Senior Manager, Guidance, Navigation & Control (GNC)

About Capella Space

Capella Space is a pioneer in Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite technology and space-based signal intelligence. We empower government, commercial, and research organizations around the world with high-resolution, timely Earth insights that drive better decisions - across defense and intelligence, disaster response, infrastructure monitoring, environmental protection, energy, and more.

As a U.S.-based company, Capella designs, builds, and operates an advanced constellation of commercial SAR satellites in orbit today. Our satellites are backed by a fully automated tasking, collection, and delivery platform, delivering fast, reliable insights when and where our customers need them most. As a subsidiary of IonQ, a global leader in quantum computing, Capella is charting the future of Earth observation. Together, we’re on a mission to bring quantum computing to space - unlocking ultra-secure, encrypted uplink and downlink capabilities, reducing latency, and enabling powerful on-orbit analytics. This visionary integration of advanced remote sensing and quantum technology will support customers with the highest level of data fidelity, security, and speed.

Capella was named one of Fast Company’s 10 Most Innovative Companies in Space in 2023 and is a trusted partner of the U.S. Space Force, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, NASA, the National Reconnaissance Office, and allied government agencies worldwide. Built In recognized IonQ on three of its 2025 Best Places to Work lists.

What Makes Capella Unique?

At Capella, we don’t just imagine what’s possible - we build it. We’re a mission-driven team fueled by curiosity, grit, and a shared commitment to redefining the limits of space innovation. Our environment is fast paced, rooted in humble collaboration. Every team member plays a critical role in shaping the future of our technology and our industry. If you're ready to roll up your sleeves and help solve problems that others call impossible—we're the place for you. We believe great ideas can come from anywhere, and we thrive on diverse perspectives that help us move faster, think deeper, and push the boundaries of innovation. Whether you're new to the space industry or a seasoned expert, you'll find a team that values creativity, integrity, and bold thinking. Join us as we build the future of SAR—and take quantum to space.

About the Role & Team 

We are looking for an experienced technical Manager for our Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) team. In this role you will lead a small team of highly specialized engineers who collectively are responsible for all aspects related to orbit control, orbit determination, orbit propagation, state estimation and filtering, formation flying, collision avoidance, lifetime analysis and de-orbit of a constellation of satellites.

As the Manager of Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC), you will act as the technical leader in this domain at Capella. You will be the mentor and people manager while providing technical expertise and contributions to various projects within the company. You will guide the team through technical challenges, help develop the team’s skills and enable growth – taking on new challenges (such as formation flying & autonomous control) as the company evolves and our opportunities diversify. You will lead the development of a technology roadmap related to this domain in collaboration with senior company leaders and in-line with company strategic objectives and projects. 

As a leader in your field, you will represent the company’s expertise related to GNC to customers and partners, including in public settings (such as conferences) as appropriate, and provide technical input into proposals. 

Role Responsibilities

• Lead our dynamic Capella GNC team
• Manage and mentor engineers on the team
• Provide technical guidance related to GNC within the team projects
• Perform resource allocation across company programs
• Define and provide accountability for short-term (quarterly) and long-term (annual) team goals that support company objectives
• Collaborate with and support adjacent teams with operationalizing GNC & Flight Dynamics systems & CONOPS
• Support design and implementation of orbit determination, orbit propagation, and automated thrust maneuvering in an operational system
• Support design and implementation of state estimators and control algorithms for the localization and pointing of radar-imaging spacecraft
• Define & implement the technology roadmap related to GNC i