GNC Engineer

Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) Engineer

This full-time, onsite Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) Engineer role supports the design, development, integration, and testing of advanced defense systems in Tucson, AZ. You will work on guidance, navigation, and control systems for aircraft and munitions, contribute to resilient systems engineering, and support flight software, simulations, and system‑level testing. The position offers the opportunity to work in a fast‑paced, agile environment with a strong people‑first culture and long‑term stability.

• Design and develop guidance, navigation, and control solutions for advanced defense systems that meet performance and mission requirements.
• Translate customer and mission requirements into system‑level and lower‑level specifications for GNC and related subsystems.
• Perform functional analysis, trade studies, and interface definition to optimize system performance and ensure robust integration.
• Conduct system‑level troubleshooting to identify, analyze, and resolve technical issues in collaboration with cross‑functional teams.
• Plan and execute integration, testing, verification, and validation activities in laboratory and range environments.
• Support and lead formal technical reviews, including System Requirements Reviews (SRR), Preliminary Design Reviews (PDR), Critical Design Reviews (CDR), Test Readiness Reviews (TRR), and Stage Gate reviews.
• Identify, assess, and communicate system risks, technical impacts, and cost implications to stakeholders.
• Ensure designs and implementations comply with applicable defense and industry standards.
• Develop and maintain system documentation, including requirements, interface control documents, and test procedures.
• Collaborate closely with electrical, mechanical, software, and manufacturing teams to ensure cohesive system integration.
• Support GPS/GNSS integration and navigation system architecture activities, including antenna and RF considerations.
• Utilize Model‑Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) tools and SysML for system modeling, requirements management, and architecture definition.
• Apply configuration management practices to maintain control of system baselines and design changes.
• Travel periodically to test sites and partner locations to support integration, testing, and validation efforts.
• Contribute to rapid development and prototyping efforts in a fast‑paced environment, providing technical input and feedback throughout the lifecycle.

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Physics, or a related STEM field.
• 3+ years of experience in the Department of Defense (DoD) or Aerospace industry for junior‑level roles; 10+ years of experience for senior‑level roles.
• Hands‑on experience in GNC disciplines, including feedback control systems, guidance, trajectory optimization, and state estimation.
• Knowledge of aerodynamic principles and aerodynamics fundamentals relevant to aircraft and munitions.
• Experience with the full requirements lifecycle, including requirements definition, decomposition, traceability, and verification.
• Demonstrated experience in system integration, test, verification, and validation in lab and/or range environments.
• Proficiency in systems engineering practices, including functional analysis, trade studies, and interface definition.
• Experience with GPS/GNSS integration and navigation systems, including GPS/GNSS‑based navigation solutions.
• Expertise in navigation systems architecture and related system‑level design considerations.
• Experience with MBSE tools and SysML for system modeling and architecture development.
• Familiarity with configuration management processes and tools to control system baselines and changes.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary teams, including electrical, mechanical, software, and manufacturing disciplines.
• Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to clearly convey complex technical concepts to diverse audiences.
• Ability to obtain a security clearance, as required for work on defense programs.
• Ability to work full‑time onsite during core hours, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.