Lead UAS Navigation Engineer; SC Cleared

Position: Lead UAS Navigation Engineer (SC Cleared)
Lead Navigation & PNT Systems Engineer (SC Cleared)
Bristol - 3 days a week onsite
£ Negotiable + Comprehensive Benefits Package

This is an excellent opportunity for a subject matter expert in Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) to join a high-impact team at its inception. Whether you are a specialist in Kalman filtering, GNSS resilience, or novel RF positioning, this role offers the chance to redefine how Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) navigate within the most contested and complex environments.
This company is building a dedicated Navigation & PNT capability group focused on the development of resilient, high-integrity technologies. As a foundational hire, you will be at the forefront of navigation capability, ensuring that our autonomous platforms remain operational even when traditional systems fail.

In this varied role, you will take ownership of the PNT architecture, moving from high-level design to hands-on implementation. You will design and simulate advanced algorithms tailored for UAS flight profiles, evaluate system performance in GNSS-denied environments through flight test analysis, and support the integration of software with high-grade IMUs and flight control hardware.

The ideal candidate will possess a deep technical background in aerospace or robotics. You should be comfortable performing complex error-budget analysis and have a passion for solving the "GNSS-denied" challenge using non-traditional methods like Vision-Based Navigation (VBN) or Terrain Referenced Navigation (TRN).

This is a fantastic opportunity to act as a technical authority within the program and work in a collaborative, cross-functional environment, alongside Flight Control and Mission Systems engineers to deliver a cohesive, world-class navigation suite.

The Role:

Develop advanced navigation fusion (EKF/UKF) and resilient GNSS algorithms.
Define modular "Plug and Play" PNT architectures for UAS platforms.
Conduct GNSS-denied simulation and Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing.
Provide technical authority and roadmap guidance for PNT capabilities.

The Person :

Degree-qualified in Aerospace/Robotics with deep sensor fusion expertise.
Proven experience in GNSS-denied navigation (UAS, Missiles, or Robotics).
Highly proficient in modelling, simulation, and complex error-budget analysis.
Must be eligible for UK SC Clearance.
Reference Number: BBBH(phone number removed)

Rise Technical Recruitment Ltd acts an employment agency for permanent roles and an employment business for temporary roles.

The salary advertised is the bracket available for this position. The actual salary paid will be dependent on your level of experience, qualifications and skill set and will be decided by our client, the employer. Rise are not responsible or liable for any hiring decisions made by the end client.

We are an equal opportunities company and welcome applications from all suitable candidates