Principal GNC Engineer - Autonomy Algorithm Developer

About this role

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: No

CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret

TRAVEL: Yes, 25% of the Time Description

At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work — and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history.

Northrop Grumman’s Aeronautics Systems – Research & Advanced Design (R&AD) transforms breakthrough ideas into mission-ready capabilities through intelligent anticipation. We’re the front-end design engine, defining what comes next. From developing cutting-edge next-generation future aircraft to trailblazing collaborative autonomous platforms, we push the boundaries of technology and forge industry-leading partnerships that set new standards for what’s possible.

Our team owns the full lifecycle of advanced concept creation, from visionary early-stage designs and rapid prototyping to high-impact demonstrations and solving the toughest technical challenges in survivability, autonomy, and battle management. We seek curious, adaptable people who thrive on turning intuition into breakthrough solutions. If you’re driven to invent the future, build what’s next, and shape the landscape of national security, this is where you belong.

Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems has an opening for a Principal GNC Engineer - Autonomy Algorithm Developer to join our team of qualified individuals within our South Bay Vehicle Engineering organization.  This position is located at El Segundo, CA.

The selected candidate should thrive in a fast-paced work environment with high expectations and collaborative/team settings across all levels. This is a dynamic organization involved in deploying forward-leaning avionics, guidance, navigation, and control systems for developmental concepts for air vehicles, weapons, and many more platforms.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities: • Support research and development of flight control algorithms for manned and unmanned air vehicles. • Design, develop, implement, verify, and test algorithms, software, and simulation tools to perform guidance, navigation and control (GNC) of autonomous unmanned aircraft. • Develop control laws both on ground and in flight. • Design outer and inner loop control laws, and associated logic and autonomy functions, with a focus on outer loop. • Develop air vehicle system linear and non-linear dynamic simulation models and integrate models into software and hardware-in-the-loop simulation environments. • Support non-linear simulation and hardware-in-the-loop lab testing. • Support flight test activities and analyze air vehicle flight test data. • Develop analysis to support design reviews at different stages in a development program, such as PDR, CDR, etc.

Basic Qualifications: • Bachelor's degree in a relevant Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) discipline with 5 years of related experience; OR Master’s degree in a relevant STEM discipline with 3 years of related experience; OR a PhD in a relevant STEM discipline with 1 year of related 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 autopilot functions. • Working knowledge of outer loop control law performance requirements. • Experience using MATLAB to create, process, analyze, and visually represent data. • Experience using Simulink to model dynamic systems. • Must have the ability to obtain and maintain a US Government Secret clearance and Special Access Program (SAP) within a reasonable amount of time as determined by business needs

Preferred Qualifications: • Current active in-scope US Government Secret security clearance or higher, with the ability to obtain Special Program Access (SAP). • Knowledgeable in flight sciences, outer loop control algorithms, optimal trajectory generation techniques (e.g. RRT, A-star) and air vehicle missions (e.g. shipboard operations, search) • Familiarity with C/C++ programming. • Familiarity with Python programming. • Familiarity with Java programming. • Experience with autonomy algorithms (Autonomous Taxi/ Take Off and Landing, etc.) for driving control laws. • Familiarity with Simulink Stateflow Modeling

Primary Level Salary Range: $114,000.00 - $171,000.00

The above salary range represents a general guideline; however, Northrop Grumman considers a number of factors when determining base salary offers such as the scope and responsibilities of the position and the candidate's experience, education, skills and current market conditions.

Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Annual bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results. Employees in Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives. In addition, Northrop Grumman provides a variety of benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, Company paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business.

The application period for the job is estimated to be 20 days from the job posti

Similar jobs

• Principal Engineer, Autonomy — Aerovect · South San Francisco - Hybrid
• Engineer / Principal Engineer Software - Autonomy — Northrop Grumman · United States-California-Redondo Beach
• Engineering Manager - Autonomy — Skydio · Remote
• Staff Engineer, AI Autonomy — Archer56 · San Jose, California, United States
• Senior Software Engineer, Autonomy Simulation & Validation — Flyzipline · South San Francisco, California, USA
• Senior Software Engineer, Onboard Autonomy — Nuro · Mountain View, California (HQ)
• Applications Engineer, Autonomy (open level) — Shieldai · San Diego, California
• Technical Lead Software Engineer - Autonomy Mission Systems — Applied · Ann Arbor