Job Details

Overview

Software Development Engineer, GNC Software, Project Kuiper

Project Kuiper is an initiative to increase global broadband access through a constellation of 3,236 satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO). Its mission is to bring fast, affordable broadband to unserved and underserved communities around the world. Project Kuiper will help close the digital divide by delivering fast, affordable broadband to a wide range of customers, including consumers, businesses, government agencies, and other organizations operating in places without reliable connectivity.

Export Control Requirement: Due to applicable export control laws and regulations, candidates must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (i.e., current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.

Kuiper is an ambitious project that depends on entirely new satellite designs along with all of the ground capabilities needed to operate a large constellation and provide high performance service to end users. Because the constellation will have several thousand satellites serving millions of customers, systems are being designed to be highly autonomous, self-adaptable to the environment, and capable of recovery in the event of problems. The great majority of new equipment and software is being developed and built in-house by our engineering and manufacturing teams.

Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) designs the constellation for good coverage and space safety, and develops the systems that control and maneuver each satellite as they ascend from injection to operational orbits, merge into the constellation flow and stationkeep relative to neighbors. Every spacecraft is ready and able to maneuver at any time to avoid other satellites or space debris if a close pass threatens. The navigation system provides precise positioning in real-time and supports forecasting future orbital state, taking into account planned maneuvers and other effects. Guidance, Navigation, and Control also provides cueing to direct the communications systems on the satellite that require accurate pointing in order to achieve high performance.

Responsibilities

• Key job responsibilities: As a Guidance, Navigation, and Control software engineer, you will develop real-time, embedded software that flies the satellite; ground-based applications that predict orbital state, monitor for potential collisions, and optimize maneuvers; high fidelity modeling and simulation software; and all sorts of infrastructure needed to develop and operate the system.
• Because GNC is the heart of the satellite flight system, you will frequently be pulled in to help with a broad spectrum of problems standing in the way of satellite integration and test, manufacturing, and even flight operations.
• A day in the life: This is an opportunity to play a significant role in the design of an entirely new satellite system with challenging performance requirements. The large, integrated constellation brings opportunities for advanced capabilities that need investigation and development. You will split time working well defined SW projects needed by the program on a schedule, prototyping design concepts that may or may not make it to production, participating in component and satellite level testing, and helping with flight operations.
• About the team: Our team has experience with various satellite systems and many other flight vehicles. We have bench strength in our mission, the core Guidance, Navigation, and Control disciplines, and software development for flight and other systems. We design, prototype, test, iterate and learn together. Because GNC is central to safe flight, we tend to drive Concepts of Operation and many system level analyses. You will find that Kuiper's mission is compelling, so our program is staffed with some of the top engineers in the industry. Our daily collaboration with other teams on the program brings constant opportunity for discovery, learning, and growth.

Basic Qualifications

• Experience programming with at least one modern language such as Java, C++, or C# including object-oriented design
• 2+ years of contributing to new and current systems architecture and design (architecture, design patterns, reliability and scaling) experience
• 1+ years of non-internship professional software development experience
• Bachelor's degree in computer science or equivalent
• Experience with full software development life cycle, including coding standards, code reviews, source control management, build processes, testing, and operations
• Experience with algorithms, data structures, data modeling, schema design and test-driven development

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in at least one of embedded systems and avionics, feedback control systems, or real-time software
• Familiarity with interdisciplinary developments that involve hardware, software, and algorithm co-design and verification
• Expertise in real-time operating systems, embedded Linux with real-time extensions, systems programming, concurrency, and scheduling
• Expertise building, testing, and verifying real-time or safety-critical systems
• Experience with sensors, actuators, embedded vehicle electronics/avionics, and/or control systems
• Experience with simulation in various contexts: hardware-in-the-loop, monte-carlo, emulators
• Experience with operating remotely deployed systems in extreme environments
• Experience supporting infrastructure and tool development for scientific/engineering users

Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.

Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit for more information. If the country/region you're applying in isn't listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.

Our compensation reflects the cost of labor across several US geographic markets. The base pay for this position ranges from $129,300/year in our lowest geographic market up to $223,600/year in our highest geographic market. Pay is based on a number of factors including market location and may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Amazon is a total compensation company. Dependent on the position offered, equity, sign-on payments, and other forms of compensation may be provided as part of a total compensation package, in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits. For more information, please visit . This position will remain posted until filled. Applicants should apply via our internal or external career site.

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Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability or other legally protected status.