaling company environment
• Excellent modeling, analytical, and communication skills
• Ability to synthesize detailed financial information into clear business recommendations 

Preferred 

• CPA preferred
• Prior experience in aerospace, defense, or another regulated hardware manufacturing industry
• Experience preparing a company for audit, due diligence, or institutional investor reporting
• Experience working in venture-funded companies, ideally in early-stage or high-growth environments
• Experience building and managing small, high-performing finance teams
• Familiarity with DCAA/DCMA accounting practices, government contract cost structures, documentation expectations, and compliance-oriented financial processes
• Proficiency in Excel 

Additional Requirements: Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed.

Compensation and Benefits: Your base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience. The anticipated salary range for this role is $170,000 - $220,000 annually.

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at Katalyst. You will also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of the Employee Stock Option and Equity Plan, as well as a relocation bonus and other discretionary bonuses. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, and unlimited Paid Time Off.

At Katalyst our work on projects involving the U.S. Department of Defense requires adherence to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 C.F.R. Parts 120-130, which requires compliance with U.S. export laws before allowing employees to perform certain positions. Currently, our available roles necessitate access to ITAR-controlled information, and as a result, Katalyst would have to ensure any non-US person is authorized access to ITAR information before the commencement of employment. We are committed to equal employment opportunities and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.

What You’ll Do 

1. Contribute to the design, iteration, and qualification ofKatalyst’s spacecraft Electrical Power System (EPS), including power conversion, power distribution, battery interface electronics, solar array interfaces, protection circuitry, and subsystem power interfaces. 
2. Design,modify, and review schematics, PCB layouts, interface definitions, and analysis packages for spacecraft power electronics, with emphasis on switch-mode power supplies, DC/DC converters, load switching, current sensing, fault protection, and EMI-aware layout practices. 
3. Support integrated operation of EPS hardware during functional, performance, and qualification testing, working directly with test engineers to execute bench, thermal vacuum, vibration, and other qualification test campaigns.
4. Help own integrated functional testing of EPS hardware with avionics, flight software, mechanisms, payloads, and other spacecraft subsystems, ensuring power interfaces behave correctly across nominal, off-nominal, and fault cases.
5. Plan and execute targeted stress, margin, and performance testing, exercising hardware across design extremes such as input voltage range, load transients, thermal limits, startup sequencing, fault response, and converter stability.
6. Help define design changes and architecture improvements for future spacecraft power systems, including EPS feature upgrades, power budget impacts, redundancy considerations, telemetry needs, and mission-specific power requirements.

Your Ideal Background

1. Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or equivalent field.
2. 3+ years of experience designing, testing, or integrating power electronics, spacecraft EPS hardware, battery/solar power interfaces, or closely related high-reliability power systems.
3. Strong understanding of switch-mode power supply design, DC/DC converter architectures, compensation/stability, magneticsselection, protection circuitry, and practical power electronics debugging. 
4. Experience designing ormodifying schematics and PCB layouts for power electronics, including high-current routing, grounding, thermal considerations, creepage/clearance, current sensing, and EMI/EMC-aware layout practices. 
5. Proficiency in Altium or a similar ECAD tool for schematic capture, PCB layout review, design release, and documentation.
6. Exposure to spacecraft or embedded-system power architectures, including power distribution, load switching, battery management interfaces, solar array regulation, or power telemetry.
7. Exposure to common digital communication standards (SPI, I2C, UART, CAN, Ethernet) and mixed-signal design best practices for telemetry, control, and power-system interfaces.
8. Hands-on experience with hardware bring-up, bench testing, and debugging using oscilloscopes, electronic loads, power supplies, DMMs, logic analyzers, and related lab equipment.
9. Experience writing or executing test procedures, documenting results, and driving board- or component-level troubleshooting through root cause and corrective action.
10. Experience integrating power electronics with other spacecraft or embedded subsystems; exposure to environmental testing such as thermal vacuum or vibration is a plus but not required. 

Additional Requirements: Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed.

Compensation and Benefits: Your base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience. The anticipated salary range for this role is $105,000 - $145,000 annually.

