IC 2026 Guidance, Navigation & Controls Engineer

The Aerospace Corporation is the trusted partner to the nation’s space programs, solving the hardest problems and providing unmatched technical expertise. As the operator of a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC), we are broadly engaged across all aspects of space— delivering innovative solutions that span satellite, launch, ground, and cyber systems for defense, civil and commercial customers. When you join our team, you’ll be part of a special collection of problem solvers, thought leaders, and innovators. Join us and take your place in space.

Internship conversion position for the Control Analysis Department, in the Payload Pointing Section. The selected candidate will be required to work full-time, on-site at our facility in El Segundo, CA.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Initially working with ETG team leads, then program office, and eventually government customers, you will participate in design, simulation, analysis, and evaluation of spacecraft and payload control systems on a variety of National Security Space programs, Civil programs and Commercial programs.
• Perform tasks that may support concept development, trade studies, source selections, requirements analyses, risk assessments, design analyses, simulation development, prototyping, test planning and execution, operations support, and anomaly resolution.
• Communicate technical results both orally and in writing. Interact directly with government customers, program management, and contractors.
• Research, develop, and document new analysis tools and techniques.
• Engage with subject matter experts in continuous learning to drive the state-of-the-art technical analysis.
• Foster Innovation by bringing unique perspectives to challenging problems
• Duties, responsibilities and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned as needed
• Training and mentorship will be provided

 What Corporate Skills You’ll Bring 

• Strong written and oral communication skills 
• Must work well in a team environment 
• Possess organizational, time management and project management skills 
• Demonstrate flexibility and ability to adapt to changing organizational need 
• Interpersonal skills to coordinate efforts and work with other internal and external organizations 

What You Need to be Successful

Minimum Requirements:

• Master’s degree from an accredited college/university program in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or other discipline (pursuing or conferred within last 12 months) 
• Prior internship at The Aerospace Corporation  
• 0-1 year of industry work experience  
• Minimum GPA of 3.0
• Experience with developing control and dynamics simulations
• Graduate level course work and/or in-depth, hands-on experience in one or more of the following: control system design and analysis, estimation theory, or advanced dynamics
• Proficiency with MATLAB and/or Python
• Working knowledge of C/C++
• This position requires ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance, which is issued by the US government. U.S citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance.
• Transcripts

How You Can Stand Out

It would be impressive if you have one or more of these: 

• Active security clearance
• GPA of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale
• Proficiency with software development: version control (Git), containerization (Docker), cross-platform compatibility (Linux, Windows, Mac)
• Proficiency with one or more of the following: Spacecraft attitude determination and control; Payload pointing estimation and control; Advanced control techniques and applications; Kalman filtering and stochastic processes; Modeling and simulation of control systems; Multibody and flexible body dynamics; Implementation, testing, deploying, and calibration of control systems.
• Experience with special topics including, but not limited to: Mobile robotics, guidance algorithms, trajectory optimization; Simultaneous localization & mapping (SLAM), unscented Kalman filters (UKFs), particle filters; Computer vision, image processing, point-cloud analysis; Data science, artificial intelligence, machine learning, neural networks.

We offer a competitive compensation package where you’ll be rewarded based on your performance and recognized for the value you bring to our business.  The grade-based pay range for this job is listed below.  Individual salaries within that range are determined through a wide variety of factors including but not limited to education, experience, knowledge and skills. 

(Min - Max)

$100,000 - $110,000Pay Basis: Annual

Leadership Competencies

Our leadership philosophy is simple: every employee, regardless of level and role, can demonstrate leadership. At Aerospace, our commitment is our people. To cultivate our talent and ensure that we have a strong pipeline of future leaders, we want individuals who:

• Operate Strategically
• Lead Change   
• Engage with Impact   
• Foster Innovation   
• Deliver Results  
• Ways We Reward Our Employees
• During your interview process, our team will provide details of our industry-leading benefits.
• Benefits vary and are applicable based on Job Type.  A few highlights include:
• Comprehensive health care and wellness plans
• Paid holidays, sick time, and vacation
• Standard and alternate work schedules, including telework options
• 401(k) Plan — Employees receive a total company-paid benefit of 8%, 10%, or 12% of eligible compensation based on years of service and matching contributions; employees are immediately eligible and vested in the plan upon hire

• Flexible Spending Accounts

• Variable pay program for exceptional contributions

• Relocation Assistance

• Professional growth and development programs to help advance your career

• Education Assistance Programs

• An inclusive work environment built on teamwork, flexibility, and respect

We are all unique, from various backgrounds and all walks of life, yet one thing bonds all of us to each other—the belief that we can make a difference. This core belief empowers us to do our best work at The Aerospace Corporation.

Equal Opportunity Commitment

The Aerospace Corporation is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, color, religion, genetic information, marital status, ancestry, national origin, protected veteran status, physical disability, medical condition, mental disability, or disability status and any other characteristic protected by state or federal law. If you’re an individual with a disability or a disabled veteran who needs assistance using our online job search and application tools or need reasonable accommodation to complete the job application process, please contact us by phone at 310.336.5432 or by email at peoplemangmnt.mailbox@aero.org . You can also review Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal.