2026 Associate Guidance Navigation Control Engineer/Guidance Navigation Control Engineer - Dulles VA (AHT)

About the Role

Northrop Grumman's Space Division is seeking motivated GNC (Guidance, Navigation, and Control) Engineers to design, build, and test spacecraft subsystems for DoD, NASA, and commercial customers. The team specializes in innovative solutions for space-based autonomous rendezvous and docking, as well as rapid design and production of small satellites. This role involves working on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives worldwide.

Responsibilities

• Design, analyze, and tune spacecraft attitude and position control loops using time and frequency domain techniques
• Design, analyze, and tune sequential filters (e.g. Kalman filters) for attitude determination and relative navigation
• Design, develop, test and verify flight algorithms for the GNC subsystem and support flight software qualification testing
• Analyze and test the spacecraft GNC subsystem performance using simulations and other analytic tools
• Perform analysis to support early design phase concept development including actuator sizing and placement, sensor selection and placement, attitude and position guidance, rendezvous, proximity operations and docking analyses, and predicted performance assessments
• Develop simulation models for sensors (e.g. star tracker, rate gyro, accelerometer, GPS, magnetometer, sun sensors, visible and IR spectrum cameras, LIDAR), actuators (e.g. reaction wheel, torque bar, thruster, CMG), system dynamics (e.g. rigid body, multi-body, orbit mechanics, flexible models, propellant slosh), and the space environment (e.g. atmospheric, solar radiation pressure, third-body gravity, geopotential)
• Apply engineering principles, industry standards, company process, and knowledge of vehicle dynamics, aerodynamics, propulsion, classical/modern control, and estimation theory to perform tasks to advanced program/project goals
• Document designs, analysis, and test results and create presentation materials
• Present designs, analysis, and test results to internal and external customers
• Work well within small- to medium-sized groups

Basic Qualifications for Associate GNC Engineer

• Completing or has completed a Bachelor's Degree from an accredited institution
• Majoring in or having majored in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance (U.S. citizenship is a pre-requisite)

Basic Qualifications for GNC Engineer

• Completing or has completed a Master's Degree from an accredited institution
• Majoring in or having majored in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance (U.S. citizenship is a pre-requisite)

Preferred Qualifications

• Overall cumulative GPA of 3.4 out of 4.0 or higher
• Proficiency in MATLAB/Simulink and C/C++
• Experience in spacecraft GNC subsystem design, analysis, and testing
• Experience implementing GNC algorithms on embedded systems
• Prior work experience in a related field
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite, version control tools such as SVN or Git
• Experience with Model Based Systems Engineering, digital transformation tools such as the Atlassian suite
• Previous/current membership or leadership roles in professional groups, clubs, or extracurricular activities
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities

Pay

• Associate Engineer: $76,200.00 - $114,400.00
• Engineer: $91,800.00 - $137,600.00

Schedule & Travel

Travel: Yes, 10% of the Time

Benefits

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. 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.