Senior GNC Engineer: Flight Control & Autopilot

Castelion Corporation; Torrance (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Castelion is seeking a Senior GNC Engineer to develop guidance, navigation, and control solutions for Castelion’s long-range hypersonic strike vehicles. You will design, analyze, implement, and validate control and autopilot algorithms in a fast-paced, hardware-driven environment.

Working with multidisciplinary teams, you will enable stable, precise flight performance across all mission phases, translate results into system improvements, and mentor junior engineers while contributing to best

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field
• 5+ years of experience in control system design, analysis, and validation for aerospace or high-performance dynamic systems
• Strong background in classical and modern control theory, including adaptive, nonlinear, and robust control methods
• Experience developing autopilot algorithms for missiles, rockets, hypersonic vehicles, or similar systems
• Proficiency in modeling and simulation tools such as MATLAB/Simulink or equivalent
• Experience with 3DOF and 6DOF simulation environments and real-time control implementation
• Familiarity with flight software integration and real-time embedded systems
• Strong problem-solving mindset, thriving in a fast-paced, hardware-rich, high flight cadence environment

Responsibilities

• Design and develop flight control and autopilot algorithms for high-speed flight vehicles across atmospheric and exo-atmospheric regimes
• Develop and implement advanced control strategies, including adaptive and robust control methods, to ensure performance under uncertain and dynamic conditions
• Conduct modeling, simulation, and analysis (3DOF/6DOF) to evaluate control system performance, stability, and robustness
• Work closely with avionics, flight sciences, mechanisms, and flight software teams to integrate control algorithms into real-time embedded systems
• Support hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing, flight testing, and post-flight analysis, translating results into system-level improvements
• Analyze vehicle dynamics, actuator behavior, and sensor characteristics to inform control system design and tuning
• Develop tools and frameworks for control system design, verification, and validation
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to best practices in GNC and control system development
• Partner closely with program leadership to make technical trades aligned with mission success

Skills

Control theory

Autopilot algorithms

MATLAB/Simulink

Real-time control

Education

Advanced engineering degree

Tools

HIL testing

Flight software

RTOS

Job description

Castelion is seeking a Senior GNC Engineer to develop guidance, navigation, and control solutions for Castelion’s long-range hypersonic strike vehicles. You will design, analyze, implement, and validate control and autopilot algorithms in a fast-paced, hardware-driven environment.

Working with multidisciplinary teams, you will enable stable, precise flight performance across all mission phases, translate results into system improvements, and mentor junior engineers while contributing to best