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at Katalyst. You will also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of the Employee Stock Option and Equity Plan, as well as a relocation bonus and other discretionary bonuses. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, and unlimited Paid Time Off.

At Katalyst our work on projects involving the U.S. Department of Defense requires adherence to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 C.F.R. Parts 120-130, which requires compliance with U.S. export laws before allowing employees to perform certain positions. Currently, our available roles necessitate access to ITAR-controlled information, and as a result, Katalyst would have to ensure any non-US person is authorized access to ITAR information before the commencement of employment. We are committed to equal employment opportunities and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.

What You’ll Do 

1. Supporting GNC algorithm trade studies 
2. Building simulation environments and prototype algorithms
3. Collaborating on system-level integration 
4. Developing and validating 6-DoF simulation tools
5. Assisting with datasets and algorithm evaluation
6. Supporting implementation, testing, and debugging 

Your Ideal Background

Required 

1. Bachelor’s degree in relevant engineering field 
2. 3+ years of experience working in guidance, navigation, and control in one or more areas:
3. Modeling and simulation
4. Algorithm development for state estimation
5. Trajectory or path planning  
6. Classical or modern control of dynamical systems
7. Software development experience in Python for modeling and simulation applications
8. Experience with GNC systems, sensors, or control algorithms  
9. Ability to work in fast-paced startup environment  
10. Strong problem-solving skills  

Desired 

1. Experience with space system development, especially around guidance, navigation and control, or rendezvous proximity operations.
2. Orbital mechanics / Astrodynamics knowledge
3. Git, Linux, Basilisk familiarity C/C++ experience
4. Strong communication skills
5. Real-time embedded systems experience
6. Hardware-in-the-loop experience
7. Spacecraft hardware knowledge (RWAs, thrusters, etc)
8. Mission operations experience 

Additional Requirements: Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed.

Compensation and Benefits: Your base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience. The anticipated salary range for this role is $140,000 - $240,000 annually.

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at Katalyst. You will also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of the Employee Stock Option and Equity Plan, as well as a relocation bonus and other discretionary bonuses. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, and unlimited Paid Time Off.

At Katalyst our work on projects involving the U.S. Department of Defense requires adherence to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 C.F.R. Parts 120-130, which requires compliance with U.S. export laws before allowing employees to perform certain positions. Currently, our available roles necessitate access to ITAR-controlled information, and as a result, Katalyst would have to ensure any non-US person is authorized access to ITAR information before the commencement of employment. We are committed to equal employment opportunities and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.

What You’ll Do 

1. Architect vision-based navigation systems for autonomous space missions
2. Define and evaluate algorithms for pose estimation, feature tracking, and sensor fusion
3. Build prototype CV pipelines for onboard and simulation environments
4. Lead integration of camera systems with GNC stack
5. Deliver a vision-based navigation architecture for SDA/RPOD missions
6. Develop and validate perception algorithms using synthetic and real datasets
7. Stand up simulation environments for camera modeling and scene generation
8. Drive integration and testing of navigation solutions within full system 

Your Ideal Background

Required 

1. Bachelor’s or higher degree in Aerospace, Robotics, Computer Vision, or related field
2. 5+ years experience in navigation, state estimation, or computer vision systems
3. Strong experience with computer vision techniques (e.g., SLAM, visual odometry, feature detection)
4. Proficiency in Python and/or C++ for algorithm development
5. Experience deploying algorithms to real-world or flight-like systems
6. Proven ability to lead technical projects from concept to deployment 

Desired 

1. Experience with space-based navigation (e.g., RPOD, planetary landing, SSA/SDA)
2. Familiarity with multi-sensor fusion (IMU, cameras, LiDAR, etc.)
3. Experience with OpenCV, ROS, or similar frameworks
4. Understanding of spacecraft dynamics and GNC systems
5. Experience with simulation tools and synthetic data generation
6. Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills 

Additional Requirements: Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed.

Compensation and Benefits: Your base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience. The anticipated salary range for this role is $150,000 - $200,000 annually.

