AD&S - Senior Guidance, Navigation & Control (GNC) Engineer

Anduril Industries; Costa Mesa (CA); On-site; USD 168,000 - 252,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a pioneering defense technology firm as a GNC Engineer, where your expertise will shape the future of military capabilities. In this role, you will design and implement cutting-edge guidance, navigation, and control systems for aerospace applications, including unmanned vehicles and missiles. You will collaborate with a dynamic team, leveraging advanced technologies to ensure mission success. This opportunity offers a unique chance to contribute to impactful projects in a rapidly evolving industry, all while enjoying top-tier benefits and a supportive work environment. If you are passionate about innovation and defense technology, this is the perfect role for you.

Benefits

Platinum Healthcare Benefits

401(k) retirement savings plan

Generous company holiday calendar

16 weeks paid Caregiver & Wellness Leave

Mental Health Resources

Daily Meals and Provisions

Professional development stipend

Relocation assistance

Company-funded commuter benefits

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in GNC systems for complex air vehicles.
• Strong knowledge of control theory and GNC simulation tools.
• Ability to obtain U.S. Top Secret clearance.

Responsibilities

• Develop and test algorithms for guidance, navigation, and control systems.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to ensure system integration.
• Participate in all phases of system development from concept to testing.

Skills

Multidisciplinary Design Analysis and Optimization (MDAO)

Control Theory

Estimation Techniques

Problem-Solving

Analytical Skills

Communication Skills

Education

BS in Robotics, Computer Science, Electrical, Mechanical, Mechatronics, Aerospace Engineering

Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering or related field

Tools

MATLAB

Simulink

C/C++

OpenMDAO

Git

Jira

Job description

Anduril Industries is a defense technology company with a mission to transform U.S. and allied military capabilities with advanced technology. By bringing the expertise, technology, and business model of the 21st century’s most innovative companies to the defense industry, Anduril is changing how military systems are designed, built and sold. Anduril’s family of systems is powered by Lattice OS, an AI-powered operating system that turns thousands of data streams into a realtime, 3D command and control center. As the world enters an era of strategic competition, Anduril is committed to bringing cutting-edge autonomy, AI, computer vision, sensor fusion, and networking technology to the military in months, not years.

Anduril’s Flight Engineering department is seeking Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC) Engineers to join our team. The Anduril Flight Engineering team is integral to the development of flight system solutions in all domains for our warfighters. As a critical member of our team, the role of a Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) Engineer is pivotal in driving the design, development, testing, and implementation of cutting-edge flight system technologies for our aerospace systems. Anduril fosters a dynamic learning culture, characterized by accelerated knowledge acquisition through modeling, simulation, analysis, and rigorous and frequent ground and flight test experimentation. At Anduril, you will be involved in flight testing the systems you develop.

We are currently looking for highly skilled GNC Engineers with expertise in Multidisciplinary Design Analysis and Optimization (MDAO) to join our team. The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in developing, testing, and implementing GNC systems and architectures for our aerospace programs. This includes missiles, unmanned space and air vehicles, and related technology.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Develop, implement, and test algorithms for guidance, navigation, and control systems in line with project requirements.
• Design, implement, and assess the GNC architectures considering all elements, including spacecraft, sensors, actuators, and algorithms.
• Develop MDAO hardened models, tools, and processes to enable design exploration across a range of flight systems.
• Use MDAO techniques for the design and optimization of GNC systems, balancing performance, cost, and risk factors.
• Participate in all phases of system development, from concept to design, prototyping, testing, and operation.
• Collaborate closely with a multidisciplinary team including systems engineers, flight software engineers, and test engineers to ensure system-wide integration and performance.
• Contribute to design reviews, safety assessments, and system documentation.
• Use simulation and analysis tools to verify GNC models and system performance under different operating conditions.
• Provide system engineering expertise in the development of GNC systems, ensuring a cohesive and efficient approach to the design and implementation process.
• Troubleshoot and resolve issues related to GNC systems during design, testing, and operational phases.
• Keep updated with the latest technologies and trends in GNC engineering and system architecture design.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• BS in Robotics, Computer Science, Electrical, Mechanical, Mechatronics, Aerospace Engineering or related field with focus on dynamics and control
• 7+ years of experience working on complex air vehicles
• A strong theoretical knowledge of classical and modern control theory, estimation, and filtering techniques
• Experience with developing GNC solutions for flight systems
• Proficiency with GNC simulation tools like MATLAB, Simulink and related toolboxes
• Familiarization with 6-DOF simulations
• Able to travel up to 25%
• Must be eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. Top Secret clearance

