Lead Navigation Engineer

Company: Vantor
Location: Westminster
Posted on: January 11, 2026

Job Description:

Job Description Vantor is forging the new frontier of spatial intelligence, helping decision makers and operators navigate what’s happening now and shape what’s coming next. Vantor is a place for problem solvers, changemakers, and go-getters—where people are working together to help our customers see the world differently, and in doing so, be seen differently. Come be part of a mission, not just a job, where you can: Shape your own future, build the next big thing, and change the world. To be eligible for this position, you must be a U.S. Person , defined as a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, Asylee, or Refugee. Note on Cleared Roles: If this position requires an active U.S. Government security clearance, applicants who do not currently hold the required clearance will not be eligible for consideration. Employment for cleared roles is contingent upon verification of clearance status. Export Control/ITAR: Certain roles may be subject to U.S. export control laws, requiring U.S. person status as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3). Please review the job details below. We are hiring a Lead Navigation Engineer, to join our Navigation team in Westminster, CO. Navigation team members are responsible for orbit determination, orbit prediction, orbit maintenance, and collision-avoidance operations, as well as the associated software development for Vantor's Earth Intelligence spacecraft constellation. Navigation team members also support orbit design, development, integration, and testing of Vantor's next-generation spacecraft. As the Lead Navigation Engineer, you will work as part of larger multi-disciplinary teams that include spacecraft system engineers, ground system engineers, software engineers and spacecraft operations teams. Responsibilities: Support the Navigation team in the execution of spacecraft navigation operations, mission design, analyses, system development, and documentation. Derive and test spacecraft navigation algorithms for improved accuracy, speed, optimization, and spacecraft safety. Perform analyses to quantify operational performance metrics. Develop spacecraft navigation software in a cloud-based, service architecture. Execute predicted orbit maintenance scenarios to maintain constellation orbits and spacecraft safety. Perform spacecraft navigation tasks in support of launch and early operations for the next-generation Earth observation spacecraft constellation. Write technical documents to capture procedures and results. Communicate spacecraft navigation status and analysis results across the broader organization and space operator community. Minimum Requirements: Must be a U.S. citizen and willing/able to obtain/maintain a U.S. government security clearance. Bachelor's degree in engineering, math, physics, or related field plus 10 years of related experience. Or a Master’s degree in engineering, math, physics, or a related field, plus 5 years of related experience. Experience in orbital mechanics, statistical estimation, and associated spacecraft navigation software development. Strong and innovative computer language skills. Experience with Unix/Linux, Python, and GitHub. Ability and willingness to support spacecraft operations during off-nominal hours (on-call). Demonstrated experience acting as a lead of a team. Preferred Qualifications: Master’s degree in aerospace engineering or a related technical field. Excellent written & oral communication. Proven ability to work cross-functionally with both technical and non-technical groups. Superb problem-solving, root cause identification, Verification and Validation (V&V) skillsets. Strong background in Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GN&C) theory, algorithms, toolkits, automation, research, and/or applications. Experience in Spacecraft Trajectory Optimization and/or NASA's General Mission Analysis Tool (GMAT). Experience in automating spacecraft maneuvers. Experience operating spacecraft utilizing electric propulsion. LI-MG1 Pay Transparency: In support of pay transparency at Vantor, we disclose salary ranges on all U.S. job postings. The successful candidate’s starting pay will fall within the salary range provided below and is determined based on job-related factors, including, but not limited to, the experience, qualifications, knowledge, skills, geographic work location, and market conditions. Candidates with the minimum necessary experience, qualifications, knowledge, and skillsets for the position should not expect to receive the upper end of the pay range. ? The base pay for this position within Colorado is: $107,000.00 - $179,000.00 annually. For all other states, we use geographic cost of labor as an input to develop market-driven ranges for our roles, and as such, each location where we hire may have a different range. Benefits: Vantor offers a competitive total rewards package that goes beyond the standard, including a robust 401(k) with company match, mental health resources, and unique perks like student loan repayment assistance, adoption reimbursement and pet insurance to support all aspects of your life. You can find more information on our benefits at: https://www.Vantor.com/careers The application window is three days from the date the job is posted and will remain posted until a qualified candidate has been identified for hire. If the job is reposted regardless of reason, it will remain posted three days from the date the job is reposted and will remain reposted until a qualified candidate has been identified for hire. The date of posting can be found on Vantor's Career page at the top of each job posting. To apply, submit your application via Vantor's Career page. EEO Policy: Vantor is an equal opportunity employer committed to an inclusive workplace. We believe in fostering an environment where all team members feel respected, valued, and encouraged to share their ideas. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Keywords: Vantor, Westminster , Lead Navigation Engineer, Engineering , Westminster, California