Senior GNC Engineer - Air Platform / Missile Systems (Aerospace)

Location: Onsite at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, DC; US citizenship required

Salary: $130,000–$185,000 per year, depending on experience and location; eligible for an annual performance bonus and possible equity or incentive compensation.

Company

hirify.global provides aerospace and defense engineering solutions for missile and advanced air-platform systems.

What you will do

• Lead the design, development, and tuning of guidance laws, flight-control algorithms, and navigation filters.
• Develop and maintain high-fidelity 6-DOF time-domain simulations for system-performance analysis, mission-effectiveness evaluation, and requirements allocation.
• Integrate GPS/INS navigation solutions, seeker measurements, sensor fusion, and denied-environment navigation techniques.
• Support system and mission-level requirements, Technical Performance Metrics, and stability and control criteria.
• Conduct HWIL, bench, and flight testing; analyze telemetry and produce performance assessments.
• Mentor junior GNC engineers and provide technical leadership across modeling, simulation, implementation, and verification.

Requirements

• US citizenship and an active DoD Secret clearance required; ability to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI clearance.
• Master’s degree or Ph.D. in aerospace, mechanical, electrical, or related engineering.
• At least 8 years of direct GNC algorithm development experience for missiles, air platforms, or advanced aerospace systems.
• Expert proficiency in MATLAB/Simulink, C++, and model-based design workflows.
• Hands-on experience with 6-DOF simulations, HWIL environments, and flight-test-validated GNC algorithms.
• Experience integrating and evaluating INS/GPS navigation, seekers, and multisensor fusion techniques.

Nice to have

• Experience with hypersonic vehicle GNC, high-speed aerodynamics, or aerothermal-affected flight control.
• Familiarity with configuration management, version control, and multidisciplinary engineering environments.

Culture & Benefits

• Stable work environment and comprehensive benefits package.
• ESOP participation and 401(k) plan.
• Flexible work schedules.
• Tuition reimbursement and co-sponsored health plan.
• Paid leave and additional benefits.

Hiring process

• Interview invitations are extended to selected candidates.
• Employment is contingent on a comprehensive background check, security investigation, and drug screening.