Lead GNC Engineer – Flight Simulation

Mavensoft Technologies. • Chandler, AZ

3d • Onsite

About The Position

Lead the development and evaluation of guidance, navigation, and control systems for advanced aerospace applications, with a focus on seeker-based missile engagements and precision intercept performance. The role owns algorithm design and analysis tasks, applying mathematical models, control theory, and state estimation techniques to process seeker measurements and develop guidance and control laws.

The engineer will architect and maintain six-degree-of-freedom (6-DOF) simulations, define performance metrics, integrate hardware and software components, and conduct performance assessments and trade studies. The position also provides technical direction on seeker and tracking approaches, mentors early-career engineers, and collaborates with cross-functional teams to support system reliability and mission success. The position is contingent upon obtaining and maintaining required program access within a reasonable period, as determined by the company.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree with 5 years of professional experience, a Master’s degree with 3 years of professional experience, or a PhD with 0 years of professional experience in electrical engineering, aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
• Existing U.S. Government security clearance at the Secret level.
• Demonstrated experience with guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) concepts, algorithms, or analysis for aerospace or missile systems.
• Experience leading or significantly contributing to development, modeling, simulation, testing, integration, or analysis activities for aerospace, missile, spacecraft, or autonomous systems.
• Proficiency with one or more of MATLAB/Simulink, Python, C/C++, or similar technical software tools, with development in a Linux environment.

Nice To Haves

• Advanced degree (MS or PhD) in electrical engineering, aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
• Strong foundation in control systems theory, guidance law development, and flight software implementation.
• Experience with state estimation and nonlinear filtering, such as Kalman, Extended Kalman, or Unscented Kalman filters, including tuning and performance assessment in realistic scenarios.
• Deep domain knowledge in target tracking and infrared and/or radio-frequency seeker systems, including requirements definition and algorithm design.
• Experience developing and validating target dynamics and measurement models and integrating them into end-to-end 6-DOF simulations.
• Experience with seeker measurements, including angle-only measurements, line-of-sight rate estimation, pixel/centroid-based infrared measurements, and/or RF seeker range, range-rate (Doppler), azimuth/elevation, and angle-only tracking.
• Experience with data association, track initiation and maintenance logic, and multi-target tracking in the presence of false alarms and clutter.
• Ability to lead small technical teams or work packages, mentor junior engineers, and communicate complex technical concepts to diverse stakeholders.
• Strong proficiency in C/C++ and Python and experience with Jira, version control, and continuous integration workflows in a Linux environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, implementation, verification, and testing of high-quality flight and simulation software.
• Own the design and maintenance of 6-DOF simulations used to develop, analyze, and validate flight algorithms and code.
• Optimize flight and simulation software for performance, robustness, and maintainability.
• Define and execute analysis campaigns using trajectory optimization and evaluation tools.
• Present technical results, risks, and recommendations to program leadership.
• Provide technical direction on seeker and tracking approaches and mentor early-career engineers.
• Integrate hardware and software components and conduct performance assessments and trade studies.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level