Description
JOB TITLE
GNC Engineer
LOCATION
Seattle, Washington, United States
DEPARTMENT
Tactical Recon & Strike
JOB DESCRIPTION
We are looking for a senior GNC Engineer who thrives on building cutting-edge technology from scratch and seeing their creations immediately deployed in the field.
ABOUT THE TEAM
The Tactical Recon & Strike team at Anduril develops aerial small drones (Group 1-3) and all equipment to test, deploy and operate. The team is responsible for taking products like Ghost, Anvil, Bolt and Altius from concepts to operational systems.
ABOUT THE JOB
This is a senior role for an Algorithm Developer (Localization/GNC) who will be a central architect in shaping Anduril's technical moat in GPS-denied navigation, driving the development of core vision-based navigation (VBN) and advanced sensor fusion algorithms.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Design, implement, and rigorously validate advanced GPS-denied navigation algorithms, including Vision-Based Navigation (VBN), advanced Map Matching, and high-fidelity sensor fusion for state estimation.
- Drive ground-up algorithm development from theoretical concepts through high-fidelity simulation, Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing, and rapid flight validation on multiple physical hardware platforms.
- Collaborate intimately with Computer Vision, Flight Software, and Simulation teams to define requirements, integrate solutions, and push the boundaries of autonomous navigation in contested environments.
- Analyze extensive flight test data from diverse platforms (e.g., Altius, Ghost, manned aircraft) collected across varied, challenging environments to identify performance gaps, refine algorithms, and debug complex incidents.
- Contribute strategically to the growth of Anduril's technical moat in navigation, including areas like collaborative navigation and precise terminal guidance for challenging operational scenarios.
- Mentor junior engineers and champion best practices in algorithm design, validation, and continuous integration within a fast-paced, high-impact environment.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree in Robotics, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, or a related technical field with a strong focus on dynamic systems, estimation, or control.
- 8+ years of professional experience in GNC, localization, or advanced state estimation roles, preferably in demanding real-world applications (e.g., defense, aerospace, robotics).
- Deep expertise in state estimation and sensor fusion, particularly with various Kalman filter types (e.g., EKF, ES-EKF, UKF, Invariant Filters) and their practical implementation.
- Proficiency in C++ (preferred) and/or Python for algorithm development and real-time embedded systems implementation.
- Extensive experience with vision-based navigation (VBN) techniques (e.g., VIO, VSLAM, feature tracking, optical flow) or robust map matching/geo-registration algorithms.
- Proven ability to develop, test, and debug algorithms in real-time embedded environments on physical hardware.
- Experience with modeling and simulation of dynamic systems and sensor phenomenology.
- Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Master’s Degree or PhD in a relevant technical field.
- Experience with terrain contour matching (TERCOM) or other non-GPS absolute localization methods utilizing diverse sensor inputs (e.g., LRF, Radar Altimeters, Star Trackers/Celestial Navigation).
- Familiarity with diverse sensor modalities for navigation (e.g., IMU, Baro, LRF, Radar Altimeters, EO/IR) and their specific noise characteristics and modeling.
- Experience with distributed or collaborative navigation systems, leveraging inter-platform measurements.
- Track record of successfully bringing complex algorithms from theoretical concepts through to deployed products on physical hardware.
- Proficiency with modern software development practices (e.g., CI/CD, Git, automated testing frameworks).
- Demonstrated ability to "wear many hats" and thrive in a fast-paced, high-impact, and highly collaborative startup environment.
SALARY RANGE
$166,000-$220,000 USD
BENEFITS
At Anduril, we invest in our people. Our comprehensive, competitive benefits package (available at little to no cost to employees) ensures you’re supported in health, recovery, and whatever comes next.