Guidance, Navigation Control Engineer; GNC

Position: Guidance, Navigation, & Control Engineer (GNC)

Job Summary

The GNC Engineer will support the design, integration, testing, and flight validation of advanced autonomous systems, including UAVs, seekers, precision‑guided munitions, and aerospace platforms. They will be responsible for autopilot configuration and tuning, aerodynamic performance analysis, SIL / HIL setup, and Monte‑Carlo based performance assessment, working closely with systems, software, hardware, optics, and test teams. This role spans the full life‑cycle from conceptual design through flight test and fielding.

Requirements

Guidance, Navigation, and Control Development:

Design, implement, and tune GNC algorithms for autonomous and semi‑autonomous vehicles, including:

• UAVs (fixed‑wing, rotary‑wing, VTOL)
• Precision‑guided munitions and seekers
• Small, high‑dynamics aerospace vehicles

Configure, integrate, and tune autopilots (commercial, open‑architecture, or custom flight controllers) across multiple vehicle classes.

Develop and analyze control laws, guidance strategies, and navigation filters to meet performance, stability, and robustness requirements.

Autopilot Integration & Tuning

Configure flight control architectures including:

• Inner‑loop attitude and rate control
• Outer‑loop velocity, position, and guidance control

Tune controllers for performance across the operational envelope, accounting for:

• Aerodynamic uncertainties
• Actuator limits and saturation
• Sensor noise, bias, and latency

Support integration of IMUs, GPS / GNSS‑denied navigation, seekers, and auxiliary sensors.

Experience deploying solutions on both fixed and rotary wing platforms is preferred.

Modeling, Simulation, and Analysis

Develop and maintain 6‑DOF vehicle models incorporating:

• Aerodynamics
• Mass properties
• Actuator and sensor models

Perform aerodynamic performance analysis and sensitivity studies.

Build and execute Monte Carlo simulations to assess dispersion, miss distance, robustness, and system margins.

Support trade studies and design decisions using quantitative simulation results.

SIL / HIL / Test Infrastructure

Design, implement, and maintain Software‑In‑the‑Loop (SIL) and Hardware‑In‑the‑Loop (HIL) test environments.

Integrate real flight software, avionics, and sensors into simulation frameworks.

Diagnose discrepancies between simulation, HIL, and flight results.

Support bench testing, captive‑carry tests, and flight tests.

Flight Test & Data Analysis

Support ground and flight test planning, execution, and post‑test analysis.

Analyze flight data to assess:

• Stability and control performance
• Guidance behavior and tracking accuracy
• Navigation performance and sensor fusion

Identify anomalies, root causes, and corrective actions.

Iterate designs based on test results and operational feedback.

Documentation & Standards

Produce clear, disciplined engineering documentation, including:

• GNC requirements and design descriptions
• Simulation and test plans
• Test reports and performance summaries

Work within DoD and aerospace engineering best practices, including configuration control and traceability.

Support technical reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, FRR).

Knowledge, Skills, and Qualifications

Strong fundamentals in:

• Rigid‑body dynamics
• Flight mechanics
• Control theory (classical and modern)
• State estimation and sensor fusion

Hands‑on experience with:

• Autopilot setup, configuration, and tuning
• UAV or small‑vehicle flight control systems
• C++ code development, object‑oriented design
• MATLAB / Simulink, Python, or equivalent modeling tools
• Ability to analyze complex data sets and communicate results clearly

We are an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other status protected by law.

We provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities in the application and hiring process.

The person hired will have access to information and items subject to U.S. export controls, and therefore, must either be a “U.S. person” as defined by 22 C.F.R.

This employer participates in E‑Verify.

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