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Principal / Sr. Principal GNC Autopilot / Guidance Engineer

Northrop Grumman
AZCH02, United States, United Statesfull_timeVerifiedPosted 17 Sept 2025
💰 $178,000/yr($95,300/yr$178,000/yr)

About the role

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available

CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret

TRAVEL: Yes, 10% of the Time

Description

At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's 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 nation's 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, they're making history.

Embark on a career putting innovative, reliable, and agile products and ideas into orbit, and beyond. Northrop Grumman has opportunities waiting for you that play a vital role in human space exploration, national defense, and scientific discovery, supporting multiple programs across the universe. With us, you’ll discover a culture of curiosity and collaboration that will have you Defining Possible from the day you start. Our space systems connect and protect millions of people on earth every day, now and for the future. Explore your future and launch your career today.

Autopilot / Guidance Engineer

The Principal Engineer / Sr. Principal Engineer will design, develop, implement, verify, and test high-quality software and simulation toolchains. The candidate will be working on a 6 degree of freedom (6DOF) simulation to design and test missile flight code. The applicant will be creating and implementing 6DoF simulation models to evaluate system performance.  The candidate should have extensive experience with missile flight dynamics, autopilot and guidance design and implementation into the missile flight code. The candidate should have a strong background in autopilot design/development and be able to mentor early career engineers.

This position may be offered at the Principal Engineer GNC Level 3 or Sr. Principal Engineer GNC Level 4.

Principal Engineer GNC Level 3 - 5 Years with Bachelors in Science; 3 Years with Masters; 1 Year with PhD

Basic Qualifications:

  • Experience designing, tuning, implementing, and testing guidance algorithms and autopilot parameters for guided missiles and/or interceptors.
  • Previous experience in designing, implementing, and testing missile autopilot systems. Including exposure to multiple control system schemes for guided missiles and linear stability analysis.
  • Strong understanding of missile control systems, including classical and modern control theory.
  • Proficiency in creating and maintaining analysis tools in C++, MATLAB and Python
  • Proficiency in C++ development in a Linux environment
  • Proficiency in MATLAB and Python toolchains
  • Must have current and active Secret Clearance at time of application
  • Travel 10% of the time

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Experience working with GNC algorithms for hypersonic missiles
  • Experience with AEGIS weapon system
  • Experience with IR discrimination and tracking
  • Familiarity with state estimation and state propagation techniques

Sr. Principal Engineer GNC Level 4. 8 Years with Bachelors in Science; 6 Years with Masters; 4 Years with PhD

Basic Qualifications:

  • Experience designing, tuning, implementing, and testing guidance algorithms and autopilot parameters for guided missiles and/or interceptors.
  • Previous experience in designing, implementing, and testing missile autopilot systems. Including exposure to multiple control system schemes for guided missiles and linear stability analysis.
  • Strong understanding of missile control systems, including classical and modern control theory.
  • Proficiency in creating and maintaining analysis tools in C++, MATLAB and Python
  • Proficiency in C++ development in a Linux environment
  • Proficiency in MATLAB and Python toolchains
  • Must have current and active Secret Clearance at time of application
  • Travel 10% of the time

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Experience working with GNC algorithms for hypersonic missiles
  • Experience with AEGIS weapon system
  • Experience with IR discrimination and tracking
  • Familiarity with state estimation and state propagation techniques

Primary Level Salary Range: $95,300.00 - $142,900.00

Secondary Leve

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Company

Northrop Grumman

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