GNC Aerospace Engineer

Location: Dahlgren, VA

Full-time, day shift with up to 10% travel. Must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance; US citizenship required. Current active Secret clearance preferred.

About the role

SAIC is seeking a GNC Aerospace Engineer to develop, implement, and refine guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) algorithms for weapon systems.

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and refine GNC algorithms for guidance laws, control loops, navigation filters, and state estimation
• Support weapon system modeling and simulation, including 6 DOF (six degrees of freedom) simulation environments and subsystem integration
• Perform trajectory analysis, mission performance evaluations, and control system stability assessments
• Develop navigation solutions integrating IMUs, GPS, INS, seekers, and other sensor modalities
• Conduct Monte Carlo analysis, uncertainty modeling, and system performance sensitivity studies
• Implement GNC prototypes in MATLAB/Simulink, Python, C/C++, or equivalent simulation frameworks
• Analyze telemetry, flight test data, and HWIL/SIL outputs to validate system performance
• Support requirements decomposition, interface definition, and subsystem integration with E20 system engineering teams
• Document models, test results, algorithm behavior, and performance in technical reports and presentations
• Participate in technical reviews, design sessions, and engineering working groups with government and contractor personnel

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or related discipline (Master’s preferred)
• 4+ years experience in GNC engineering, missile guidance, flight controls, or related system modeling
• Proficiency in MATLAB/Simulink and at least one programming language (Python or C/C++)
• Experience with guidance algorithms (proportional navigation, pursuit guidance, optimal guidance, intercept geometry), navigation & estimation, Kalman filtering (EKF/UKF), inertial navigation, GPS/INS integration, sensor fusion, control engineering, PID, LQR, state space control, autopilot design, stability & robustness analysis
• Familiarity with 6 DOF modeling and M&S (Modeling & Simulation) tools
• Ability to work with E20 technical SMEs to develop or refine analytical tools, performance models, or algorithmic improvements

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with hardware in the loop (HWIL) or software in the loop (SIL) environments
• Experience supporting missile systems, unmanned systems, or weapons/flight dynamics programs
• Experience supporting NSWCDD, NAVSEA, or other DoD weapons engineering divisions
• Experience with aerospace flight test data analysis or guidance law verification
• Knowledge of seeker modeling, sensor suite integration, or autopilot tuning

Physical Demands

• Must be able to lift up to 25 pounds
• Must be able to stand and walk for prolonged amounts of time
• Must be able to twist, bend and squat periodically

Pay

Target salary range: $120,001 – $160,000, based on experience.