Lead GNC Engineer for UAS Flight Controls

Zone 5 Technologies; San Luis Obispo (CA); On-site; USD 197,000 - 265,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

401k with company-match

Paid time off

Sick time

Company holidays

Job summary

Zone 5 Technologies in San Luis Obispo, CA, seeks a senior GNC Engineer to lead flight controls design and optimization for Group 1–4 UAS. You will mentor engineers, develop software for flight tests, and drive verification through SWIL/HWIL simulations and Kalman-filtered state estimation.

You will apply advanced control theory, MATLAB/Simulink modeling, and embedded systems expertise to advance next‑generation UAS capabilities, with a strong emphasis on collaboration, innovation, and rigorous

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering.
• 10+ years of experience in flight controls engineering, with at least 5 years in UAS applications.
• Expertise in Matlab/Simulink and auto-code generation for embedded systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, analysis, and development of flight controls software for Group 1 to 4 UAS.
• Architect and implement advanced software components for flight tests.
• Oversee high-fidelity SWIL and HWIL simulations to validate system performance.
• Develop and refine models in Matlab/Simulink for optimization.
• Perform stability and performance analyses and guide control system improvements.
• Mentor and train junior engineers, fostering growth and collaboration.
• Drive cross-functional communication across engineering disciplines.
• Lead R&D initiatives in flight control methodologies and embedded systems.
• Produce technical documentation and lead peer reviews.

Skills

Matlab/Simulink

Kalman filtering

Flight dynamics

Embedded systems

Team leadership

Project management

Communication

Education

Master’s degree in Aerospace/Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Auto-code generation

Embedded software

Job description

Zone 5 Technologies in San Luis Obispo, CA, seeks a senior GNC Engineer to lead flight controls design and optimization for Group 1–4 UAS. You will mentor engineers, develop software for flight tests, and drive verification through SWIL/HWIL simulations and Kalman-filtered state estimation.

You will apply advanced control theory, MATLAB/Simulink modeling, and embedded systems expertise to advance next‑generation UAS capabilities, with a strong emphasis on collaboration, innovation, and rigorous