Flight Sciences Engineer – Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) Onsite - Relocation Assistance Available

About Us

At Insitu (a Boeing company), we’re passionate about advancing the state of the art in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). As a global leader in small UAS design and development, we operate in a fast-paced environment where innovation, collaboration, and a commitment to customer success drive our work. Our Flight Sciences team supports a diverse portfolio of Group 2 and Group 3 UAS, delivering cutting-edge solutions for defense, commercial, and civil aviation applications. Located in the stunning Columbia Gorge, on the border between Washington and Oregon, our team thrives in a natural playground perfect for outdoor enthusiasts.

About You

We’re looking for an innovative and detail-oriented engineer with a passion for unmanned systems and a solid foundation in aerospace principles. In addition to being technically skilled, you are a collaborative and proactive problem solver, able to balance competing priorities and communicate effectively in a team environment. You are eager to contribute to and learn from a dynamic team developing industry-leading autonomous flight technologies.

Responsibilities

• Support the design and analysis of enhancements for Group 2 and Group 3 UAS and their derivatives, contributing to optimized aerodynamics, flight performance, and safety, under the guidance of senior engineers.
• Assist in developing and refining flight control, guidance, and navigation algorithms for UAS, including those supporting autonomous flight and new flight modes.
• Contribute to building, validating, and maintaining mathematical models, simulations, and analyses tools used in standalone, Software-In-The-Loop (SIL), and Hardware-In-The-Loop (HIL) simulations.
• Help investigate and mitigate mishaps and failure modes through telemetry analysis, support root cause investigation, and Monte Carlo simulations.
• Support updates and customization of autopilot and simulation software to enable product enhancements and maintain alignment with control system design best practices.
• Collaborate closely with our autopilot supplier to address system integration challenges, improve performance, and design for product effectiveness.
• Stay informed about relevant regulatory trends in unmanned airspace operations and apply that knowledge, with mentoring, to design and analysis tasks.
• Support flight test planning, execution, and data analysis for hardware, software, and systems integration activities.
• Work with engineering, operations, and project management to deliver solutions that meet system performance goals, contributing to a safety-focused, collaborative, and innovative engineering culture.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace / Mechanical Engineering, or a related field, with an emphasis on aerodynamics, flight dynamics, and control systems.
• Bachelor’s degree with 3-5 years of relevant industry experience, or Master’s degree with 2+ years of experience preferred.
• Understanding of controls, navigation, and guidance methods as applied to air vehicle flight dynamics.
• Proficiency in MATLAB/Simulink for developing and validating models for standalone, SIL, and HIL simulations.
• Exposure to digital-discrete time control laws for air vehicles.
• Demonstrated problem-solving skills, with a track record of developing effective solutions.
• Foundational knowledge of air vehicle performance and design trade-offs, including vehicle layout, propulsion requirements, and stability and control analyses.
• Proficiency in at least one programming language such as C++, with familiarity in implementing and integrating control systems in software environments.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, as well as the ability to work collaboratively within a multi-disciplinary engineering team.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with U.S. airspace regulations and operational environments for unmanned systems, including FAA Part 107 guidelines.
• Knowledge of GPS/INS systems and autopilot requirements and their integration into complete air vehicle systems.
• Experience with numerical programming, Python, Matlab/Simulink, C#, and GIT version control systems.
• Background in unmanned aircraft or drone operations, with consideration given to candidates holding a pilot’s license or drone operator’s license.
• Understanding of unmanned aircraft data links and their operational considerations.

Schedule

• This position is eligible for hybrid work, with a preference for on-site 1-3 days weekly.
• 9/80 work schedule and flexible work model available.

This position needs to be within commutable distance from Bingen, WA.

Benefits

• Competitive base pay and variable compensation opportunities.
• Health insurance, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts.
• Retirement savings plans, life and disability programs.
• Paid and unpaid time away from work.
• Relocation assistance available for this position.

Pay

Typical hiring range: $88,000.00 - $121,000.00, based on candidate experience, qualifications, and work location.