Guidance, Navigation & Control (GNC) Engineer

PGS Worldwide is seeking a Secret-Cleared Guidance, Navigation & Control (GNC) Engineer in Redondo Beach, California for a one-year onsite contract-to-hire role supporting a leading aerospace & defense company. This position will support spacecraft guidance, navigation, and control development through algorithm design, modeling and simulation, verification and validation, and on-console operational support.

Required Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related engineering discipline with 8+ years of relevant experience; master's degree with 6+ years; or PhD with 4+ years.
• Active DoD Secret clearance required.
• U.S. citizenship required.
• Experience using MATLAB/Simulink and/or C/C++ for guidance, navigation, and control applications.
• Experience designing and implementing attitude-control and/or state-estimation algorithms.
• Experience with actuator and sensor sizing and selection.
• Experience modeling, simulating, verifying, and validating 3-DOF and/or 6-DOF GNC systems.
• Strong understanding of spacecraft kinematics, dynamics, and control-system analysis.
• Experience developing or implementing guidance, navigation, and control algorithms and software.
• Ability to analyze complex spacecraft or vehicle dynamic behavior.
• Strong technical problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Ability to work effectively with multidisciplinary engineering teams.

Preferred Skills

• Experience with early-stage or clean-sheet spacecraft design.
• Experience with software-in-the-loop and hardware-in-the-loop testing.
• Experience supporting satellite integration and test activities.
• Experience with on-orbit spacecraft operations.
• Experience leading a small team of GNC engineers.
• Experience collaborating with subsystem engineers and program leadership.
• Active Top Secret/SCI clearance.

What You'll Do

• Design, develop, implement, verify, and test GNC algorithms and software.
• Develop and use simulation tools supporting spacecraft guidance, navigation, and control.
• Perform modeling and simulation of spacecraft dynamics and control behavior.
• Develop attitude-control and state-estimation algorithms.
• Analyze spacecraft kinematics, dynamics, sensors, actuators, and control laws.
• Support development of hardware and software requirements for GNC systems.
• Perform 3-DOF and 6-DOF modeling and simulation.
• Support software- and hardware-in-the-loop testing.
• Participate in spacecraft integration, verification, and validation activities.
• Support system activation and operational events from the console.
• Work with multidisciplinary engineering teams to resolve GNC and system-level technical issues.
• Support analysis and troubleshooting during spacecraft test and operational activities.

Work Schedule / Shift

• Approximately 30 hours per week.
• Full-time onsite presence required in Redondo Beach, California.
• On-console activation support may occasionally require 12-hour shifts.
• Overnight and weekend support may occasionally be required.

Pay

• $95.18 per hour.
• Target experience level: BS + 8 years, MS + 6 years, or PhD + 4 years.

Job ID: 1972

Military veterans and transitioning military members are encouraged to apply to all PGS Worldwide positions. All of our jobs are military-friendly, and we work with leaders in Aerospace who rely on your military expertise to support mission-critical programs nationwide. As a Veteran Founded company, we know that the military has given you the skills and training you need to succeed in positions like this, and we want to support your success in the civilian sector however we can. We thank you for your service and humbly offer our own in return by helping you take your career to the next level.