Senior Guidance Navigation and Control (GNC) Engineer, Air Dominance & Strike - Advanced Effects
Andurilindustries
·Jan 15, 2026
- Salary
- $191k – $253k
- Location
- Costa Mesa, California, United States
- Department
- Air Dominance & Strike : Air Dominance & Strike Vehicle Software : Guidance, Navigation & Control (GNC)
- Seniority
- Senior
- Education
- PhD
- Clearance
- Required
- Source
- Greenhouse
Description
Anduril Industries is a defense technology company with a mission to transform U.S. and allied military capabilities with advanced technology. By bringing the expertise, technology, and business model of the 21st century’s most innovative companies to the defense industry, Anduril is changing how military systems are designed, built and sold. Anduril’s family of systems is powered by Lattice OS, an AI-powered operating system that turns thousands of data streams into a realtime, 3D command and control center. As the world enters an era of strategic competition, Anduril is committed to bringing cutting-edge autonomy, AI, computer vision, sensor fusion, and networking technology to the military in months, not years.
Join our Flight Engineering team advancing the Air Dominance and Strike division's portfolio, where we push the boundaries of aerospace technology. As a critical member of our team, the role of a Guidance, Navigation & Control (GNC) Engineer is pivotal in driving the design, development, testing, and implementation of cutting-edge flight system technologies for our aerospace systems. Anduril fosters a dynamic learning culture, characterized by accelerated knowledge acquisition through modeling, simulation, analysis, and rigorous and frequent ground and flight test experimentation. At Anduril, you will be involved in flight testing the systems you develop.
We are seeking exceptional GNC Engineers to shape the next generation of advanced tactical missile systems, strategic weapons, and hypersonic strike and defense systems. As a key contributor, you will develop, test, and integrate cutting-edge GNC architectures for subsonic, supersonic, and hypersonic autonomous systems, driving innovation in mission-critical capabilities.
WHAT YOU'LL DO:
- Develop, implement, and test algorithms for guidance, navigation, and control systems in line with project requirements.
- Design, implement, and assess the GNC architectures considering all elements, including sensors, actuators, and algorithms.
- Participate in all phases of system development, from concept to design, prototyping, testing, and operation.
- Collaborate closely with a multidisciplinary team including systems engineers, flight software engineers, and test engineers to ensure system-wide integration and performance.
- Contribute to design reviews, safety assessments, and system documentation.
- Use simulation and analysis tools to verify GNC models and system performance under different operating conditions.
- Provide system engineering expertise in the development of GNC systems, ensuring a cohesive and efficient approach to the design and implementation process.
- Troubleshoot and resolve issues related to GNC systems during design, testing, and operational phases.
- Keep updated with the latest technologies and trends in GNC engineering and system architecture design.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- BS in Robotics, Computer Science, Electrical, Mechanical, Mechatronics, Aerospace Engineering or related field with focus on dynamics and control
- A strong theoretical knowledge of flight mechanics, classical and modern control theory, estimation, and filtering techniques.
- Experience with developing GNC solutions for flight systems
- Proficiency with GNC simulation tools like MATLAB, Simulink and related toolboxes
- Familiarization with 6-DOF simulations
- Must be eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. Top Secret clearance
Guidance, Navigation & Control (GNC) Engineer
- 3 or more years of experience in Guidance, Navigation & Control engineering or related technical experience
Senior Guidance, Navigation & Control (GNC) Engineer
- 8 or more years of experience in Guidance, Navigation & Control engineering or related technical experience
Staff Guidance, Navigation & Control (GNC) Engineer
- 12 or more years of experience in Guidance, Navigation & Control engineering or related technical experience
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- A MS or Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field is a plus
- Strong understanding of flight mechanics and related physics.
- Practical experience developing GNC designs for high speed flight systems and re-entry vehicles.
- Practical experience with Explicit Model Following, Dynamic Inversion, and Adaptive Control techniques.
- Extensive experience in GNC system and architecture development and testing, preferably in the aerospace industry.
- Experience generating C or C++ code from Simulink models.
- Experience writing code in C/C++
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Ability to work independently and in a team-oriented, collaborative environment.
- Familiarity with agile and Lean product development methodologies such as Scrum.
- Experience using Jira, Git, GitHub, or GitLab
- Understanding of and compliance with industry, safety, and quality standards appropriate for the application
- Passion for defending the United States and its allies
- Current Active U.S. Top Secret clearance preferred
The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary offer may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are included in the majority of full time offers; and are considered part of Anduril's total compensation package. Additionally, Anduril offers top-tier benefits for full-time employees, including:
Healthcare Benefits
- US Roles: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans at little to no cost to you.
- UK & AUS Roles: We cover full cost of medical insurance premiums for you and your dependents.
- IE Roles: We offer an annual contribution toward your private health insurance for you and your dependents.
Additional Benefits
- Income Protection: Anduril covers life and disability insurance for all employees.
- Generous time off: Highly competitive PTO plans with a holiday hiatus in December. Caregiver & Wellness Leave is available to care for family members, bond with a new baby, or address your own medical needs.
- Family Planning & Parenting Support: Coverage for fertility treatments (e.g., IVF, preservation), adoption, and gestational carriers, along with resources to support you and your partner from planning to parenting.
- Mental Health Resources: Access free mental health resources 24/7, including therapy and life coaching. Additional work-life services, such as legal and financial support, are also available.
- Professional Development: Annual reimbursement for professional development
- Commuter Benefits: Company-funded commuter benefits based on your region.
- Relocation Assistance: Available depending on role eligibility.
Retirement Savings Plan
- US Roles: Traditional 401(k), Roth, and after-tax (mega backdoor Roth) options.
- UK & IE Roles: Pension plan with employer match.
- AUS Roles: Superannuation plan.
The recruiter assigned to this role can share more information about the specific compensation and benefit details associated with this role during the hiring process.
To view Anduril's candidate data privacy policy, please visit https://anduril.com/applicant-privacy-notice/.