GNC Engineer - UAV Navigation

Introduction

We're currently hiring for a Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) Engineer role with a focus on navigation systems for UAVs. This is a full-time position based in El Segundo, CA, working on cutting-edge autonomous heavy-lift drone technology.

Responsibilities

• Developing and implementing navigation algorithms
• Supporting flight testing
• Optimizing system performance through sensor fusion and state estimation

Requirements

Required Skills:

• Navigation systems engineering (UAV / aerospace)
• Sensor fusion
• State estimation
• Kalman Filters (EKF, UKF)
• INS / GNSS integration
• RTK-GNSS
• GPS accuracy analysis
• Error modeling
• Covariance tuning
• Sensor calibration
• Bias estimation

Preferred Skills:

• Kalman filtering
• C++/Python
• Embedded systems

Important Note: The GNC role is urgent, with a focus on navigation rather than guidance or control. The ideal candidate should have experience in aerospace, particularly in navigation, and be able to handle sensor fusion and state estimation. The role requires programming skills in C++ and knowledge of PX4. The team is looking for a mid to senior-level candidate with at least three years of experience in aerospace navigation.

Technical Challenges in Navigation: The company faces challenges with navigation, particularly in sensor accuracy and state estimation. The role involves checking the pipeline for tuning and structural changes. The navigation system is mature, rated 7-8 out of 10, but requires optimization. The candidate will need to address issues with GPS, lidar, and barometer accuracy, especially in different locations like Hawaii and California.