Guidance, Navigation, and Control Principal Systems Engineer

Job Description
Because this role involves a combination of collaborative/in-person and independent work, it will take the form of a hybrid work format, with time split between working onsite and remotely.
BAE Systems is looking for a Principal Systems Engineer with a passion for engineering and the desire to be part of an innovative, dedicated team responsible for industry-leading Navigation products. Our team needs engineers interested in architecting, designing, and developing system designs for real-time embedded Navigation receivers for military ground, airborne, and weapons applications. This position offers abundant opportunities to acquire in-depth knowledge of Navigation technology and receiver architecture and apply that knowledge in a team effort to develop our Modernized Navigation receiver products.
The Ground, Navigation, and Control (GNC) Systems Engineer is responsible for the design, development, integration, and validation of advanced navigation solutions for aerospace, defense, or autonomous platforms. This role focuses on developing robust algorithms and architectures that provide accurate and reliable state estimation under challenging, dynamic, and sensor-limited environments.
Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement navigation algorithms using multi-source sensor fusion, combining data from inertial sensors, GPS/GNSS, vision systems, radar, and other external aids.
• Design, tune, and optimize Kalman-filter-based estimators, including EKF, UKF, CKF, and advanced non-linear filtering methods.
• Architect and analyze inertial navigation systems (INS), including strapdown integration, sensor error modeling, bias/scale factor estimation, and drift compensation.
• Perform system modeling, simulation, and analysis of navigation and guidance performance under varying mission scenarios.
• Integrate navigation algorithms into embedded real-time systems and support software verification, validation, and hardware-in-the-loop testing.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams in GNC, autonomy, avionics, and systems engineering to ensure seamless integration of navigation subsystems.
• Conduct trade studies and performance analyses to evaluate sensor configurations, filter approaches, and navigation architectures.
• Document requirements, interface specifications, algorithm designs, and test results to support certification and product development.

Required Education, Experience, & Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math (STEM) discipline, and 6 plus years of direct related experience.
• Must be a US Citizen.
• Have the ability to obtain a DoW Security Clearance.
• Strong expertise in multi-sensor fusion techniques for navigation and state estimation.
• Deep understanding of inertial navigation principles, IMU error sources, INS mechanization, and inertial alignment methods.
• Proficiency in Kalman filtering and its variants for linear and nonlinear estimation problems.
• Experience with navigation system modeling, simulation environments, and performance analysis.
• Familiarity with aerospace or autonomous system GNC frameworks and real-time implementation constraints.
• Strong programming skills in languages typically used for algorithm development (e.g., C++, Python, MATLAB).
• Ability to interpret sensor data, analyze system behavior, and diagnose estimation issues through statistical and signal-processing methods.
• Effective communication skills for explaining complex technical topics to multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience working with software and systems engineering processes
• Experience with leadership as a part of program execution
• Experience with real-time embedded hardware systems
• A working knowledge of Communication Systems, Digital Signal Processing, or Radio Frequency Filtering

Preferred Education, Experience, & Skills

• Masters or PhD degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math (STEM) discipline, and 6 plus years of direct related experience.
• Secret Clearance
• Experience with Jira and DOORS
• Experience or interest in utilizing AI tools for system development
• Experience with Model-Based System Engineering (MBSE) tools (CAMEO, SysML, MagicDraw, etc.)

Pay Information
Full-Time Salary Range: $107359 - $182510
Please note: This range is based on our market pay structures. However, individual salaries are determined by a variety of factors including, but not limited to: business considerations, local market conditions, and internal equity, as well as candidate qualifications, such as skills, education, and experience.
Employee Benefits: At BAE Systems, we support our employees in all aspects of their life, including their health and financial well-being. Regular employees scheduled to work 20+ hours per week are offered: health, dental, and vision insurance; health savings accounts; a 401(k) savings plan; disability coverage; and life and accident insurance. We also have an employee assistance program, a legal plan, and other perks including discounts on things like home, auto, and pet insurance. Our leave programs include paid time off, paid holidays, as well as other types of leave, including paid parental, military, bereavement, and any applicable federal and state sick leave. Employees may participate in the company recognition program to receive monetary or non-monetary recognition awards. Other incentives may be available based on position level and/or job specifics.
About BAE Systems Electronic Systems
BAE Systems, Inc. is a defense, aerospace, and security company headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, with more than 40,000 employees worldwide. We serve, supply, and protect those who protect us. As one of the most geographically diverse international defense companies, we deliver a full range of products and services spanning air, land, maritime, space, and cyber, including advanced electronics, intelligence solutions, and dedicated customer support.
Our culture is performance-driven and values-led, built on curiosity, creativity, and collaboration. Purpose isn't a tagline here. It's what drives us. We're developing breakthrough technologies that defend national security and make a lasting impact on our communities and our planet. When you join BAE Systems, you're not just building a career. You're contributing to a mission that truly matters.
This position will be posted for at least 5 calendar days. The posting will remain active until the position is filled, or a qualified pool of candidates is identified.