Guidance, Navigation, and Controls Engineer

Wardstone (YC F25); San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

A technology firm specializing in aerospace solutions is looking for a Guidance, Navigation, and Controls Engineer. This role involves designing guidance algorithms for high-speed dynamics and implementing controls for UAVs. The ideal candidate will possess a strong background in state estimation and control theory, and must hold a B.S. or M.S. in Aerospace Engineering. Familiarity with tools like MATLAB and C++ is essential for this position, which offers a competitive salary range of $120,000 - $180,000 per year.

Qualifications

• B.S. or M.S. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, Controls, or similar.
• Deep understanding of classical and modern control theory.
• Experience building 6DOF flight simulations (MATLAB, Simulink, Python, C++).
• Strong background in state estimation, nonlinear dynamics, filtering, or guidance algorithms.
• Hands-on experience tuning controllers for UAVs, rockets, missiles, or autonomous systems.
• Familiarity with coordinate frames, quaternion math, and navigation transformations.
• US CITIZENSHIP REQUIRED

Responsibilities

• Design guidance laws for midcourse and terminal homing under high-speed dynamics.
• Implement robust control strategies for high-G maneuvers.
• Conduct hardware-in-the-loop tests with scene generators and real sensors.
• Work with perception engineers to integrate vision-based tracking.

Skills

Control theory

State estimation

Guidance algorithms

Nonlinear dynamics

UAV tuning

Education

B.S. or M.S. in Aerospace Engineering

Tools

MATLAB

Simulink

Python

C++

Job description

Guidance, Navigation, and Controls Engineer

Join to apply for the Guidance, Navigation, and Controls Engineer at Wardstone (YC F25)

Base Pay Range

$120,000.00/yr - $180,000.00/yr

What You’ll Do

Guidance Algorithm Development

• Design guidance laws for midcourse and terminal homing under high‑speed, non‑linear dynamics.
• Implement proportional navigation, augmented PN, pursuit/lead guidance, and/or optimal control methods.
• Develop intercept prediction algorithms using sensed tracking and state estimation inputs.

Flight Controls & Actuator Modeling

• Design and tune control loops for aerodynamic surfaces, thrust vectoring, or impulse‑based actuators.
• Model actuator bandwidth, latency, saturation, and uncertainties.
• Implement robust control strategies for high‑G, high‑rate maneuvers.

State Estimation & Sensor Fusion

• Implement EKFs/UKFs for fusing IR sensor data, IMU, GPS, and onboard timing signals.
• Build prediction and filtering pipelines that operate reliably under noise, jitter, and thermal effects.
• Develop relative navigation and target‑state estimation algorithms.

Simulation & 6DOF Modeling

• Build and maintain high‑fidelity 6DOF simulations of interceptor dynamics.
• Integrate aerodynamic models (> Mach 1), control response, propulsion events, and sensor models.
• Run Monte Carlo and worst‑case analyses to drive design decisions.

Hardware‑in‑the‑Loop & Real‑World Testing

• Develop GNC software that runs on embedded hardware with hard real‑time constraints.
• Conduct hardware‑in‑the‑loop tests with scene generators and real sensors.
• Support ground‑based intercept tests, including flight software tuning, data collection, and analysis.

Cross‑Functional Collaboration and Vehicle Design

• Influence the Vehicle Design through controllability requirements.
• Work with perception engineers to integrate vision‑based tracking into guidance algorithms.
• Work with propulsion engineers on control authority, ΔV budgets, and impulse timing.
• Work with embedded engineers to implement deterministic and reliable real‑time GNC pipelines.

Required Qualifications

• B.S. or M.S. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, Controls, or similar.
• Deep understanding of classical and modern control theory.
• Experience building 6DOF flight simulations (MATLAB, Simulink, Python, C++).
• Strong background in state estimation, nonlinear dynamics, filtering, or guidance algorithms.
• Hands‑on experience tuning controllers for UAVs, rockets, missiles, or autonomous systems.
• Familiarity with coordinate frames, quaternion math, and navigation transformations.
• US CITIZENSHIP REQUIRED

Nice to Haves

• Experience with high‑speed interceptors, hypersonics, or missile guidance.
• Familiarity with aerodynamics, actuator modeling, or impulse‑based control.
• Experience with optimal control (MPC, LQR variants, differential games).
• Experience with embedded real‑time systems, RTOS, or high‑rate control loops.
• Experience integrating perception (IR/EO, CV algorithms) into closed‑loop guidance.
• Experience with MIL‑STD flight hardware, environmental testing, or flight qualification.