Guidance Navigation Control (GNC) Engineering Analyst – Level 5

Northrop Grumman; Virginia (MN); On-site; USD 177,000 - 265,600; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Every other Friday off

Job summary

Northrop Grumman is seeking a Senior Guidance Navigation Control (GNC) Engineering Analyst in Virginia. This role involves designing and analyzing spacecraft control systems while collaborating within teams to meet technical requirements. Candidates need a bachelor's degree with extensive experience and a U.S. Top Secret clearance.

Join Northrop Grumman to work on revolutionary systems influencing lives globally. Embark on a career filled with intellectual curiosity and pioneering spirit.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with 12 years of professional experience or Master's with 10 years.
• Requires an active U.S. Top‑Secret clearance.
• Experience in Guidance, Navigation, and Control subsystem design.

Responsibilities

• Design and analyze spacecraft attitude and position control loops.
• Develop simulation models for sensors and actuators.
• Communicate designs and test results to internal and external customers.

Skills

MATLAB/Simulink

Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC)

C/C++

Analytical Skills

Problem-Solving

Education

Bachelor’s degree with 12 years of experience

Master’s degree with 10 years of experience

PhD with 8 years of experience

Tools

SVN

Git

Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available.

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes

CLEARANCE TYPE: Top Secret

TRAVEL: Yes, 10% of the Time

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.

Senior Guidance Navigation Control (GNC) Engineering Analyst – Level 5

Dulles, VA

This position will work a 9/80 schedule, with every other Friday off.

Responsibilities

• Design, analyze, and tune spacecraft attitude and position control loops using time and frequency domain techniques
• Design and analyze relative guidance solutions for Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO)
• Design, analyze, and tune sequential filters (e.g. Kalman filters) for attitude determination and relative navigation
• Analyze and test the spacecraft GNC subsystem performance using simulations and other analytic tools
• Perform analysis to support early design phase concept development including actuator sizing and placement, sensor selection and placement, attitude and position guidance, rendezvous, proximity operations and docking analyses, and predicted performance assessments
• Develop simulation models for sensors (e.g. star tracker, rate gyro, accelerometer, GPS, magnetometer, sun sensors), actuators (e.g. reaction wheel, torque bar, thruster, CMG), system dynamics (e.g. rigid body, multi-body, orbit mechanics, flexible models, propellant slosh), and the space environment (e.g. atmospheric, solar radiation pressure, third-body gravity, geopotential)
• 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 designs, analysis, and test results and create presentation materials
• Present designs, analysis, and test results to internal and external customers
• Work well within small- to medium-sized groups
• Other duties as assigned

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with 12 years of professional experience – OR – Master’s degree with 10 years of professional experience – OR – PhD with 8 years of professional experience. Will consider an additional 4+ years of experience in lieu of degree.
• Requires an active U.S. Government Top‑Secret [TS] security clearance at time of application, current and within scope, with the ability to obtain and maintain SCI approval/access
• 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)

Preferred Qualifications

• Current/Active SCI and/or SAP
• MS or PhD in engineering, physics, or math
• 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 Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO) algorithms, practices and planning strategies
• 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

Primary Level Salary Range: $177,000.00 - $265,600.00

Equal Opportunity Employer

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.