Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) Engineer

At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact peoples lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nations history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, theyre making history.

Northrop Grumman is currently seeking an experienced Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) Engineer level 3 or 4 to provide support to our Armament Systems Business Unit located in Plymouth, MN. This position will be 100% on site. Relocation may be available but not guaranteed.

Duties and Responsibilities

Designs, develops, implements, verifies and tests algorithms and software and simulation tools to perform guidance, navigation and control of aircraft, submersibles, surface ships, missiles, munitions, and launch vehicles. Navigation functions include the statistical processing of measured data points and their substitution into algorithms simulating physical reality. Guidance functions include the formulation of specific equations to achieve a desired position, velocity and orientation of various platforms. Control design and analyses processes consist of the development of control laws and hardware and software requirements for weapon platforms.

• Design, analyze, and tune attitude and position control loops using time and frequency domain techniques
• Design, analyze, and tune sequential filters (e.g. Kalman filters) for position, velocity and attitude determination and relative navigation
• Design, develop, test and verify flight algorithms for the GNC subsystem and support flight software qualification testing
• 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 predicted performance assessments
• Develop simulation models for sensors (e.g., rate gyro, accelerometer, GPS, magnetometer, sun sensors, cameras), system dynamics (e.g. rigid body, multi-body, orbit mechanics, flexible models), and atmospheric environment
• Communication is a key element of your role and all GNC engineers are expected to:
• 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

Specific Technical Skills

• Using first principles to develop math models of physical systems
• Classical methods for analysis and synthesis of control algorithms
• Modern (state space) methods for analysis and synthesis of control algorithms
• Optimal control techniques
• Working experience with guidance algorithms
• Proficiency with MATLAB/Simulink software tools and related toolboxes
• Implementation of control/navigation algorithms in a real hardware application system
• Test performance predictions and test data reconciliation
• Model reduction techniques
• Hardware, field test and Defense/Aerospace domain experience is a plus

Please note this position may be filled as a level 3 or level 4 GNC Engineer based on the candidates education and/or years of experience.

Basic Qualifications GNC Engineer level 3

• Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Aerospace, Systems Engineering or a closely related field plus 5 years of relevant experience. Or, Master of Science degree in engineering discipline or closely related field of study plus 3 years of relevant experience. Or, Ph.D. in engineering discipline or closely related field of study.
• Experience in model development, requirements definition, GNC algorithm analysis and synthesis and familiarity with both modern and classical control design techniques. Minimum years experience depends on education level
• U.S. Citizenship
• Ability to obtain a DoD Secret Security Clearance.

Basic Qualifications GNC Engineer level 4

• Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Aerospace, Systems Engineering or a closely related field plus 8 years of relevant experience. Or, Master of Science degree in engineering discipline or closely related field of study plus 6 years of relevant experience. Or, Ph.D. in engineering discipline or closely related field of study plus 4 years of relevant experience.
• Experience in model development, requirements definition, GNC algorithm analysis and synthesis and familiarity with both modern and classical control design techniques. Minimum years experience depends on education level
• U.S. Citizenship
• Ability to obtain a DoD Secret Security Clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• TS/SCI clearance
• Proficiency in MATLAB/Simulink
• Established history of quality documentation.
• Experience in GNC subsystem design, analysis, and testing
• Experience implementing GNC algorithms on embedded systems
• Proficiency in Microsoft office suite, version control tools such as SVN or Git
• Experience with Model Based Systems engineering
• Excellent analytical and problem solving abilities