GNC Engineer

Piper Companies; Seal Beach (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Zachary Piper Solutions is seeking an experienced GNC Engineer to support a leading aerospace and defense organization rapidly developing space, hypersonic, and autonomous vehicle capabilities for mission-critical U.S. government programs.

This role is fully onsite in Seal Beach, CA and requires an active Tier 5 TS/SCI clearance. You will design, develop, simulate, and test GN&C systems, working with software, avionics, and test teams to move concepts from development to flight testing.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a STEM field; advanced education can offset experience.
• Hands-on GN&C algorithm development—guidance, navigation, or control algorithms.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and validate GN&C algorithms for spacecraft and vehicles.
• Develop high-fidelity 6-DOF simulations for dynamics and analysis.
• Integrate GN&C flight software using MATLAB/Simulink and C/C++.
• Collaborate across systems, software, avionics, and test teams.
• Support verification, flight testing, and anomaly resolution.

Skills

GNC algorithms

MATLAB + Simulink

C/C++, Python

6-DOF modeling

Flight mechanics & controls

Tier 5 TS/SCI clearance

Aerospace vehicle systems

Education

Bachelor's degree in STEM

Tools

MATLAB

Simulink

Stateflow

Job description

Zachary Piper Solutions is seeking an experienced GNC Engineer to support a leading aerospace and defense organization rapidly developing and fielding advanced space, hypersonic, and autonomous vehicle capabilities for mission-critical U.S. government programs. This role is fully onsite in Seal Beach, CA (NO FLEXIBILITY) and requires an active Tier 5 TS/SCI security clearance*

The GNC Engineer will support the design, development, simulation, and testing of guidance, navigation, and control capabilities for advanced space, hypersonic, and autonomous vehicle systems, working across engineering, software, avionics, and test teams to rapidly transition concepts from development through flight testing.

Responsibilities of the GNC Engineer:

• Design, develop, and validate GN&C algorithms for spacecraft, hypersonic, re-entry, and other aerospace vehicles.
• Develop and maintain high-fidelity 6-DOF simulations for vehicle dynamics, mission, and performance analysis.
• Develop and integrate GN&C flight software using MATLAB/Simulink and C/C++.
• Apply flight mechanics, controls, and astrodynamics to trajectory design, guidance, navigation, and vehicle performance.
• Develop atmospheric/re-entry flight controls, navigation, autonomy, and powered/unpowered guidance laws.
• Support system integration, verification, flight testing, troubleshooting, and anomaly resolution.
• Develop simulation artifacts, CONOPS, analysis products, and test procedures supporting prototype-to-flight development.
• Collaborate with systems, software, avionics, integration, and test teams throughout development and testing.

Qualifications for the GNC Engineer:

• 5+ years of relevant engineering experience supporting aircraft, spacecraft, missiles, autonomous platforms, hypersonic vehicles, or similar aerospace systems.
• Bachelor's degree in a relevant STEM discipline — Engineering, Engineering Technology, CS/Data Science, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, or directly related field. Advanced education can offset some experience per the original requirement.
• Hands-on GN&C algorithm development — guidance, navigation, and/or control algorithms, not simply general aerospace/systems engineering.
• MATLAB + Simulink expertise.
• 6-DOF modeling/simulation development — experience developing high-fidelity vehicle dynamics simulations and associated analysis tools.
• Flight mechanics + control systems knowledge applicable to aerospace vehicles.
• Software development experience in C/C++, Python, or C#.
• Aerospace vehicle systems experience — aircraft, missile, spacecraft, autonomous vehicle, or similar.
• Active Tier 5 TS/SCI clearance*
• Ability & Willingness to work fully onsite in Seal Beach, CA.
• Preferred:
  • Spacecraft, hypersonic, and/or re-entry vehicle experience.
  • State estimation and sensor fusion, including Kalman filtering and GPS/INS integration.
  • Advanced control theory, including classical, modern, and nonlinear controls.
  • Model-based development and flight test support experience.
  • Astrodynamics/orbital mechanics and trajectory optimization experience.

Compensation for the GNC Engineer:

• Salary Range: $120,000 - $160,000 *depending on experience*
• Comprehensive Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, 401k Plan, PTO, Holidays, Sick Leave if required by law

This job opens for applications on 11/01. Applications for this job will be accepted for at least 30 days from the posting date.

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