Senior Guidance Navigation and Control Engineer

Job Summary

General Atomics (GA), and its affiliated companies, is one of the world’s leading resources for high-technology systems development ranging from the nuclear fuel cycle to remotely piloted aircraft, airborne sensors, and advanced electric, electronic, wireless and laser technologies. General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) is a supplier of advanced electromagnetic systems, related power equipment and other high technology products for a variety of government and commercial applications. These include products such as the design and fabrication of linear motors, superconducting and conventional rotating motors, power inverters, high-energy capacitors, radiation monitoring systems, high-voltage direct current power distribution systems, and numerous other products. We have an exciting opportunity in our Aerospace Systems Engineering Directorate. This full-time position for a Senior Guidance, Navigation and Control engineer will be located at our Huntsville, AL office in Cummings Research Park.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Develops guidance, navigation and/or control algorithms and implements them in C/C++ and FORTRAN based six degree-of-freedom flight simulations.
• Supports development of precision munitions such as guided missiles, gun-launched projectiles, and hypersonic weapon systems.
• Analyzes simulation, ground test, and flight test data in support of simulation model validation and algorithm improvements.
• Leads and mentors teams of Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC) engineers on complex development efforts.
• Supports simulation development and documentation using GA-EMS guidelines and best industry practices.
• Develops and presents briefing materials for design reviews.
• Supports peer reviews of GNC algorithms, simulation models, analysis tools, and other software modules as required.
• Facilitates rapid resolution of delays that impact simulation and analysis tasks including real-time, thorough communication with task leads, program management and other leadership is required.
• Collaborates daily with GA and customer engineering and program management teams.
• Supports development of GNC related data deliverables.
• Supports concept development activities and creation of proposals and technical white papers.
• Performs other duties as required.

Qualifications

• Typically requires a bachelors degree, masters degree or PhD in engineering or a related technical discipline from an accredited institution and progressive engineering experience as follows; twelve or more years of experience with a bachelors degree, ten or more years of experience with a masters degree, or seven or more years with a PhD.
• May substitute equivalent engineering experience in lieu of education.
• Must have a thorough understanding of guidance, navigation, and control concepts and principles for all phases of flight.
• Prior experience with developing and using high fidelity flight simulations of missiles, projectiles or hypersonic vehicles is required.
• Must have strong skills in C and C++ code development as well as version control processes using Git. Experience with FORTRAN is desired also.
• Must demonstrate strong GNC performance analysis capability using tools such as Matlab or Python.
• Must possess the ability to develop and communicate new concepts; apply them accurately throughout an evolving environment; organize, schedule, and coordinate work phases; and, determine the appropriate approach at the task level or, with assistance, at the project level to provide solutions to a range of complex problems.
• Must have strong communication, computer, documentation, presentation, and interpersonal skills, ability to work independently and as part of a team; able to perform complex tasks in one or more engineering areas.
• Must have an active Department of Defense (DoD) Secret level security clearance (or equivalent DOE security clearance), with the ability to upgrade to Top Secret if required.
• Able to work extended hours as required.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience with implementing and testing autonomy, collaborative engagement, artificial intelligence, and machine learning algorithms is highly desired.
• Experience with developing GN&C solutions for subsonic and supersonic cruise missiles is highly desired.
• Experience with modeling of missile control system actuators and guidance and/or navigations sensors is highly desired.
• Experience with signal processing is highly desired.
• Experience with developing algorithms and software for electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) or radio frequency (RF) terminal seekers, and associated simulation models to predict seeker performance, is desired.