Flight Sciences Engineer – Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC)

Insitu Inc•Bingen, WA

2d•$108,500 - $149,050•Hybrid

About The Position

This role focuses on designing and analyzing enhancements for Group 2 and Group 3 UAS and their derivatives, ensuring optimized aerodynamics, flight performance, and safety. The engineer will develop and refine flight control, guidance, and navigation algorithms, including those supporting autonomous flight and new flight modes. A key responsibility involves building, validating, and maintaining high-fidelity mathematical models, simulations, and analyses tools for various simulation environments (standalone, SIL, HIL). The position also entails investigating and mitigating mishaps and failure modes, updating autopilot and simulation software, and collaborating with autopilot suppliers. The engineer will stay informed on regulatory trends in unmanned airspace operations and support flight test planning, execution, and data analysis. This role requires cross-functional collaboration to deliver solutions that meet system performance goals within a safety-focused, innovative engineering culture.

Requirements

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace / Mechanical Engineering, or a related field, with an emphasis on aerodynamics, flight dynamics, and control systems.
Bachelor’s degree with 5-8 years of relevant experience in aerodynamics or GNC specific role, or Master’s degree with 3-6 years of experience.
Strong understanding of controls, navigation, and guidance methods as applied to air vehicle flight dynamics.
Proficiency in MATLAB/Simulink for developing and validating models for standalone, SIL, and HIL simulations.
Proven experience applying digital-discrete time control laws to air vehicles.
Excellent problem-solving skills, with a track record of identifying failure modes and developing effective solutions.
Knowledge of air vehicle performance and design trade-offs, including vehicle layout, propulsion requirements, and stability and control analyses.
Proficiency in at least one programming language such as C++, with familiarity in implementing and integrating control systems in software environments.
Strong verbal and written communication skills, as well as the ability to work collaboratively within a multi-disciplinary engineering team.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with U.S. airspace regulations and operational environments for unmanned systems, including FAA Part 107 guidelines.
Knowledge of GPS/INS systems and autopilot requirements, as well as experience in their integration into complete air vehicle systems.
Experience with numerical programming, Python, Matlab/Simulink, C#, and GIT version control systems.
Background in unmanned aircraft or drone operations, with consideration given to candidates holding a pilot’s license or drone operator’s license.
Understanding of unmanned aircraft data links and their operational considerations.
Experience with advanced navigation methods.

Responsibilities

Design and analyze enhancements for Group 2 and Group 3 UAS and their derivatives, ensuring optimized aerodynamics, flight performance, and safety.
Develop and refine flight control, guidance, and navigation algorithms for UAS, including those supporting autonomous flight and new flight modes.
Build, validate, and maintain high-fidelity mathematical models, simulations, and analyses tools to ensure accuracy in standalone, Software-In-The-Loop (SIL), and Hardware-In-The-Loop (HIL) simulations.
Investigate and mitigate mishaps and failure modes through telemetry analysis, root cause investigation, and Monte Carlo simulations.
Update and customize autopilot and simulation software as needed to support product enhancements and ensure alignment with control system design best practices.
Collaborate closely with our autopilot supplier to address system integration challenges, improve performance, and design for product effectiveness.
Stay informed on regulatory trends in unmanned airspace operations and provide design inputs that align with modern regulatory environments and industry advances.
Support flight test planning, execution, and data analysis for hardware, software, and systems integration.
Work with engineering, operations, and project management to deliver solutions that meet system performance goals, collaborating cross-functionally while promoting a safety-focused, innovative engineering culture.