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• A Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field is a plus
• Strong understanding of astrodynamics, flight mechanics, orbital mechanics, and related physics.
• Practical experience developing GNC designs for flight systems.
• Extensive experience in GNC system and architecture development and testing, preferably in the aerospace industry.
• Experience generating in C or C++ code from Simulink models.
• Proven experience in applying MDAO methods and tools in the design of complex systems.
• Experience using MDAO frameworks such as OpenMDAO, ModelCenter, or modeFRONTIER
• Proficiency in programming languages commonly used in trajectory optimization, such as MATLAB, Python, Julia or C++. Experience with optimization libraries (e.g., GPOPS-ii, DIDO, Dymos, CasADi, or IPOPT) is preferred.
• Experience writing code in C/C++ or Rust
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and in a team-oriented, collaborative environment.
• Familiarity with agile and Lean product development methodologies such as Scrum.
• Experience using Jira, Git, GitHub, or GitLab
• Understanding of and compliance with industry, safety, and quality standards appropriate for the application
• Passion for defending the United States and its allies
• Current Active U.S. Top Secret clearance preferred

ANDURIL PRODUCTS
Anduril has been selected as one of two vendors to move forward on the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program for the Air Force's flagship autonomous aircraft program. During the next phase, Anduril will design, manufacture, and test production-representative CCAs. We are honored to be part of the program as a non-traditional defense company and are seeking highly motivated candidates to join us in the rapid development of a new, revolutionary aircraft. For more information on the latest with Anduril, visit our Newsroom with articles such as "Anduril a year in review" and many more.

US Salary Range

$168,000 - $252,000 USD

The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary offer may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are included in the majority of full time offers; and are considered part of Anduril's total compensation package. Additionally, Anduril offers top-tier benefits for full-time employees, including:

• Platinum Healthcare Benefits: For U.S. roles, we offer comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans at little to no cost to you.
• Basic Life/AD&D and long-term disability insurance 100% covered by Anduril, plus the option to purchase additional life insurance for you and your dependents.
• Extremely generous company holiday calendar including a holiday hiatus in December, and highly competitive PTO plans.
• 16 weeks of paid Caregiver & Wellness Leave to care for a family member, bond with your baby, or tend to your own medical condition.
• Family Planning & Parenting Support: Fertility (eg, IVF, preservation), adoption, and gestational carrier coverage with additional benefits and resources to provide support from planning to parenting.
• Mental Health Resources: We provide free mental health resources 24/7 including therapy, life coaching, and more.
• A professional development stipend is available to all Andurilians.
• Daily Meals and Provisions: For many of our offices this means breakfast, lunch and fully stocked micro-kitchens.
• Company-funded commuter benefits available based on your region.
• Relocation assistance (depending on role eligibility).
• 401(k) retirement savings plan - both a traditional and Roth 401(k). (US roles only)

The recruiter assigned to this role can share more information about the specific compensation and benefit details associated with this role during the hiring process.

Anduril is an equal-opportunity employer committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. The Anduril team is made up of incredibly talented and unique individuals, who together are disrupting industry norms by creating new paths towards the future of defense technology. All qualified applicants will be treated with respect and receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, uniform service, Veteran status, age, or any other protected characteristic per federal, state, or local law, including those with a criminal history, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the CA Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance. We actively encourage members of recognized minorities, women, Veterans, and those with disabilities to apply, and we work to create a welcoming and supportive environment for all applicants throughout the interview process.