Sr. Navigation Engineer

Zoomcar; Burlingame (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

A navigational intelligence company is seeking a Senior Navigation Engineer to guide initiatives within its Navigation Software team. This role involves steering technical direction in core positioning and timing capabilities and mentoring junior engineers. Candidates should have extensive experience in GNSS-based navigation and proficiency in algorithm development. This full-time position is located in Burlingame, California, offering a compensation range of $150K - $180K depending on qualifications.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in GNSS-based navigation or state estimation.
• Deep expertise in statistical estimation techniques.
• Proven track record of shipping navigation algorithms to production.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical direction for core positioning and timing capabilities.
• Design algorithms for centimeter-level accuracy.
• Develop pipelines for orbit determination with multi-GNSS fusion strategies.

Skills

GNSS-based navigation

Statistical estimation

Python

C++

Education

MS or PhD in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field

Tools

GIPSY

Bernese

Job description

Location

Burlingame, CA

Employment Type

Full time

Location Type

On-site

Department

Engineering

Compensation

• $150K – $180K • Offers Equity

The final job level and salary will be determined based on a range of factors including the candidate’s education, qualifications, knowledge, skills, abilities, and relevant experience. The listed salary range is provided to offer insight into potential compensation, but it’s not a guarantee of the final offer. While we include the full range to be transparent, offers most often fall within the middle portion rather than the top.

Xona is the navigational intelligence company bringing real-time, centimeter-level certainty to any device, anywhere on Earth.

With Pulsar – the world’s most advanced PNT satellite infrastructure in Low Earth Orbit – Xona will offer a future-proof, backwards-compatible global positioning system optimized for absolute precision, superior power, and robust protection.

We're seeking a Senior Navigation Engineer to lead critical initiatives within our Navigation Software team the brain of our satellite system. In this role, you'll drive the technical direction for our core positioning and timing capabilities, mentor junior engineers, and bridge the gap between algorithm development and flight-ready implementation.

You'll own the architecture and development of key subsystems including:

• Precise Positioning: Design and optimize algorithms for centimeter-level accuracy in real-time and post-processed solutions.
• Orbit Determination: Lead development of OD pipelines, including filter tuning, maneuver handling, and multi-GNSS fusion strategies.
• Clock Estimation: Architect timing solutions that meet stringent stability requirements across the constellation.
• Atmospheric Modeling: Develop and validate ionospheric and tropospheric correction models, integrating external data sources as needed.
• Integrity Monitoring: Define fault detection and exclusion frameworks to support safety-critical applications (aviation, maritime, autonomous systems).

You'll also serve as a technical liaison with payload software and systems engineering, ensuring navigation requirements flow down correctly to flight software and hardware interfaces.

Required Qualifications

• MS or PhD in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Geomatics, Applied Mathematics, or a related field.
• 7+ years of experience in GNSS-based navigation, state estimation, or related domains (aerospace, autonomous systems, geodesy).
• Deep expertise in statistical estimation—extended/unscented Kalman filters, batch least squares, factor graphs, or similar.
• Proven track record shipping navigation algorithms from prototype to production.
• Strong Python skills for rapid prototyping and analysis; proficiency in C++ for flight or embedded implementations.
• Experience with GNSS data formats (RINEX, SP3, RTCM) and tools (GIPSY, Bernese, or similar).
• Familiarity with orbital mechanics, reference frames, and time systems.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience with LEO PNT or multi-constellation/multi-frequency processing.
• Background in integrity and protection level computation (ARAIM, SBAS concepts).
• Prior work on real-time navigation systems with latency and throughput constraints.
• History of mentoring engineers or leading small technical teams.

For U.S. Roles: To comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the United States (i.e. Green Card holder), or other protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).

For U.K. Roles: To comply with U.K. regulations, this role requires Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks, and successful candidates must be eligible to obtain UK Security Clearance (SC).

For Canada Roles: Successful candidates must obtain and hold a security clearance at the reliability status level, and pass security assessment for the Canadian Controlled Goods Program (CGP) and ITAR.

We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

Compensation Range: $150K - $180K