81 GNC Lead

Hypersonica; München; Vor Ort; EUR 90.000 - 130.000; Vollzeit

Zusammenfassung

Hypersonica is seeking a senior GNC engineer to lead guidance, navigation, and control for hypersonic vehicles. You will own architecture, validation, and real‑world testing from early concept through flight‑ready performance, working with avionics, software, and systems teams to ensure robust, testable solutions.

The role requires deep expertise in control theory, estimation, and flight dynamics, plus hands‑on experience taking GNC beyond simulation into flight test data.

Qualifikationen

• Senior GNC engineer with deep experience in aerospace or missile systems.
• Strong grounding in control theory, estimation, and flight dynamics.
• Experience developing and validating 6-DoF GNC models.
• Comfortable across software, avionics, and systems boundaries.
• Experience taking GNC beyond simulation to flight test and real data.

Aufgaben

• Own and lead GNC as a core vehicle capability from concept through flight‑ready performance.
• Define the GNC architecture and strategy for hypersonic vehicles.
• Develop and validate closed‑loop GNC solutions for high‑speed, high‑dynamic flight environments.
• Lead high‑fidelity GNC models, including 3‑DoF and 6‑DoF simulations.
• Collaborate with Systems Engineering to ensure clear requirements and verification plans.
• Work with avionics, software, mechanical, and HIL teams to ensure implementability and testability.
• Own GNC performance through HIL, ground and flight tests, iterating designs quickly.
• Set technical direction and standards for GNC development in a fast, prototype‑driven environment.
• Act as technical authority for GNC decisions and risk acceptance.
• Build and lead a small, capable GNC team with strong ownership.

Kenntnisse

GNC

Control theory

Flight dynamics

Six DoF

Tools

HIL

Jobbeschreibung

Help Build Europe’s Hypersonic Capability

At Hypersonica , we’re redefining what’s possible in European defence technology. We exist to deliver speed, resilience, and technological independence at a pace that sets a new standard. We are a small, elite team working on problems that matter, and solving them fast.

By joining Hypersonica , you’re not stepping into a predefined role. You’re joining a talent dense environment where every individual shapes the direction of the company. Our philosophy is to hire a small number of exceptional people with broad, deep technical capability, strong judgement, and the ability to operate autonomously.

We hire for talent, not rigid boxes. This role represents a business need, but the way it evolves will be shaped by the individual. If you’ve achieved what others said was impossible, or you bring a unique combination of skills that doesn’t fit a traditional mould, we want to hear from you. The work you do here directly contributes to Europe’s technological independence.

What you’ll do

• Own and lead Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) as a core vehicle capability, taking responsibility from early concept through flight‑ready performance.

• Define the GNC architecture and strategy for hypersonic vehicles, ensuring guidancelaws, navigation approaches, and control systems work as a coherent whole.

• Develop andvalidateclosed‑loop GNC solutions suitable for high‑speed, high‑dynamic, and contested flight environments.

• Lead the creation and maturation of high‑fidelity GNC models, including 3‑DoF and 6‑DoF simulations, and ensure alignment with flight physics and vehicle dynamics.

• Work tightly with Systems Engineering to ensure requirements, verification plans, and performance margins are clear, owned, and defensible.

• Collaborate closely with avionics, software, mechanical, and HIL teams to ensure GNC algorithms are implementable, testable, and robust in real hardware.

• Own GNC performance through HIL, ground test, and flight test,analysingresults, closing gaps, and iterating designs at pace.

• Set technical direction and standards for GNC development, balancingrigourwith speed in a fast‑moving, prototype‑driven environment.

• Act as the technical authority for GNC decisions, trade‑offs, and risk acceptance.

• Build and lead a small, highly capable GNC team, setting expectations for quality, ownership, and delivery.

Who you are

• A senior GNC engineer or technical leader with deep experience in guidance, navigation, and control for aerospace or missile systems.

• Strong grounding in control theory, estimation, and flight dynamics, with practical experience applying these to real, closed‑loop systems.

• Experienced developing andvalidating6‑DoF GNC models, and comfortable reasoning about vehicle‑levelbehaviour, not just algorithms in isolation.

• Comfortable operating across software, avionics, and systems boundaries, with an instinct for integration and testability.

• Experienced taking GNC systems beyond simulation, through HIL, integration, and flight test, and learning quickly from real data.

• Able tooperateas both a hands‑on technical contributor and a leader, setting direction while still engaging deeply with the work.

• Calm, decisive, and technically credible under pressure, with the judgement to make irreversible decisions whenrequired.

• Comfortable working indefence, high‑consequence, or safety‑critical environments where performance margins matter.

• Motivated by building sovereign, world‑class flight capability, not incrementaloptimisationor academic exercises.

What we offer

• A mission driven environment with the opportunity to work on one of Europe’s most consequentialdefencechallenges, with direct impact on sovereign capability and security.

• Daily collaboration with top experts across engineering, operations, anddefence, with real opportunity to learn from the best, contribute, and grow.

• High ownership and autonomy; no time tracking, no micromanagement, justclearobjectivesand accountability for outcomes.

• Afast pacedenvironment wheregood ideasare implemented quickly, and feedback from test and flight drives real decisions.

• A culture that values clarity, integrity, and excellence, and supports people who take initiative and push boundaries responsibly.

• Competitive compensation and real share options aligned to responsibility and impact, not tenure or hierarchy.

At Hypersonica, every hire raises the bar. We are deliberately small, intensely capable, and deeply mission-driven. If this role feels like a strong fit, or if you believe you bring something exceptional that goes beyond the description, we encourage you to apply.

Hypersonica is an equal-opportunity employer and assesses candidates solely on merit, capability, and potential.

You can apply directly to this role or reach out to Nathan Sweeney, Head of Talent. We review every application and aim to respond to all candidates within two weeks, whether the answer is yes or no.

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