Guidance Navigation and Controls (GNC) Engineer III - Project Based

Autonomous Solutions•Fort Worth, TX

4d•Onsite

About The Position

This is a project-based employee role supporting the development, integration, and validation of ASI's autonomous dozer platforms. Development phases of this nature typically continue through project completion, often spanning two to four years, although scope and duration are determined by business and customer needs. The Guidance, Navigation, and Controls Engineer III develops, integrates, and validates algorithms that enable ASI's autonomous dozers to navigate work sites, follow planned paths, maintain stable vehicle control, and complete earthmoving tasks accurately and safely. This role works with vehicle dynamics, localization, state estimation, trajectory planning, path tracking, and control systems to support reliable autonomous operation in challenging construction environments. As a Level III engineer within ASI's five-level engineering structure, this position independently contributes to moderately complex GNC features and subsystem improvements while receiving guidance on broader architectural and system-level decisions. The role collaborates with perception, embedded software, systems, test, and field operations teams to improve autonomous dozer performance across uneven terrain, changing soil conditions, slopes, confined work areas, and active construction sites.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Robotics, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field
Typically five or more years of experience developing controls, navigation, robotics, vehicle-dynamics, state-estimation, or autonomous-system software
Strong understanding of classical and modern control theory, including feedback control, PID control, stability, and system dynamics
Experience developing and tuning control algorithms on physical robotic, automotive, aerospace, industrial, or heavy-equipment systems
Experience with localization, navigation, trajectory generation, path tracking, or state estimation
Proficiency in C++ and Python, MATLAB/Simulink, or comparable engineering tools
Experience developing software in Linux-based environments
Familiarity with ROS, ROS2, or comparable robotics middleware
Understanding of coordinate systems, transformations, vehicle kinematics, and vehicle dynamics
Experience using simulation and test data to evaluate algorithm and system performance
Experience developing production-quality software using version control, peer review, automated testing, and continuous integration practices
Ability to analyze complex system behavior and troubleshoot software, sensor, and vehicle-integration issues
Strong analytical, mathematical, and technical problem-solving skills
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Ability to work effectively with cross-functional engineering and field teams

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Robotics, Controls, or a related discipline
Experience developing GNC systems for autonomous vehicles, construction equipment, heavy machinery, mobile robots, or off-road platforms
Knowledge of dozer operations, grading, earthmoving, cut-and-fill, site preparation, or construction workflows
Experience with model-based design, system identification, controller tuning, or vehicle-dynamics modeling
Experience with Kalman filters, extended Kalman filters, particle filters, or other state-estimation methods
Experience with GNSS, RTK positioning, IMUs, odometry, encoders, and multi-sensor localization
Familiarity with optimization-based control, model predictive control, trajectory optimization, or motion planning
Experience integrating algorithms with vehicle-control units, embedded controllers, CAN networks, or drive-by-wire systems
Experience with MATLAB/Simulink, C++, Python, Gazebo, or similar simulation and development tools
Experience with software-in-the-loop, hardware-in-the-loop, and recorded-data replay testing
Familiarity with functional safety concepts and validation practices for autonomous or safety-critical systems
Experience validating control systems in high-vibration, dusty, uneven, off-road, construction, mining, or industrial environments

Responsibilities

Develop, implement, integrate, and validate guidance, navigation, and control algorithms for autonomous dozer applications
Contribute to vehicle motion control, path tracking, trajectory following, steering, propulsion, braking, and speed-control capabilities
Develop and tune feedback-control algorithms to improve vehicle stability, accuracy, responsiveness, and operational performance
Support navigation capabilities that allow autonomous dozers to move safely and efficiently through defined work areas
Develop and improve localization and state-estimation solutions using GPS/GNSS, inertial sensors, wheel or track feedback, and other vehicle data
Contribute to trajectory-generation and path-planning solutions for earthmoving, grading, cut-and-fill, site preparation, and related workflows
Support integration between vehicle motion control, blade-control systems, perception outputs, and task-planning software
Own defined GNC features and moderately complex assignments from development through integration, testing, and field validation
Develop models of vehicle dynamics and system behavior to support controller design, simulation, and performance analysis
Tune control parameters on physical equipment and evaluate performance across different terrain, payload, speed, and operating conditions
Evaluate GNC performance using simulation, software-in-the-loop testing, hardware-in-the-loop testing, recorded-data replay, and full-machine field testing
Establish measurable performance criteria for assigned features, including path accuracy, tracking error, stability, response time, and task completion
Analyze vehicle logs and field data to identify performance limitations, control instability, localization errors, and edge cases
Develop tools and scripts for simulation, data processing, visualization, automated testing, controller tuning, and performance analysis
Troubleshoot issues involving control behavior, localization, vehicle interfaces, sensor timing, coordinate systems, and system integration
Collaborate with perception engineers to ensure environmental and terrain information supports safe navigation and control decisions
Work with embedded software engineers to integrate GNC algorithms into real-time vehicle-control systems
Partner with test engineers and field testers to develop test procedures, reproduce issues, and verify corrective actions
Participate in design reviews, code reviews, sprint planning, and technical investigations
Document algorithms, mathematical models, software interfaces, assumptions, test results, and known system limitations
Support customer demonstrations, field deployments, and troubleshooting activities as required