Sr/Principal UAS GNC Engineer
Job DescriptionJob Description
The company is a fast-moving aerospace startup launched in 2019, focused on building cutting-edge unmanned aerial platforms and miniaturized sensor technologies for defense and commercial use. Currently seeking a highly skilled and experienced Sr/Principal UAS GNC Engineer to lead full lifecycle development of a small unmanned electric aircraft with a multidisciplinary team from concept through delivery.
The Company
- Founded by individuals with deep operational field experience, this agile engineering organization designs and builds advanced unmanned systems and next-gen sensor platforms for mission-critical applications.
- The team combines technical depth with a strong sense of mission, delivering practical solutions for users working in complex, real-world environments.
- Seeking a Sr/Principal UAS GNC Engineer to drive flight control system development and integration on cutting-edge small unmanned aircraft.
The Compensation
- $150K - $200K Competitive Annual Base Salary Plus Stock Option Package and Bonus Plan Commensurate with Experience
The Location
- Fully onsite role based in the Paradise Valley, AZ area
- The Benefits
- Comprehensive Medical Coverage (2 PPO & 1 PPO/Health Savings Account Options)
- Preventative Care Services Covered at No Cost
- Dental PPO Plan Options
- Vision Plan Options
- Voluntary Life & AD&D Insurance
- Short & Long-Term Plans
- Exclusive Employee Discount Program through BenefitHub
- Clever Rx Prescription Discount Program
The Role
- Lead adaptation and development of onboard flight control systems for small unmanned aerial vehicles.
- Collaborate with aerospace, mechanical, electrical, and software engineers to translate system-level functionality into software requirements.
- Partner with aircraft designers to size and spatially configure control actuators, defining and experimentally validating control authority requirements.
- Architect, implement, optimize, and tune vehicle and component control loops and state estimation algorithms.
- Work with software and aerospace teams to build and run 6-DOF simulation models and software-in-the-loop testing environments.
- Help scope and schedule project tasks alongside management.
- Develop accurate vehicle and component-level physics models.
- Research, evaluate, and source sensors and computational hardware components.
- Advance GPS-denied and visual-inertial odometry (VIO) integration within vehicle navigation systems.
The Background Profile
- U.S. Citizenship required
- Bachelors Degree in relevant Engineering discipline; Masters Degree a plus
- 5-10+ years of GNC experience developing embedded systems software
- Comprehensive end-to-end embedded systems development expertise
- Hands-on experience across electrical, embedded software, and avionics disciplines
- Proficient in state estimation algorithms, control loop design, and tuning
- Skilled in embedded programming, particularly C/C++, with familiarity in Python and C#
- Strong knowledge of avionics hardware and debugging tools, including wiring diagrams and oscilloscopes
- Experience with physics-based actuator and vehicle modeling
- Familiarity with Ardupilot, PX4 codebases, and compatible hardware
- Ability to work onsite full-time at the Paradise Valley, AZ facility
The Ideal Background
- Innovative, hands-on, and highly practical in approach
- Multidisciplinary problem solver driven by rigorous engineering analysis
- Goal-oriented, learns from mistakes, and ensures a complete design process
- Strategic, balancing scope and effort effectively
- Highly skilled in clear communication through both discussion and documentation
- Collaborative and thrives in teamwork to develop plans and solve complex problems