Guidance Navigation and Control (GNC) Engineer, Air Dominance & Strike - Advanced Effects

Anduril Industries; Costa Mesa (CA); On-site; USD 166,000 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans

Generous time off

Professional development reimbursement

Job summary

Anduril Industries is seeking a Guidance, Navigation & Control (GNC) Engineer in Costa Mesa, CA. The role involves developing and testing algorithms for advanced aerospace systems while working closely with systems engineers and test engineers. Candidates should have a degree in a relevant field and experience in GNC engineering. A U.S. Top Secret clearance eligibility is required. The salary range for this position is between $166,000 and $220,000 USD, complete with comprehensive medical benefits and generous PTO.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in GNC engineering or related technical experience.
• Experience with developing GNC solutions for flight systems.
• Must be eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. Top Secret clearance.

Responsibilities

• Develop and test algorithms for guidance, navigation, and control systems.
• Design GNC architectures including sensors and actuators.
• Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team on system integration.

Skills

Flight mechanics

Control theory

GNC simulation tools

C/C++ coding

Education

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

Tools

MATLAB

Simulink

Job description

Overview

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.

Join Our Team

Join our Flight Engineering team advancing the Air Dominance and Strike division’s portfolio, where we push the boundaries of aerospace technology. As a critical member of our team, the role of a Guidance, Navigation & 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.

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 sensors, actuators, and algorithms.
• 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.
• Strong theoretical knowledge of flight mechanics, 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.
• Familiarity with 6‑DOF simulations.
• Must be eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. Top Secret clearance.

Position Levels

• Guidance, Navigation & Control (GNC) Engineer – 3 or more years of experience in GNC engineering or related technical experience.
• Senior Guidance, Navigation & Control (GNC) Engineer – 8 or more years of experience in GNC engineering or related technical experience.
• Staff Guidance, Navigation & Control (GNC) Engineer – 12 or more years of experience in GNC engineering or related technical experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• A MS or Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field is a plus.
• Strong understanding of flight mechanics and related physics.
• Practical experience developing GNC designs for high speed flight systems and re‑entry vehicles.
• Practical experience with Explicit Model Following, Dynamic Inversion, and Adaptive Control techniques.
• Extensive experience in GNC system and architecture development and testing, preferably in the aerospace industry.
• Experience generating C or C++ code from Simulink models.
• Experience writing code in C/C++.
• 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.

Salary And Benefits

• US Salary Range: $166,000—$220,000 USD.
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans at little to no cost to you (US roles).
• Full cost of medical insurance premiums covered for you and your dependents (UK & AUS roles).
• Annual contribution toward private health insurance for you and your dependents (IE roles).
• Income protection: life and disability insurance for all employees.
• Generous time off: highly competitive PTO plans with a holiday hiatus in December. Caregiver & wellness leave available.
• Family planning & parenting support: coverage for fertility treatments, adoption, and gestational carriers, along with resources to support you and your partner.
• Mental health resources: free mental health resources 24/7, including therapy and life coaching.
• Professional development: annual reimbursement for professional development.
• Commuter benefits: company‑funded commuter benefits based on your region.
• Relocation assistance: available depending on role eligibility.
• Retirement savings plans: US roles – 401(k), Roth, and after‑tax options; UK & IE – pension plan with employer match; AUS – superannuation plan.