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at Katalyst. You will also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of the Employee Stock Option and Equity Plan, as well as a relocation bonus and other discretionary bonuses. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, and unlimited Paid Time Off.

At Katalyst our work on projects involving the U.S. Department of Defense requires adherence to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 C.F.R. Parts 120-130, which requires compliance with U.S. export laws before allowing employees to perform certain positions. Currently, our available roles necessitate access to ITAR-controlled information, and as a result, Katalyst would have to ensure any non-US person is authorized access to ITAR information before the commencement of employment. We are committed to equal employment opportunities and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.

What You'll Do 

1. Design and implement containerized microservices within an AWS environment (Lambda, ECS)
2. Lead the design of relational database schemas (Postgres), prioritizing query performance engineering and indexing strategies to handle large, readily available SDA datasets
3. Own the end-to-end feature development and integration of streaming and batch ETL pipelines
4. Familiarity with deploying ML models in production and adding instrumentation to monitor model performance
5. Help with architecture design and defining technical direction
6. Mentor and help develop other less experienced engineers 

What We Value:

1. Strong ownership mentality – you’ll lead technical execution and ensure your features make it from development to production
2. Accountable – The team knows they’ll be able to depend on you
3. Curiosity – We are solving the hardest problems in space and want to hear everyone’s voice to ensure we’re always innovating
4. Leadership – You will be on a small team and will be empowered to help grow the culture and influence technical direction 

Your Ideal Background:

Required:

1. 5+ years of full-time software engineering experience
2. Experience working in the defense/space industry
3. Comfortable working in a small, fast-paced Agile environment
4. Strong communication skills and ability to execute under uncertainty
5. Familiarity with one or more of the following: Machine Learning, SDA, Backend Development
6. Proficiency in Linux, Python, SQL, Docker, and AWS
7. Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. security clearance 

Nice to Have: 

1. Experience instrumenting microservices with Observability (we use the LGTM stack)
2. Comfortable leading algorithm development across different SDA data modalities (EO, Orbital, RF, etc.) to solve problems such as anomaly detection, pattern-of-life modeling, or maneuver detection 

Compensation and Benefits:  

Your base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.  The anticipated salary range for this role is $150,000 - $190,000 annually.

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at Katalyst. You will also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of the Employee Stock Option and Equity Plan, as well as a relocation bonus and other discretionary bonuses. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, and unlimited Paid Time Off.

At Katalyst our work on projects involving the U.S. Department of Defense requires adherence to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 C.F.R. Parts 120-130, which requires compliance with U.S. export laws before allowing employees to perform certain positions. Currently, our available roles necessitate access to ITAR-controlled information, and as a result, Katalyst would have to ensure any non-US person is authorized access to ITAR information before the commencement of employment. We are committed to equal employment opportunities and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.

*remote work will require an exception from the hiring team

What You’ll Do

1. Contribute to the iteration of Katalyst’s spacecraft power system design, including schematics, board layouts, and interface definitions, to improve performance and complete feature upgrades. 
2. Support operation of power system hardware during qualification testing, working directly with test engineers to execute thermal vacuum and vibration qualification test campaigns.
3. Help own integrated functional testing of electrical hardware with other spacecraft subsystems. 
4. Plan and execute targeted stress and performance testing, exercising hardware to design extremes through targeted performance testing.
5. Help define and plan design changes for feature or architecture improvement of the spacecraft power system with respect to future mission requirements.

What We’re Looking For

1. Pride in work: You hold yourself to a high bar. You produce designs, documentation, and analyses that are correct, detailed, and ready for scrutiny.
2. Humility: You take on new challenges, learn from others, and grow. You seek out missing context, ask good questions, and course-correct quickly with new information.
3. Technical intuition and mastery: You understand power electronics at the component level and how that integrates in and impacts spacecraft systems at the architecture level.

