Staff Engineer – Guidance Navigation and Control, GNC

Northrop Grumman

. Lead, design, develop, implement, verify, and test algorithms, software, and simulation tools to perform guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) of autonomous unmanned aircraft.

Posted 4/29/2026full-timeEl Segundo • California • 🇺🇸 United StatesLead💰 $177,000 - $265,600 per yearWebsite

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

Python

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Lead, design, develop, implement, verify, and test algorithms, software, and simulation tools to perform guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) of autonomous unmanned aircraft.
Lead control law development to meet air vehicle performance, flying qualities, and stability margin requirements both on ground and in flight.
Design outer and inner loop control laws and associated logic and autonomy functions.
Develop air vehicle system linear and non-linear dynamic simulation models and integrate models into software and hardware-in-the-loop simulation environments.
Execute performance and flying qualities analysis.
Support non-linear simulation and hardware-in-the-loop lab testing.
Support flight test activities and analyze air vehicle flight test data.

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor's degree in a relevant STEM discipline with 12 years of related engineering experience; OR a Master’s degree in a relevant STEM discipline with 10 years of related engineering experience; OR a PhD in a relevant STEM discipline with 8 years of related engineering experience.
Working knowledge of fixed-wing aircraft flight dynamics.
Experience using linear control principles and tools to design feedback control systems.
Experience analyzing non-linear simulations of aircraft closed-loop dynamics.
Working knowledge of outer/inner loop control law performance requirements.
Experience using MATLAB to create, process, analyze, and visually represent data.
Experience using Simulink to model dynamic systems.
Experience using Simulink Stateflow Modeling.
Experience designing autopilot functions.
Experience with logic, modes, and states for autonomous aircraft.
Experience with Python and/or C/C++ programming.
Ability and willingness to travel up to 15% of the time.
Must have an active US Government Secret (or higher) clearance with a background investigation within the past 6 years or enrolled into Continuous Education.
Must have the ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) clearance.

Benefits

Comp & perks

Health insurance coverage
Life and disability insurance
Savings plan
Company paid holidays
Paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business

ATS Keywords

✓ Tailor your resume

Applicant Tracking System Keywords

Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.

Hard Skills & Tools

algorithm developmentcontrol law developmentdynamic simulation modelingperformance analysisnon-linear simulationfeedback control systemsautopilot designMATLABSimulinkPython

Soft Skills

leadershipanalytical skillsproblem-solvingcommunicationteam collaboration

Certifications

Bachelor's degreeMaster's degreePhDUS Government Secret clearanceSpecial Access Program clearance