Principal Robotics Engineer (Guidance, Navigation, and Control)
AI in this role
External Job Description
Role Overview
The Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) Engineer is responsible for developing and implementing advanced algorithms that enable autonomous systems to operate with high precision and stability. The role requires expertise in control systems, flight dynamics, and sensor integration, along with collaboration across engineering teams to deliver fully integrated solutions.
Key Responsibilities
Guidance
- Develop real-time guidance algorithms for trajectory generation, path planning, and mission execution
- Optimize performance for efficiency, safety, and adaptability in dynamic environments
Navigation
- Design multi-sensor navigation solutions using GNSS, INS, visual odometry, LIDAR, radar, and altimeters
- Implement sensor fusion and filtering techniques (e.g., Kalman Filters) for accurate positioning
- Validate and tune navigation systems through simulation and field testing
Control
- Design and optimize control laws for linear and nonlinear systems, ensuring stability across all flight regimes
- Support actuator modeling, control surface tuning, and real-time deployment
- Collaborate with avionics and software teams for embedded implementation
System Integration & Testing
- Develop GNC simulation environments for performance evaluation
- Support SIL, HIL, and flight testing for validation and optimization
- Lead GNC subsystem integration across hardware and software interfaces
Education & Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering, Robotics, Aerospace, Control Systems, or related field (Master’s/PhD preferred)
- 8+ years of experience in GNC design within aerospace, defense, UAVs, or autonomous systems
- Strong understanding of control systems, flight dynamics, and embedded software
- Proficiency in MATLAB/Simulink, C++, or Python
- Experience with sensor fusion, simulation, and real-time systems
How we rate this
Principal Robotics Engineer (Guidance, Navigation, and Control) at EDGE Group rates 82 out of 100 for how much of the daily work is AI. That makes it Builds AI (AI Level 4 of 4). The level is about AI in the job, not seniority.
Builds AI. The job is building AI systems.
- ●●●● Builds AI80 to 100
- ●●●○ Works on AI60 to 79
- ●●○○ Uses AI40 to 59
- ●○○○ Little AI0 to 39
Levels come from how often the tools, models and workflows of the role are named in the posting itself. Open the description and count.
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