GNC Analysis Engineer

Job Title:

GNC Analysis Engineer Job Description The GNC Analysis Engineer supports an autonomous aerial refueling aircraft program by performing detailed aircraft flight dynamics and vehicle performance analysis. The role focuses on reviewing and validating mission flight data and simulation outputs to ensure that mission plans are safe, stable, and operationally viable. The engineer analyzes post-flight and simulation results, identifies anomalies, evaluates flying qualities, and provides clear recommendations for mission plan validation.

This is a data analysis and flight performance evaluation position, distinct from mission planning, control law development, or simulation development roles.

• Analyze aircraft flight dynamics and flying qualities data generated from mission plan executions for an autonomous aerial refueling aircraft program.
• Review flight model outputs, including line-over-line plots and other performance data, to determine mission safety and overall vehicle performance.
• Evaluate 6 Degree of Freedom (6
  
  DOF) simulation and flight results across all phases of the mission.
• Assess aircraft behavior during waypoint transitions, turns and maneuvering, contingency and divert routes, and takeoff and landing operations.
• Monitor and evaluate critical flight parameters such as load factors (Nz), angle of attack (AoA), sideslip/beta, control surface positions and rates, and stability and oscillatory behavior.
• Identify undesirable flight characteristics, anomalies, oscillations, or performance concerns and determine their impact on mission safety and effectiveness.
• Validate multiple mission paths and flight profiles provided by the customer to confirm safe and stable operation.
• Document analysis findings in a clear, organized manner and communicate results to engineering teams and program stakeholders.
• Provide recommendations for mission plan validation based on data-driven assessment of flight dynamics and performance.
• Contribute ideas and recommendations for process improvements and potential test and analysis automation opportunities.
• Collaborate with program personnel to ensure that mission validation efforts align with operational requirements and performance objectives.

• Strong understanding of aircraft flight dynamics, including the ability to evaluate vehicle behavior across different mission phases.
• Solid knowledge of stability and control principles and their application to fixed-wing aircraft.
• Proficiency in aircraft performance analysis and flying qualities assessment.
• Experience analyzing 6
  
  DOF aircraft simulation or flight test results.
• Ability to interpret vehicle dynamics data and assess safe aircraft operation across mission phases such as waypoint transitions, maneuvering, contingency routes, and takeoff and landing.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to identify trends, anomalies, and performance issues in complex flight datasets.
• Effective technical writing skills to produce clear documentation of analysis methods, findings, and recommendations.
• Strong verbal communication skills to present results and collaborate with engineering and program stakeholders.
• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
• Ability to work with Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) in accordance with applicable guidelines.

• Experience conducting or supporting flight test data analysis.
• Experience with autonomous aircraft, UAVs, drones, or other unmanned systems.
• Experience supporting military aircraft programs.
• Familiarity with MATLAB, Simulink, MatrixX, or similar aerospace analysis and modeling tools.
• Experience with flying wing or low-observable aircraft platforms such as B-21, X-47, MQ-25, or similar aircraft.
• Experience identifying opportunities for analysis automation and process improvement within flight dynamics and performance evaluation workflows.
• Background in structural analysis is beneficial.
• U.S. citizenship is required for this role.
• No security clearance is required to perform the responsibilities of this position.

Work is performed onsite at an engineering center in the Fort Worth, Texas area. Engineers collaborate closely with program teams and will work with mission plan validation datasets and flight performance outputs provided by the Navy. The environment supports high-volume mission validation efforts for autonomous aircraft operations, with regular access to simulation…