Your Ideal Background

1. Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, or equivalent field
2. 3+ years of experience designing, testing, or integrating power electronics or closely related high-reliability power systems
3. Strong understanding of switch mode power supply design and DC/DC converter architectures 
4. Proficiency in Altium or similar ECAD tool for schematic and PCB layout design
5. Exposure to common digital communication standards (SPI, I2C, UART, CAN, ethernet) and mixed-signal design best practices 
6. Hands-on experience with hardware bring-up, bench testing, and debugging
7. Experience executing test procedures and documenting results
8. Experience troubleshooting board- or component-level analog and digital electronics issues 
9. Experience integrating power electronics with other subsystems 

Additional Requirements: Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed.

Compensation and Benefits: Your base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience. The anticipated salary range for this role is $105,000 - $145,000 annually

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at Katalyst. You will also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of the Employee Stock Option and Equity Plan, as well as a relocation bonus and other discretionary bonuses. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, and unlimited Paid Time Off.

At Katalyst our work on projects involving the U.S. Department of Defense requires adherence to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 C.F.R. Parts 120-130, which requires compliance with U.S. export laws before allowing employees to perform certain positions. Currently, our available roles necessitate access to ITAR-controlled information, and as a result, Katalyst would have to ensure any non-US person is authorized access to ITAR information before the commencement of employment. We are committed to equal employment opportunities and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.

What You'll Do 

1. Understand needs for mission operations interfaces, telemetry formats, commanding, and current use cases.
2. Audit existing tooling to determine gaps in preparation for architecting and designing new ground software
3. Identify critical mission operations workflows and associate them with mission milestones
4. Train on console for upcoming mission operations 

What you will own in the next 30 days: 

1. Produce a cloud based design/ architecture on a scalable and resilient ground software 
2. Help create automated tooling to improve ground procedures
3. Define developer the culture around coding standards, testing, and procedures
4. Mentor junior engineers
5. Improve and own deployment processes through CI/CD
6. Help own and create roadmaps needed to meet program milestones

What We Value:

1. System level thinker understanding cloud based scalable micro service systems
2. Strong desire to build and design something from the ground up
3. Able to understand and communicate customer needs into actionable items
4. Someone who strives for clarity and understanding, but can make do without perfect requirements
5. An operations first developer and architect
6. Someone willing to produce code not just sit back and design
7. A passion for automation and creating systems that streamline operations
8. Someone able to clearly explain trade offs in design and architecture creating trade studies when needed 

Your Ideal Background:

Required:

1. 8-12+ years of cloud based scalable micro service architecture
2. 4+ years leading developers/ engineers  
3. Experience building entire ground stacks from the ground up
4. Experience in creating high reliability production-critical systems
5. Experience with new space companies not traditional primes
6. Owned the process and procedure for deploying, testing and integrating into a full life cycle system
7. Deep technical fluency in cloud, backend, frontend, and streaming systems
8. AWS Suite (EKS, MSK, Timestream, S3, Batch, Event Bridge), Python, C++, React, Tailwind, Redis, Kafka, influx, QuestDB, MongoDB, git, CI/CD, Docker, K8
9. Minimum bachelor’s degree in computer science or other related STEM fields
10. Master’s degree preferred  

Compensation and Benefits:  

Your base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.  The anticipated salary range for this role is $180,000 - $240,000 annually.

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at Katalyst. You will also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of the Employee Stock Option and Equity Plan, as well as a relocation bonus and other discretionary bonuses. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, and unlimited Paid Time Off.

At Katalyst our work on projects involving the U.S. Department of Defense requires adherence to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 C.F.R. Parts 120-130, which requires compliance with U.S. export laws before allowing employees to perform certain positions. Currently, our available roles necessitate access to ITAR-controlled information, and as a result, Katalyst would have to ensure any non-US person is authorized access to ITAR information before the commencement of employment. We are committed to equal employment opportunities and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.

What You'll Do:

1. Establish, implement, and maintain quality management system procedures and processes.
2. Provide management system training and guidance to Katalyst internal stakeholders to build, implement and improve policies and procedures.
3. Resolve hardware and process nonconformances by leading investigations, identifying root causes, and implementing corrective actions that prevent recurrence.
4. Build and maintain a supplier quality dashboard to track performance metrics, audit results, nonconformances, and corrective actions.
5. Establish and maintain a formal calibration system to track all measurement and test equipment, ensure timely calibration, maintain traceable records, and manage third-party calibration providers.
6. Lead process improvement initiatives to reduce defects, improve yield, and increase production efficiency.
7. Develop and deliver quality management training, reinforce process discipline, and drive corrective action when procedures are not followed.
8. Work with procurement and engineering teams to ensure quality requirements are clearly defined and executed.

