Find & Apply For Aerospace Engineer Jobs in Scottsdale, Arizona

Senior GNC & Autonomy EngineerAbout the Role We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Senior Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) / Autonomy Engineer to lead the development of advanced flight control and autonomy systems for a next-generation small unmanned electric aircraft. Our team operates in a fast-paced, hands-on environment that values innovation, technical excellence, practicality, and reliability. In this role, you will collaborate closely with a multidisciplinary team of engineers and subject matter experts, contributing to every stage of aircraft development, from concept and system architecture through testing and flight validation. Required Experience & Qualifications Bachelor's degree or higher in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Robotics, Computer Engineering, or a related field Minimum of 5 years of experience developing GNC software for embedded systems Proven experience leading the complete development lifecycle of embedded systems, from architecture through deployment Hands-on, cross-functional experience spanning embedded software, electronics, and system integration 5+ years of engineering experience in a related industry Experience working in robotics, UAV, aerospace, or autonomous systems environments preferred Desired Attributes The ideal candidate is: Innovative, practical, and hands-on A strong analytical problem solver with a multidisciplinary engineering mindset Results-oriented and committed to continuous improvement Capable of balancing technical scope, schedule, and resource constraints Effective in both verbal and written communication Collaborative and able to work effectively across engineering disciplines Self-motivated, adaptable, and driven by technical excellence Key Responsibilities Lead the adaptation, development, and optimization of onboard flight control systems for a small unmanned aircraft system (UAS) Collaborate with Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical, and Software Engineering teams to translate system-level objectives into software requirements Partner with aircraft designers to define actuator sizing, placement, and control authority requirements through analysis and testing Design, implement, tune, and validate vehicle control architectures, component control loops, and state estimation algorithms Work with software engineers to develop and integrate 6-DOF Software-in-the-Loop (SIL) simulation environments Collaborate with aerospace engineers to develop and refine high-fidelity vehicle dynamic models Support project planning activities by estimating engineering effort, defining technical tasks, and aligning development activities with project schedules Core Technical Responsibilities Develop, implement, and tune state estimation algorithms Design, modify, and optimize vehicle-level and subsystem control loops Validate control system performance through simulation, testing, and flight evaluation Develop physics-based models for aircraft dynamics and onboard systems Evaluate, select, and integrate sensors, avionics, and computational hardware Contribute to the roadmap and implementation strategy for GPS-denied navigation and Visual-Inertial Odometry (VIO) capabilities Technical SkillsRequired Strong understanding of state estimation techniques and tuning methodologies Experience with control system design, analysis, and performance optimization Embedded software development, particularly in C/C++, for robotics, aerospace, or UAV applications Experience developing physics-based vehicle and actuator models Basic understanding of avionics systems and low-level hardware interfaces Ability to troubleshoot embedded hardware and avionics issues using schematics, wiring diagrams, oscilloscopes, and logic analyzers Strong systems engineering and integration skills Preferred Experience with Python and/or C# Experience with ArduPilot, PX4, or related open-source flight control platforms Familiarity with autonomous navigation technologies, including VIO and GPS-denied operations Experience with UAV flight testing and validation activities Work Environment & Requirements Must be a U.S. Citizen Full-time, on-site position in a highly collaborative engineering environment Ability to work closely with multidisciplinary teams throughout the aircraft development lifecycle Minimum Requirements Bachelor's Degree in a relevant engineering discipline 5+ years of engineering experience 5+ years of embedded systems development experience Medical, dental, and vision insurance are available to qualified candidates who meet eligibility requirements.