Principal GNC Engineer

Mach
United States
Workplace: OnsiteFull timeUSD 240,000 - 280,000 annuallyFunction: Communications, PR & CommunityExperience: 10+ yearsEducation: bachelorsSkills: ["Technical leadership","Cross-disciplinary communication","Mentorship","Engineering rigor","Problem-solving"]

Define, develop, and flight-prove the guidance, navigation, and controls (GNC) architecture for autonomous aircraft and related defense platforms. Own system-level decisions across guidance, navigation, flight controls, modeling and simulation, embedded implementation, and flight test. Build and verify robust control and state-estimation algorithms, lead SIL/HIL workflows, plan and execute GNC test activities, and mentor engineers while partnering across aerodynamics, propulsion, avionics, and embedded software teams.

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FursaFursa
Mach
Mach
2 days ago

Principal GNC Engineer

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Last checked: 9 hours agoStatus: Live

Job Summary

Define, develop, and flight-prove the guidance, navigation, and controls (GNC) architecture for autonomous aircraft and related defense platforms. Own system-level decisions across guidance, navigation, flight controls, modeling and simulation, embedded implementation, and flight test. Build and verify robust control and state-estimation algorithms, lead SIL/HIL workflows, plan and execute GNC test activities, and mentor engineers while partnering across aerodynamics, propulsion, avionics, and embedded software teams.
Location: United States
Workplace: Onsite
Employment Type: Full time
Job Function: Communications, PR & Community

Key Responsibilities

  • •Own the end-to-end GNC architecture and technical roadmap across mission phases.
  • •Translate mission objectives and vehicle concepts into GNC requirements, interfaces, performance budgets, and verification criteria.
  • •Design, analyze, and mature guidance algorithms, control laws, state-estimation solutions, gain schedules, and control allocation strategies.
  • •Establish modeling and correlation using flight-dynamics modeling, system identification, Monte Carlo analysis, and validation with CFD, wind-tunnel, ground-test, and flight-test data.
  • •Lead flight-readiness GNC activities (test planning, safety reviews, range execution, data analysis, anomaly resolution) and drive embedded production implementation with rigorous SIL/HIL verification and code/numerics/timing reviews.

Pay and Benefits

Salary: USD 240,000 - 280,000 annually
Equity and Bonus:Equity
Perks:Health InsuranceRetirement

Key Requirements

  • •Bachelor’s degree in aerospace, mechanical, electrical, robotics, physics, mathematics, or a related technical field.
  • •10+ years designing, implementing, and testing GNC systems for aircraft, missiles, launch vehicles, spacecraft, UAVs, or comparable autonomous systems.
  • •End-to-end ownership across requirements, analysis, implementation, verification, integration, and flight test phases of a GNC system.
  • •Deep knowledge of flight dynamics, stability and control, control theory, state estimation, trajectory generation, and system identification.
  • •Proficiency with MATLAB/Simulink and C or modern C++ for modeling and production/embedded implementation; experience with Monte Carlo analysis and SIL/HIL verification environments.
Experience:10+ yearsDefense technologyAutonomous aircraftUAVEmbedded systemsFlight testAutonomy
Education:Bachelor's in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, robotics, physics, mathematics, or a related technical field
Skills:Technical leadershipCross-disciplinary communicationMentorshipEngineering rigorProblem-solving
Tech Stack:MATLABSimulinkCC++CFDMonte Carlo analysisGitContinuous integrationTelemetry analysisSILHILGit-based code reviewConfiguration managementIssue trackingTelemetry

Eligibility

Work Authorization:Authorization required. Sponsorship not provided.

Company Brief

Mach
Designs and manufactures unmanned systems, tactical engines, and decentralized defense manufacturing infrastructure (Forge) to scale production of autonomous aerial systems and related propulsion for U.S. defense customers and partners.
Industry: Defense Manufacturing
Company Size: Medium (51 to 250 employees)
Growth: Growth Stage Startup
Valuation: USD 250M to 500M
Funding: Series B
Headquarters: Huntington Beach, United States
Founded: 2023
Glassdoor
Glassdoor: 3.9
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