What We're Looking For:

1. You have acute attention to detail.
2. You are highly disciplined and process-oriented while focused on improving and building systems that make sense as opposed to blindly following flawed processes.
3. You are experienced managing stakeholders, holding internal team and suppliers accountable
4. You have a high sense of ownership, and enjoy seeing issues through to resolution and ensuring corrective actions are implemented

Your Ideal Background

1. Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or other technical field required
2. 3+ years of experience in a manufacturing or hardware quality environment
3. Experience working with a structured Quality Management System
4. Experience investigating and resolving nonconformances
5. Experience working with suppliers and managing quality-related issues

Anticipated salary range for this role is $110,000 - $145,000

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at Katalyst. You will also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of the Employee Stock Option and Equity Plan, as well as a relocation bonus and other discretionary bonuses. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, and unlimited Paid Time Off.

At Katalyst our work on projects involving the U.S. Department of Defense requires adherence to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 C.F.R. Parts 120-130, which requires compliance with U.S. export laws before allowing employees to perform certain positions. Currently, our available roles necessitate access to ITAR-controlled information, and as a result, Katalyst would have to ensure any non-US person is authorized access to ITAR information before the commencement of employment. We are committed to equal employment opportunities and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.

What You’ll Do

1. Own day-to-day execution of one or more technical programs, ensuring cross-functional alignment across engineering, operations, and leadership.
2. Develop and maintain clear program plans including schedules, milestones, risks, and action tracking.
3. Coordinate across hardware, software, and mission operations teams to ensure deliverables are integrated and on track.
4. Identify risks early, drive mitigation plans, and escalate appropriately with clear recommendations.
5. Support roadmap execution in partnership with senior program leadership and functional leads.
6. Maintain program dashboards, status reports, and decision logs to ensure transparency and accountability.

What We’re Looking For

1. Ownership & execution focus: You take responsibility for outcomes, not just tracking tasks. You follow through and close loops.
2. Strong communicator: You can effectively manage across functions and communicate clearly up to leadership.
3. Structured thinker: You create clarity from ambiguity and keep teams organized in fast-paced environments.
4. Technically literate: You are comfortable in technical discussions, ask thoughtful questions, and can understand system-level tradeoffs.

Your Ideal Background

1. Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related technical field or equivalent practical experience
2. 4+ years leading complex, technical programs
3. Experience in space, aerospace/defense, robotics, or other deep-tech systems, preferably in new-space or modern technology companies rather than traditional defense primes
4. Experience working in fast-paced, high-ambiguity environments.
5. Exposure to hardware and software development lifecycles.
6. Experience supporting cross-functional teams with tight deadlines.

Additional Requirements: Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed.

Compensation and Benefits: Your base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience. The anticipated salary range for this role is $120,000 - $160,000 annually.

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at Katalyst. You will also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of the Employee Stock Option and Equity Plan, as well as a relocation bonus and other discretionary bonuses. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, and unlimited Paid Time Off.

At Katalyst our work on projects involving the U.S. Department of Defense requires adherence to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 C.F.R. Parts 120-130, which requires compliance with U.S. export laws before allowing employees to perform certain positions. Currently, our available roles necessitate access to ITAR-controlled information, and as a result, Katalyst would have to ensure any non-US person is authorized access to ITAR information before the commencement of employment. We are committed to equal employment opportunities and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.

