Lead Navigation & Astrodynamics Engineer (SDA & RPO Systems)

< Back Lead Navigation & Astrodynamics Engineer (SDA & RPO Systems) Apply Now Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg Job Type Full Time About the Company Infinite Orbits Luxembourg is the Luxembourg subsidiary of Infinite Orbits SAS (Toulouse, France), a NewSpace company founded in 2017 that now counts more than 200 colleagues across locations including Spain, Germany and the UK. We develop in-orbit servicing solutions - from awareness, inspection, and protection of space assets to life extension and satellite servicing - built on our own Autonomous Vision-Based Solution. IO has two generations of missions: "Orbit Guard" provides Inspection and Space Situational Awareness services in GEO. "Endurance" is a docking service capable of extending the life of GEO telecom satellites, by taking over AOCS takeover for 5 years. Specifically, IO Luxembourg is focusing on the design, development, integration and testing of cutting-edge software playing a critical role in the missions as well as being responsible for Spacecraft Operations. About the Role We are seeking a Lead Navigation & Astrodynamics Engineer to drive the system architecture, algorithmic design, and implementation for our next-generation space payloads and ground software. You will take ownership of the navigational and astrodynamics engines powering our core software suites, which are focused on autonomous rendezvous and proximity operations, Space Domain Awareness (SDA), and Space Situational Awareness (SSA). You will drive optimization studies and analyses driven by physics and orbital mechanics to support CONOPS and mission profiles. Working alongside established Flight Software (FSW) and Computer Vision (CV) teams, you will bridge the gap between concept and design, translating orbital mechanics and navigation concepts into edge-deployable software architectures. You will lead technical projects from early-phase planning through hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) validation, playing a pivotal role in shaping our system-level engineering processes in terms of astrodynamics and Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC). Job Description System & Project Leadership: Act as the technical lead for GNC and astrodynamics capabilities, managing the transition from mission planning and mathematical modeling to software design and implementation. Space Domain Awareness & Space Situational Awareness: Design and model algorithms for Initial Orbit Determination (IOD), Orbit Determination and Refinement, Object Tracking, Object Identification, Conjunction Analysis, etc, according to the project's needs. Rendezvous & Proximity Operations: Define the relative navigation architecture to estimate relative position, attitude, and velocity in 6 degrees of freedom (6-DoF), applying advanced filtering techniques to refine vision-based pose estimations. In-house Simulation Tools : Support the implementation of new features or maintenance of in-house orbital dynamics tools and introduce new needs by identifying gaps. Requirements Background: 10+ years of experience in Astrodynamics, Orbital Mechanics, or Spacecraft Navigation (preferably with a focus on SDA, SSA or RPO missions). Navigation & Estimation theory: Deep theoretical and practical understanding of estimation techniques, specifically Kalman filtering (e.g. EKF, UKF, IMM) and orbit determination methods. Analysis : Derivation, analysis, and verification of GNC related requirements for space applications. System Architecture: Proven experience leading technical projects, taking complex spacecraft algorithms from the whiteboard to a structured system design. Cross-Functional Collaboration: Eagerness and ability to work at the intersection of complex domains, specifically Computer Vision and Flight Software teams. Autonomy: Strong ability to lead autonomously, define requirements, and establish new engineering processes within a growing team. Communication: Excellent English proficiency with the ability to write and manage standard documentation, software documentation, and scientific documentation. Technical : Strong proficiency in Python and/or MATLAB/Simulink. Understanding of Git and CI/CD. Nice to have: Working experience in SSA and/or SDA (ground or space-based). Experience in the Validation & Verification (V&V) process of a GNC system. Familiarity with C++ and edge-computing constraints to better support the FSW team's deployment of your algorithms. Prior exposure to processing astrometric data, star catalogs (e.g., Hipparcos), and/or working with space catalogs (ESA Discos, TLEs). Prior exposure in astrometric reduction pipelines and/or star trackers. Understanding of SSA and SDA frameworks and ecosystem (e.g. EU SST). What we offer The opportunity to be part of an international team transforming the space industry. A creative and innovative work environment where ideas turn into reality. Competitive salary and benefits. Apply Now