Senior GNC Engineer

Anduril Industries•Seattle, WA

About The Position

Anduril’s Tactical Recon & Strike (TRS) division is building highly capable autonomous drones and solid rocket motors at scale, transforming products like Ghost, Anvil, Bolt, and Altius from early concepts into fully operational capabilities. The GNC team within TRS specializes in the ground-up development of resilient GPS-denied navigation solutions for autonomous platforms operating in demanding, contested environments. This is a senior role for an Algorithm Developer (Localization/GNC) focused on building cutting-edge technology from scratch and seeing immediate field deployment. The role involves shaping Anduril's technical moat in GPS-denied navigation through the development of core vision-based navigation (VBN) and advanced sensor fusion algorithms. The position will pioneer novel approaches and advanced fusion methodologies to push performance boundaries, exploring and developing advanced navigation solutions such as robust vision-based navigation, advanced map matching algorithms, terrain contour matching (TERCOM), celestial navigation, high-fidelity state estimation using various Kalman filter types, and fusion of diverse sensor modalities. Contributions will directly impact capabilities like collaborative navigation, precision landing, and developing a common, resilient navigation stack for various platforms. The role offers rapid flight testing opportunities and the chance to make a tangible impact on national security.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Robotics, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, or a related technical field with a strong focus on dynamic systems, estimation, or control.
8+ years of professional experience in GNC, localization, or advanced state estimation roles, preferably in demanding real-world applications (e.g., defense, aerospace, robotics).
Deep expertise in state estimation and sensor fusion, particularly with various Kalman filter types (e.g., EKF, ES-EKF, UKF, Invariant Filters) and their practical implementation.
Proficiency in C++ (preferred) and/or Python for algorithm development and real-time embedded systems implementation.
Extensive experience with vision-based navigation (VBN) techniques (e.g., VIO, VSLAM, feature tracking, optical flow) or robust map matching/geo-registration algorithms.
Proven ability to develop, test, and debug algorithms in real-time embedded environments on physical hardware.
Experience with modeling and simulation of dynamic systems and sensor phenomenology.
Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance.

Nice To Haves

Master’s Degree or PhD in a relevant technical field.
Experience with terrain contour matching (TERCOM) or other non-GPS absolute localization methods utilizing diverse sensor inputs (e.g., LRF, Radar Altimeters, Star Trackers/Celestial Navigation).
Familiarity with diverse sensor modalities for navigation (e.g., IMU, Baro, LRF, Radar Altimeters, EO/IR) and their specific noise characteristics and modeling.
Experience with distributed or collaborative navigation systems, leveraging inter-platform measurements.
Track record of successfully bringing complex algorithms from theoretical concepts through to deployed products on physical hardware.
Proficiency with modern software development practices (e.g., CI/CD, Git, automated testing frameworks).
Demonstrated ability to "wear many hats" and thrive in a fast-paced, high-impact, and highly collaborative startup environment.

Responsibilities

Design, implement, and rigorously validate advanced GPS-denied navigation algorithms, including Vision-Based Navigation (VBN), advanced Map Matching, and high-fidelity sensor fusion for state estimation.
Drive ground-up algorithm development from theoretical concepts through high-fidelity simulation, Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing, and rapid flight validation on multiple physical hardware platforms.
Collaborate intimately with Computer Vision, Flight Software, and Simulation teams to define requirements, integrate solutions, and push the boundaries of autonomous navigation in contested environments.
Analyze extensive flight test data from diverse platforms (e.g., Altius, Ghost, manned aircraft) collected across varied, challenging environments to identify performance gaps, refine algorithms, and debug complex incidents.
Contribute strategically to the growth of Anduril's technical moat in navigation, including areas like collaborative navigation and precise terminal guidance for challenging operational scenarios.
Mentor junior engineers and champion best practices in algorithm design, validation, and continuous integration within a fast-paced, high-impact environment.