What You’ll Do

Product Roadmap & Strategic Planning

1. Define and maintain the product roadmap for multiple SDA products
2. Own the product backlog, ensuring features are properly prioritized, defined, and ready for engineering teams to execute against
3. Provide visibility of execution and progress to executives
4. Translate external stakeholder needs and acquisition opportunities into clear requirements and user stories for engineering to implement
5. Balance competing priorities, external deadlines, and mission requirements to deliver maximum value

Technical Demonstrations & External Communication

1. Own and deliver external-facing product demos to government stakeholders, potential customers, and partners with sufficient technical depth to field difficult questions.
2. Prepare and present technical briefings to senior military and government officials, translating complex SDA capabilities into mission value.
3. Serve as the technical point of contact for all external communications, ensuring messaging is accurate, compelling and aligned with stakeholder needs.
4. Coordinate with engineering and individually contribute to ensure demos showcase the right capabilities to address stakeholder priorities

Internal Product Execution & Cross-Functional Leadership

1. Lead Bi-weekly sprint demos to ensure development progress is visible and aligned with strategic goals.
2. Own all communication with executives regarding product development, ensuring alignment between engineering and company strategy.
3. Lead biannual product strategy workshops to align teams on roadmap priorities, strategic direction, and tactical execution.
4. Manage external subcontractor relationships, tracking milestones and ensuring deliverables are met on time and to specification.

External Stakeholder Management & Business Development

1. Own and manage relationships with government stakeholders, partners, and potential acquisition targets, serving as the primary external face of the product.
2. Respond quickly to emerging opportunities, adapting roadmap and priorities as new acquisition paths develop.

What We’re Looking For

1. Fluency in the SDA Problem Space – You have a deep understanding of SDA concepts or are willing to learn quickly and independently.
2. Technical Credibility and Presentation Skills – You can deliver compelling technical demos and briefings to senior government officials, military leaders, and technical stakeholders. 
3. Comfort with Ambiguity — You thrive in an environment where requirements evolve, priorities shift, and you don't have complete information. 
4. Strategic Thinking – You know how to prioritize to maximize impact with constrained resources and can clearly articulate the “why” behind product decisions.
5. Willingness to Travel – 25% travel to maintain stakeholder relationships and regularly solicit product feedback.

Your Ideal Background

1. Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Physics or a related technical field.
2. 3-5 years of product management experience, ideally combining product management with business development or sales engineering in a defense/aerospace or technical B2B SaaS environment.
3. Domain expertise in aerospace, defense, or Space Domain Awareness is highly preferred. Alternatively, demonstrated ability to quickly learn complex technical domains.
4. Experience working with government or DoD customers is preferred, including understanding of acquisition processes and operational needs.
5. Startup or fast-paced environment experience where the ability to move quickly, wear multiple hats, and navigate ambiguity independently is essential.
6. Experience with Agile/Scrum methodologies and product management tools (Linear, Jira, Azure DevOps, or similar)
7. Strong written and verbal communication skills with experience presenting to technical and executive audiences.

Additional Requirements: Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed.

Compensation and Benefits: Your base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience. The anticipated salary range for this role is $120,000 - $170,000 annually.

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at Katalyst. You will also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of the Employee Stock Option and Equity Plan, as well as a relocation bonus and other discretionary bonuses. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, and unlimited Paid Time Off.

At Katalyst our work on projects involving the U.S. Department of Defense requires adherence to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 C.F.R. Parts 120-130, which requires compliance with U.S. export laws before allowing employees to perform certain positions. Currently, our available roles necessitate access to ITAR-controlled information, and as a result, Katalyst would have to ensure any non-US person is authorized access to ITAR information before the commencement of employment. We are committed to equal employment opportunities and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.

What You’ll Do

• Establish the technical baseline for Katalyst’s robotic spacecraft.
  • Translate work completed into a defined, repeatable system architecture.
  • Identify, define, and formalize interface and integration assumptions across subsystems.
• Inject technical rigor into spacecraft development. 
  • Raise and maintain the bar on systems-level thinking and decision-making without slowing execution.
  • Act as a system-level reviewer, ensuring architectural coherence and disciplined technical tradeoffs.
• Build systems and structures for Katalyst's GEO program, establishing:
  • A clear requirements hierarchy with end-to-end traceability.
  • System-level diagrams and architectures that align teams around a shared technical vision.
  • Configuration and interface management practices that enable scale and repeatability.
• Leadership
  • Take over management of functional-level engineering managers for current and future Katalyst missions
  • Provide consistent, credible technical leadership across the engineering organization.
  • Bring clarity, sound judgment, and calm to ambiguous, high-pressure situations.
  • Set clear expectations for engineering rigor, precision, and accountability in execution.

