Flight Sciences Engineer – Guidance, Navigation, and Control; GNC Onsite - Assistan

About Us

Insitu, a Boeing company, advances unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) design and development. Our Flight Sciences team supports Group 2 and Group 3 UAS for defense, commercial, and civil aviation applications. Located in the Columbia Gorge on the Washington–Oregon border, we foster innovation, collaboration, and a customer-focused culture. We are seeking engineers who share a passion for technology and unmanned aviation.

You are an innovative, detail-oriented engineer with a solid foundation in aerospace principles. You collaborate effectively, solve problems proactively, balance competing priorities, and contribute to a dynamic team developing autonomous flight technologies.

• Support design and analysis of enhancements for Group 2 and Group 3 UAS and derivatives, improving aerodynamics, flight performance, and safety under senior engineering guidance.
• Assist in developing and refining flight control, guidance, and navigation algorithms for UAS, including autonomous flight and new flight modes.
• Contribute to building, validating, and maintaining mathematical models, simulations, and analysis tools used in standalone, Software-In-The-Loop (SIL), and Hardware-In-The-Loop (HIL) simulations.
• Investigate mishaps and failure modes through telemetry analysis, support root cause investigation, and Monte Carlo simulations.
• Support updates and customization of autopilot and simulation software for product enhancements and alignment with control system design best practices.
• Collaborate with autopilot suppliers to address system integration challenges, improve performance, and design for product effectiveness.
• Stay informed about regulatory trends in unmanned airspace operations and apply knowledge to design and analysis tasks with mentoring.
• Support flight test planning, execution, and data analysis for hardware, software, and systems integration activities.
• Work with engineering, operations, and project management to deliver solutions that meet system performance goals in a safety-focused, collaborative culture.

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace/Mechanical Engineering or related field, with emphasis on aerodynamics, flight dynamics, and control systems; or equivalent experience.
• 3–5 years of relevant industry experience with a Bachelor’s degree or 2+ years with a Master’s degree preferred.
• Understanding of controls, navigation, and guidance methods as applied to air vehicle flight dynamics.
• Proficiency in MATLAB/Simulink for developing and validating models for standalone, SIL, and HIL simulations.
• Exposure to digital-discrete time control laws for air vehicles.
• Demonstrated problem-solving skills and a track record of effective solutions.
• Foundational knowledge of air vehicle performance and design trade-offs, including vehicle layout, propulsion requirements, and stability/control analyses.
• Proficiency in at least one programming language such as C++, with experience integrating control systems in software environments.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills and ability to work collaboratively in a multi-disciplinary team.

• Familiarity with U.S. airspace regulations and FAA Part 107 guidelines.
• Knowledge of GPS/INS systems and autopilot requirements and their integration into complete air vehicle systems.
• Experience with numerical programming, Python, MATLAB/Simulink, C#, and Git version control.
• Background in unmanned aircraft or drone operations; pilot’s or drone operator’s license encouraged.
• Understanding of unmanned aircraft data links and their operational considerations.

This position offers hybrid work. Preference for on-site presence 1–3 days weekly; candidate should be within commutable distance from Bingen, WA.

Eligibility for relocation assistance.

Visit our Careers - Insitu page to learn about benefits, 9/80 work schedule, and flexible work model. Total Rewards include competitive base pay and variable compensation, with eligibility for health insurance, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, retirement plans, life and disability programs, and paid/unpaid time off. Program availability varies by location and hire date.

Insitu is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, or other protected characteristics.

Insitu, a Boeing Company, delivers sensor data collection, processing, and understanding for unmanned air systems and software. With over one million operational flight hours, we support customers worldwide in interpreting data to make critical decisions.