Lead GNC, Flight Controls & Handling Qualities Engineer

Shape how ASKA flies. Bring hands-on aircraft or UAS controls experience to our drive-and-fly vehicle, tuning aircraft response and connecting autonomous-flight functions with stable, predictable handling demonstrated through simulation and flight testing.

Lead hands-on guidance, navigation and control (GNC) integration, flight-control tuning and handling-qualities development for ASKA. This role combines control-law and PID (proportional–integral–derivative) tuning with engineering leadership of flight-test preparation and evaluation. We are especially interested in eVTOL/VTOL and heavy-drone controls experience. Relevant experience on larger aircraft is preferred, and candidates from other aircraft or UAS backgrounds are encouraged to explain how their skills transfer.

Aircraft type and weight are not eligibility cutoffs. Work with autonomous-flight, AI Sensor Fusion & digital twin, flight-dynamics and test teams to connect autonomous-flight commands with measured aircraft behavior.

Employment Full-time proposed

Location & work arrangement Eagle Field Airport
· on-site availability for flight-test preparation and campaigns; schedule and travel arrangements to be discussed

Hands-on control-law and PID tuning, handling-qualities development, GNC integration and engineering leadership of flight-test preparation, readiness and evaluation for the assigned workstream.

Works with the Lead Autonomous Flight & Flight Controls Engineer, who owns overall airborne autonomy architecture and integrated delivery. ASKA-071 leads hands-on controls tuning, handling-quality improvements and their flight-test campaign. The Flying Qualities & Flight Dynamics Engineer supplies dynamics models, evaluation criteria and response analysis. AI Sensor Fusion & digital twin supplies fused information and model predictions. Test Engineering supports instrumentation and data reduction;

pilots/operators and Maintenance retain their designated operational and maintenance authority.

• Lead assigned flight-control development and tuning work, including PID control loops, gain scheduling and evaluation of aircraft stability, response and handling qualities.
• Integrate and verify control laws with autopilot and autonomous-flight functions, coordinating guidance, navigation, sensor and aircraft interfaces with the responsible engineers.
• Work with AI Sensor Fusion & digital twin and flight-dynamics engineers to compare predicted and measured behavior and investigate model, sensor or controller discrepancies.
• Evaluate control performance and robustness in simulation and software-in-the-loop/hardware-in-the-loop environments before approved aircraft testing.
• Develop flight-test objectives, plans, test cards and measurement requirements that connect control changes to measurable handling-quality and aircraft-response results.
• Coordinate aircraft configuration, instrumentation, crew readiness, approved operating limits and test procedures with pilots, maintenance, safety and program leadership.
• Analyze flight-test data, investigate anomalies and document the evidence supporting control-parameter changes and subsequent evaluation steps.
• Maintain versioned control configurations, tuning rationale, test records and requirements-to-verification traceability; lead technical reviews and mentor supporting engineers.
• Establish and continually improve GNC and handling-qualities evaluations with flight-test and safety specialists; define measurable criteria, repeatable analysis and configuration traceability, and use findings to refine test coverage within the approved test scope.

• Bachelor’s degree in aerospace, controls, electrical or mechanical engineering, or equivalent demonstrated…