What We’re Looking For

• Hands-on technical leadership with the ability to engage deeply in system-level decisions.
• Comfort operating in ambiguity while holding exceptionally high standards for technical excellence.
• Highly analytical, systems-oriented thinker capable of evaluating cross-functional trades and defining the appropriate level of clarity in analysis, documentation, and interfaces.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to create durable structures that allow teams to operate efficiently.
• Leadership maturity: shaping a culture of credibility, humility, and pride in work while projecting calm urgency.

Your Ideal Background

• 8+ years of spacecraft engineering experience, with at least 5 years owning system-level architecture.
• Prior accountability for end-to-end spacecraft design, not limited to a single subsystem.
• Direct ownership of at least one spacecraft mission through flight, including system integration, test, and launch support.
• Experience navigating at least one transition from:
• Early demonstration missions to follow-on missions.
• New product development and R&D efforts into operationalized, repeatable execution.
• Proven experience leading multiple engineering disciplines simultaneously.

Additional Requirements: Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed.

Compensation and Benefits: Your base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience. The anticipated salary range for this role is $195,000 - $260,000 annually.

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at Katalyst. You will also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of the Employee Stock Option and Equity Plan, as well as a relocation bonus and other discretionary bonuses. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, and unlimited Paid Time Off.

At Katalyst our work on projects involving the U.S. Department of Defense requires adherence to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 C.F.R. Parts 120-130, which requires compliance with U.S. export laws before allowing employees to perform certain positions. Currently, our available roles necessitate access to ITAR-controlled information, and as a result, Katalyst would have to ensure any non-US person is authorized access to ITAR information before the commencement of employment. We are committed to equal employment opportunities and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.

What You’ll Do

1. Support spacecraft flight test by executing fault detection test campaigns, integrated system communication tests, functional and performance verification tests, and flight software sequencing tests
2. Build an understanding of spacecraft rendezvous, capture, and pose estimation software and assist in its integration into multi-axis hardware-in-the-loop (HITL) spacecraft testbed.
3. Develop and maintain existing software to interface to spacecraft hardware subsystems, utilizing communication standards such as UART, TCP/IP, and CAN.
4. Document custom hardware interface APIs for internal and external users, focusing on hardware functionality and reliability features.
5. Review and contribute to the iteration of other engineers’ code with technical rigor through code reviews and subsystem design reviews.

What We’re Looking For

1. Deep analytical thinking and excellent problem solving: You are able to work through intricate technical issues efficiently.  
2. Systems-thinking mindset: You understand how software interacts with spacecraft systems and mission requirements. 
3. Technical mastery: Deep proficiency in embedded C/C++ development for real-time or resource-constrained systems. 
4. Strong attention to detail: You approach their work with rigor and with an understanding and consideration of relevant edge cases could affect on-orbit performance.

Your Ideal Background

1. B.S. in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field 
2. 7+ years of software development experience, including embedded or real-time systems 
3. High proficiency in C/C++ for embedded platforms 
4. Proven experience developing software in RTOS and/or embedded Linux environments 
5. Experience with flight software for spacecraft, launch vehicles, or other mission- or safety-critical autonomous systems 
6. Deep understanding of software architecture, interface definition, and system-level integration for complex embedded systems 
7. Familiarity with fault-tolerant system design, redundancy management, and robust error handling 
8. Experience designing and implementing algorithms for visual inspection, object detection, pose estimation, and relative navigation, including robotics or autonomous system computer vision pipelines. 
9. Proficiency with Git-based version control, CI/CD pipelines, and agile software development practices 
10. Demonstrated ability to technically lead features or subsystems end-to-end, from requirements definition through implementation, testing, and integration 

Additional Requirements: Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed.

Compensation and Benefits: Your base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience. The anticipated salary range for this role is $150,000 - $190,000 annually.

