GNC Actuation Systems Engineer – Flight Controls

Castelion Corporation; Torrance (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Castelion in Torrance, CA, is seeking a GNC Engineer focused on actuation systems to build the control algorithms, models, and software that translate vehicle commands into precise motion.

You will own actuator modeling, closed‑loop control, system identification, hardware characterization, simulation, and flight integration; collaborate across GNC, avionics, embedded software, mechanical, electrical, and test teams to deliver flight‑ready actuation systems.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related technical field
• Strong fundamentals in feedback controls, dynamics, or electromechanical systems
• Experience programming in Python, Rust, C/C++, Julia, or a similar technical computing language
• Experience analyzing dynamic systems through coursework, research, internships, projects, or professional work
• Ability to work effectively across software, electrical, mechanical, and controls disciplines

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and tune closed‑loop control systems for flight vehicle actuators
• Develop position, velocity, force, torque, and current control architectures as required by the actuator system
• Model electromechanical actuator dynamics, including motors, transmissions, ball screws, control surfaces, sensors, structural loads, friction, backlash, saturation, and other nonlinear effects
• Develop actuator performance requirements and support motor, gearing, sensor, and mechanical hardware sizing
• Perform stability, bandwidth, robustness, disturbance rejection, and tracking performance analysis
• Develop feedforward, filtering, compensation, anti‑windup, command shaping, and other control features to improve actuator performance
• Perform system identification and parameter estimation using component, bench, and integrated test data
• Build actuator models for high‑fidelity vehicle and 6‑DOF simulations
• Implement control algorithms in embedded flight software and support real‑time execution constraints
• Develop Software‑in‑the‑Loop (SITL) and Hardware‑in‑the‑Loop (HITL) test environments for actuator validation
• Plan and execute hardware characterization and closed‑loop actuator testing
• Analyze test and flight data to validate models, identify performance limitations, and improve control designs
• Work closely with GNC, avionics, embedded software, mechanical, electrical, and test engineers to deliver integrated flight‑ready actuation systems

Skills

Feedback controls

Dynamic systems

Electromechanical systems

Python

C/C++

Julia

Rust

Education

Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering

Tools

SITL

HITL

Job description

Castelion in Torrance, CA, is seeking a GNC Engineer focused on actuation systems to build the control algorithms, models, and software that translate vehicle commands into precise motion.

You will own actuator modeling, closed‑loop control, system identification, hardware characterization, simulation, and flight integration; collaborate across GNC, avionics, embedded software, mechanical, electrical, and test teams to deliver flight‑ready actuation systems.