Guidance Navigation Control (GNC) Engineer – Level 2 (AHT)

Northrop Grumman Corp.; Virginia (MN); On-site; USD 92,000 - 138,000; Full time

Job summary

Northrop Grumman is seeking a Guidance Navigation Control (GNC) Engineer – Level 2, onsite in Dulles, VA or McLean, VA. The role supports DoD/NASA/commercial programs, with 9/80 schedule and every other Friday off.

Candidates must pursue/maintain a TS/SCI clearance and contribute to spacecraft GNC development, testing and integration. Responsibilities include supplier coordination, hardware qualification, trade studies, and cross‑discipline reviews for successful mission design and robust

Qualifications

• Must obtain and maintain TS/SCI with US citizenship.
• Experience in GNC design, analysis and testing.
• Experience with MATLAB/Simulink and C/C++ software.
• Knowledge of space components and GNC hardware.

Responsibilities

• Lead procurement and testing of GNC hardware components.
• Lead domestic and international supplier meetings.
• Provide status tracking and close actions for GNC hardware.
• Perform trade studies for GNC hardware for proposals.
• Conduct requirement reviews with cross‑discipline teams.
• Design/procure GNC test equipment and lead integration with spacecraft.
• Troubleshoot GNC hardware issues using manuals and docs.
• Communicate results and present designs to customers.

Skills

MATLAB/Simulink

C/C++

GNC

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

MS or PhD in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Tools

SVN

Git

Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: No

CLEARANCE TYPE: None

TRAVEL: Yes, 10% of the Time

Description

At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work — and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history.

Expand your horizons, advance your career, and contribute to a secure future for generations. Northrop Grumman’s Space Sector invites you to bring your pioneering spirit to our collaborative teams. As a Guidance Navigation Control (GNC) Engineer – Level 2 supporting a team located in Dulles, VA or McLean, VA, you’ll be a linchpin in missions of paramount importance, defining the art of the possible from day one.

This position is 100% onsite and cannot accommodate telecommute work. This position will work a 9/80 schedule, with every other Friday off.

The GNC team designs, builds, and tests spacecraft subsystems for a mix of DoD, NASA, and commercial customers. We are leaders in innovative solutions to the rapidly growing/evolving fields of space based autonomous rendezvous and docking and rapid design/production of small satellites.

Job Responsibilities: In this role you will:

• Leading the procurement of GNC component hardware (Coarse Sun Sensor Assemblies, Star Tracker Assemblies, GPS Receivers, Inertial Reference Units / Inertial Measurement Units, Reaction Wheel Assemblies, Magno-Torquer Bars, etc.) as the cognizant engineer (CogE).
• Leading domestic and international supplier meetings for the procurement and testing of GNC component hardware.
• Provide general support, status tracking, and close action items for your assigned GNC component hardware for the entire lifecycle of the program and component.
• Perform trade studies for GNC component hardware for proposal efforts.
• Perform GNC component requirement reviews through compliance verification matrices with multiple different program subsystems (Mechanical, Propulsion, Electrical, Systems, etc.).
• Design and procure GNC component hardware test equipment (EGSE / GSE).
• Lead integration and testing of GNC hardware components with spacecraft.
• Troubleshoot GNC Hardware anomalies using supplier Users Manuals and documentation.

Communication is a key element of your role and all GNC engineers are expected to:

• Apply engineering principles, industry standards, company process, and knowledge of vehicle dynamics, aerodynamics, propulsion, classical/modern control, and estimation theory to perform tasks to advanced program/project goals
• Document, design, analysis, and test results as well as creating presentation materials
• Present designs, analysis, and test results to internal and external customers
• Work well within small- to medium-sized groups

This position is 100% onsite and cannot accommodate telecommute work. This position will work a 9/80 schedule, with every other Friday off.

This position is contingent upon the candidate verifying and/or obtaining final clearances and program access(es) within a reasonable period of time as determined by the company.

Basic Qualifications:

• Must have the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government DoD Top-Secret (TS) security clearance and Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) approval/access [TS/SCI] within a reasonable period of time. US citizenship is required.
• Level 2:
  • Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 2 years of relevant engineering experience – OR - Master’s degree with a minimum of 0 years of relevant engineering experience
  • May consider an additional 4+ years of experience in lieu of a completed degree
• Experience developing software in MATLAB/Simulink and C/C++
• Experience in Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) subsystem design, analysis, and testing; can include Attitude Determination and Control System (ADCS)
• Familiarity with GNC space components: Coarse Sun Sensor Assemblies, Star Tracker Assemblies, GPS Receivers, Inertial Reference Units / Inertial Measurement Units, Reaction Wheel Assemblies, Magno-Torquer Bars, etc.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Active TS/SCI
• MS or PhD in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering
• Familiarity with GNC space components: Coarse Sun Sensor Assemblies, Star Tracker Assemblies, GPS Receivers, Inertial Reference Units / Inertial Measurement Units, Reaction Wheel Assemblies, Magno-Torquer Bars, etc.
• Experience with version control tools such as SVN or Git
• Experience implementing spacecraft GNC algorithms on embedded systems
• Strong technical fundamentals in the areas of spacecraft attitude and orbit dynamics, navigation filtering and/or control systems design
• Experience with on-orbit space vehicle operations, commanding, debugging, and use of flight telemetry to track performance metrics
• Experience with performing spacecraft GNC design, analysis, Hardware (HW) and Integration & Test (I&T), or flight operations.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities
• Previous/current membership or leadership roles in professional groups, clubs, or extracurricular activities are desired

Working at Northrop Grumman is more than just a paycheck. We offer a comprehensive Total Rewards and benefits package designed to help you thrive at work and in life. For more information on our Total Rewards package, please visit our Total Rewards site.

Northrop Grumman Total Rewards

Primary Level Salary Range: $91,800.00 - $137,600.00

The above salary range represents a general guideline; however, Northrop Grumman considers a number of factors when determining base salary offers such as the scope and responsibilities of the position and the candidate's experience, education, skills and current market conditions.

Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Annual bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results. Employees in Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives. In addition, Northrop Grumman provides a variety of benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, Company paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business.

The application period for the job is estimated to be 20 days from the job posting date. However, this timeline may be shortened or extended depending on business needs and the availability of qualified candidates.

Northrop Grumman is an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. For our complete EEO and pay transparency statement, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.