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at Katalyst. You will also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of the Employee Stock Option and Equity Plan, as well as a relocation bonus and other discretionary bonuses. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, and unlimited Paid Time Off.

At Katalyst our work on projects involving the U.S. Department of Defense requires adherence to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 C.F.R. Parts 120-130, which requires compliance with U.S. export laws before allowing employees to perform certain positions. Currently, our available roles necessitate access to ITAR-controlled information, and as a result, Katalyst would have to ensure any non-US person is authorized access to ITAR information before the commencement of employment. We are committed to equal employment opportunities and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.

Role Description:

Our technology hinges on flawless execution of rendezvous, proximity operations and docking (RPOD) and stands at the intersection of Space Domain Awareness (SDA), robotics, and in-space upgrades. Complex algorithms are essential to unlocking this vision. This is the domain of GNC Engineers. You’ll primarily focus on the design, build, test, analysis and in orbit operation of the GNC system central to our rendezvous and proximity operations spacecraft and Space Domain Awareness (SDA) products.

If you have a background expertise in a relevant domain such as orbital mechanics, optimal control, spacecraft systems design, sensor fusion and navigation, and/or software development and you’re excited about making a big impact while leaning into collaboration—surrounded by Flagstaff’s Ponderosa pines or the Denver Rockies—we’d love to hear from you!

Key Responsibilities:

Architecture and Investigation

• Architect solutions necessary to accomplish space mission objectives around space domain awareness and RPOD with an emphasis on autonomy, from both a hardware and software perspective.
• Evaluate and select appropriate techniques to achieve mission such as machine learning methods, physics-informed solutions, stochastic methods, Kalman Filters, etc.
• Assist in proposal capture efforts with feasibility analysis and engage with private/public partners, Department of Defense, Other Government Agencies, and other commercial partnerships.

Architecture Design

• Develop architecture, lead trade studies and lead GNC team from conceptualization to flight for RPOD missions
• Design algorithms, simulations, and tools for orbit determination, state estimation, uncertainty propagation to support SDA efforts
• Analyze and source datasets for training and validation or algorithm performance.
• Build and test modeling and simulation tools for orbital/cislunar dynamics, sensor modeling, and visualization.
• Six degree of freedom modeling, simulation and validation of space craft dynamics, sensors and algorithms, including for RPOD missions.

Implementation

• Collaborate with the software and GNC teams to implement algorithm in flight software.
• Heavily support hardware-in-the-loop testing for integrated system validation.
• Design concepts of operations (CONOPS) that balance thermal, power, momentum and communications for spacecraft missions.
• Provide mission operations training and support.

Qualifications:

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in a technical engineering discipline
• 5+ years of experience working in guidance, navigation, and control
• Software development experience in Python
• Experience developing, debugging, and deploying GNC sensors, effectors and algorithms that have been used in real world applications/projects
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, autonomously driven, and demanding start-up atmosphere
• Proven ability to lead a project from conception to completion

Desired:

• Experience with cradle-to-grave spacecraft design, testing, verification/validation and in-orbit mission operations
• Expertise in either guidance, navigation or control
• Experience with multi-body astrodynamics
• Experience with Git, Linux and Basilisk
• Software development experience in C/C++
• Capable of identifying and solving complex problems with little to no supervision or direction
• Excellent communication skills both written and verbal

Additional Requirements:

Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed.

Compensation and Benefits:  

Your base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience. The anticipated salary range for this role is $180,000 - $280,000 annually. 

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at Katalyst. You will also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of the Employee Stock Option and Equity Plan, as well as a relocation bonus and other discretionary bonuses. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, and unlimited Paid Time Off.

At Katalyst our work on projects involving the U.S. Department of Defense requires adherence to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 C.F.R. Parts 120-130, which requires compliance with U.S. export laws before allowing employees to perform certain positions. Currently, our available roles necessitate access to ITAR-controlled information, and as a result, Katalyst would have to ensure any non-US person is authorized access to ITAR information before the commencement of employment. We are committed to equal employment opportunities and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.