Senior GNC Engineer

About the role

The is a pivotal technical role focused on the conception, analysis, and rigorous verification of guidance, navigation, and control systems tailored for next-generation high-speed aircraft platforms. This position owns the end-to-end development of flight control, navigation, and autonomy solutions that ensure our vehicles operate with precision, safety, and reliability across a wide spectrum of demanding operational conditions and mission profiles. The successful candidate will drive rapid iteration cycles, moving seamlessly from analytical assessment to implementation and finally to comprehensive validation, ensuring all systems meet the evolving requirements of defense missions and operational excellence. You will be responsible for architecting robust modular control frameworks capable of managing the highly complex and nonlinear dynamics inherent to high-speed flight across diverse regimes and scenarios. This involves deep engagement in implementing advanced estimation and navigation code while maintaining close coordination with hardware teams operating within both laboratory bench testing and live flight test environments. A significant portion of the role will involve conducting detailed simulation studies to rigorously evaluate guidance performance and vehicle dynamics before any physical vehicle integration occurs, mitigating risk early in the development cycle.

A core responsibility involves leading reviews of flight software artifacts to guarantee strict adherence to aviation standards, safety constraints, and operational constraints that govern high-performance aircraft systems. You will collaborate extensively with test teams to define comprehensive test scenarios, process vast quantities of flight data, and iteratively refine dynamic models based on the insights gained from each test sortie and flight demonstration. Designing and enabling autonomy behaviors for critical phases such as autonomous takeoff, complex routing, and precision landing represents a fundamental duty within the realm of advanced aircraft operations and system capability expansion. Furthermore, you will evaluate and optimize sensor suites and signal processing paths to enhance state estimation accuracy, particularly during periods of rapid maneuvers, high dynamic pressure changes, and significant environmental disturbances. Collaboration with external partners and stakeholders will center on aligning critical interfaces, standardizing data formats, and synchronizing integration schedules to achieve shared strategic and technical objectives efficiently. This role demands a high level of ownership, where your analysis directly translates into flightworthiness and performance improvements for Hermeus's cutting-edge platforms.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Architect modular control frameworks capable of managing the complex dynamics inherent to high-speed flight across diverse mission profiles and operational envelopes.
• Implement estimation and navigation code while coordinating intensively with hardware teams situated within laboratory and flight test environments to ensure alignment and data fidelity.
• Conduct detailed simulation studies to evaluate guidance performance, stability, and control effectiveness prior to any vehicle integration or hardware modification.
• Guide rigorous reviews of flight software artifacts to ensure unwavering adherence to aviation standards, safety regulations, and specific operational constraints dictated by the mission profile.
• Partner with dedicated test teams to define comprehensive test scenarios, meticulously process flight and telemetry data, and refine dynamic models following every sortie and test campaign.
• Design sophisticated autonomy behaviors that enable autonomous takeoff, adaptive routing, and precision landing capabilities within advanced aircraft operations and contested environments.
• Evaluate sensor configurations and signal paths to improve state estimation accuracy, robustness, and reliability during rapid maneuvers, high-g events, and changing environmental conditions.
• Collaborate with external partners and integration teams to align critical interfaces, data exchange formats, and integration schedules to meet shared technical and programmatic goals.
• Support the development and execution of test plans that validate guidance, navigation, and control functionality under a wide array of simulated and real-world conditions.
• Drive the analysis of flight test data to identify discrepancies, refine models, and iterate on control algorithms to enhance overall vehicle performance and stability.
• Create and maintain detailed documentation for guidance, navigation, and control architectures, algorithms, and test results to ensure knowledge retention and traceability.
• Utilize advanced modeling and simulation tools to predict vehicle behavior, assess risk, and support decision-making throughout the full development lifecycle.
• Contribute to the definition of system requirements and performance metrics that guide the design and verification of GNC systems from concept through flight demonstration.
• Apply rigorous engineering methods to solve complex problems related to dynamics, control synthesis, and navigation solution integrity in high-speed regimes.

Requirements

• Hold a Bachelor's degree in a relevant engineering discipline such as aerospace, electrical, or mechanical engineering, or demonstrate equivalent practical experience through a proven track record.
• Possess a minimum of three years of hands-on experience developing flight controls, navigation systems, or state estimation algorithms for aviation applications or comparable high-performance dynamic systems.
• Demonstrate a strong and deep grasp of dynamics, control theory, and modeling techniques as specifically applied to high-speed vehicle platforms and operational scenarios.
• Have hands-on experience with a variety of simulation tools, data analysis methods, and flight test procedures that are standard within the aerospace and defense industries.
• Exhibit proficiency in modern programming languages that are commonly used for control design, real-time data processing, and complex system integration tasks.
• Show a firm understanding of the principles underlying sensor integration, filtering techniques, and navigation solution algorithms as they apply to high-performance vehicles.
• Capability to work effectively within a structured engineering process while maintaining flexibility to adapt to evolving requirements and technical challenges.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills necessary for articulating complex technical concepts during reviews, collaboration, and reporting.

Nice to have

Experience with autonomous takeoff and landing systems for advanced aircraft applications is valued and represents a significant domain expertise for this role.

About the company

We reclaim the lost art of rapid iterative prototyping to build fast and powerful aircraft on relevant timelines. Our teams design and test high-speed systems that give our nation and its allies clear advantage in the sky. We focus on deterring global threats through disciplined engineering, repeatable experimentation, and reliable execution.

You will refine designs, validate performance, and turn ideas into flying hardware quickly and safely.