Flight Sciences Engineer – Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC)

Insitu; Bingen (WA); Hybrid; USD 109,000 - 149,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Job summary

Insitu, a Boeing Company, seeks engineers to design and analyze enhancements for Group 2 and Group 3 UAS, focusing on aerodynamics, flight performance, and safety. You will develop flight control, guidance, and navigation algorithms, including autonomous modes, and build high-fidelity models for SIL and HIL testing.

The role involves collaborating with autopilot suppliers, updating software, and ensuring alignment with current regulations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace/Mechanical Engineering with emphasis on aerodynamics, flight dynamics and control.
• 5–8 years of relevant experience in aerodynamics or GNC; or 3–6 years with a Master’s degree.
• Strong understanding of controls, navigation, and guidance for air vehicle flight dynamics.
• Proficiency in MATLAB/Simulink for developing and validating models for standalone, SIL, and HIL simulations.

Responsibilities

• Design and analyze enhancements for Group 2 and 3 UAS and derivatives focusing on aerodynamics, flight performance, and safety.
• Develop and refine flight control, guidance, and navigation algorithms, including autonomous flight and new modes.
• Build and maintain models, simulations, and tools for accurate SIL/HIL validation.
• Investigate mishaps via telemetry analysis and Monte Carlo simulations to identify root causes.
• Update autopilot and simulation software to support product enhancements and best practices.
• Collaborate with autopilot supplier to address integration challenges and improve performance.
• Stay informed on U.S. unmanned airspace regulations and align design inputs accordingly.
• Support flight test planning, execution, and data analysis for hardware, software and systems integration.

Skills

MATLAB/Simulink

C++

Flight dynamics

Controls theory

GNC

Python

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Aerospace/Mechanical Engineering

Tools

SIL/HIL tools

Git

Job description

What You’ll Do:

Design and analyze enhancements for Group 2 and Group 3 UAS and their derivatives, ensuring optimized aerodynamics, flight performance, and safety.

Develop and refine flight control, guidance, and navigation algorithms for UAS, including those supporting autonomous flight and new flight modes.

Build, validate, and maintain high-fidelity mathematical models, simulations, and analysis tools to ensure accuracy in standalone, Software-In-The-Loop (SIL), and Hardware-In-The-Loop (HIL) simulations.

Investigate and mitigate mishaps and failure modes through telemetry analysis, root cause investigation, and Monte Carlo simulations.

Update and customize autopilot and simulation software as needed to support product enhancements and ensure alignment with control system design best practices.

Collaborate closely with our autopilot supplier to address system integration challenges, improve performance, and design for product effectiveness.

Stay informed on regulatory trends in unmanned airspace operations and provide design inputs that align with modern regulatory environments and industry advances.

Support flight test planning, execution, and data analysis for hardware, software, and systems integration.

Work with engineering, operations, and project management to deliver solutions that meet system performance goals, collaborating cross-functionally while promoting a safety-focused, innovative engineering culture.

Desired Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace / Mechanical Engineering, or a related field, with an emphasis on aerodynamics, flight dynamics, and control systems.
• Bachelor’s degree with 5-8 years of relevant experience in aerodynamics or GNC specific role, or Master’s degree with 3-6 years of experience.
• Strong 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.
• Proven experience applying digital-discrete time control laws to air vehicles.
• Excellent problem-solving skills, with a track record of identifying failure modes and developing effective solutions.
• Knowledge of air vehicle performance and design trade-offs, including vehicle layout, propulsion requirements, and stability and control analyses.
• Proficiency in at least one programming language such as C++, with familiarity in implementing and integrating control systems in software environments.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, as well as the ability to work collaboratively within a multi-disciplinary engineering team.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Familiarity with U.S. airspace regulations and operational environments for unmanned systems, including FAA Part 107 guidelines.
• Knowledge of GPS/INS systems and autopilot requirements, as well as experience in their integration into complete air vehicle systems.
• Experience with numerical programming, Python, Matlab/Simulink, C#, and GIT version control systems.
• Background in unmanned aircraft or drone operations, with consideration given to candidates holding a pilot’s license or drone operator’s license.
• Understanding of unmanned aircraft data links and their operational considerations.
• Experience with advanced navigation methods.

In-Office Requirement Statement: This position is eligible for hybrid work. It is our strong preference that this position is on-site 1-3 days weekly; and therefore, needs to be within commutable distance from Bingen, WA.

At Insitu, we strive to deliver a Total Rewards package that will attract, engage and retain the top talent.

Elements of the Total Rewards package include competitive base pay and variable compensation opportunities.

Insitu also provides eligible employees with an opportunity to enroll in a variety of benefit programs, generally including health insurance, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, retirement savings plans, life and disability programs and a number of programs that provide for both paid and unpaid time away from work.

The specific programs and options available to any given employee may vary depending on eligibility factors such as geographic location, date of hire.

Please note that the salary information show below is a general guideline only. Salaries are based upon candidate experience, qualifications and work location.

Typical Hiring Range: 108,500.00 - 149,050.00

Insitu is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic factors, military/veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.

Insitu, a Boeing Company, is an industry-leading provider of delivering information for superior decision-making. We provide solutions for collection, processing and understanding sensor data through creating and supporting unmanned air systems and software. By leveraging our more than 1 million operational flight hours, our customers are able to interpret their data and make critical decisions worldwide.