This position description does not represent a current opening but may be used to identify candidates with skills and experience for positions within Northrop Grumman that frequently become available. Candidates who express an interest may be considered for future positions at Northrop Grumman.
Northrop Grumman's Space Sector is seeking a Guidance Navigation Control (GNC) Engineer - Level 4 to provide technical analysis, design, and operations support to space vehicle and payload control systems. Typical assignments involve requirements definition and flow-down, algorithm design, simulation development and maintenance, system performance analysis, software validation, and the development of operating procedures and tools to support systems operation. This position is located in Redondo Beach, CA.
Job responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Translate mission objectives and customer needs into clear GNC requirements.
- Collaborate across functional teams to perform trade studies to choose GNC sensors, actuators, and algorithm architectures.
- Develop and validate high‑fidelity 3‑DOF/6‑DOF models and simulations of attitude, ephemeris, and line‑of‑sight dynamics.
- Design, implement, and verify GNC algorithms, including trackers, filters, and controllers.
- Build, test, and integrate software and simulation tools that enable reliable space vehicle and payload GNC throughout flight operations.
- Provide technical leadership of a small team of GNC engineers in support of a program, including decomposition and delegation of tasks.
Basic Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree with 8 years of relevant experience; or a Master's degree with 6 years of relevant experience; PhD with 4 years of relevant experience
- Willing and able to obtain a U.S. Government security clearance
- Experience using MATLAB/Simulink or C/C++ in the context of designing and implementing attitude-control or state-estimation algorithms
- Experience performing actuator/sensor sizing and selection
- Experience with modeling, simulation, and verification/validation of 3‑DOF or 6‑DOF GNC systems
- Ability to perform complex kinematics, dynamics, and control system analyses for space vehicle and payload GNC
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience with early-stage space vehicle and payload conceptual design, i.e. “clean sheet” design work
- Experience with software and hardware-in-the-loop testing
- Experience with satellite I&T and on-orbit operations
- Ability to lead a small team of GNC engineers and collaborate with other subsystem engineers and program leadership
- Active TS/SCI clearance
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree with 8 years relevant experience, or Master's with 6 years, or PhD with 4 years
- Willing and able to obtain a U.S. Government security clearance
- Experience using MATLAB/Simulink or C/C++ to design and implement attitude-control or state-estimation algorithms
- Experience performing actuator and sensor sizing and selection
- Experience with modeling, simulation, and verification/validation of 3‑DOF or 6‑DOF GNC systems
- Ability to perform complex kinematics, dynamics, and control system analyses for space vehicle and payload GNC
- Experience with early-stage space vehicle and payload conceptual (clean-sheet) design
- Experience with software and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing
- Experience with satellite integration & test (I&T) and on-orbit operations
- Ability to lead a small team of GNC engineers and collaborate with subsystem engineers and program leadership
- Active TS/SCI clearance
Northrop Grumman Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Northrop Grumman and has not been reviewed or approved by Northrop Grumman.
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Retirement Support — 401(k) matching is considered strong, with additional defined-benefit coverage for certain cohorts and options like catch-up contributions. Retirement programs are repeatedly highlighted as a core strength of the total rewards.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — PTO, company-paid holidays, and compressed work schedules (such as 9/80) provide meaningful time away and flexibility. These scheduling options are cited as a major quality-of-life benefit across many locations.
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Parental & Family Support — Paid parental leave alongside caregiver leave, adoption assistance, and back-up care supports a range of family needs. These programs have been expanded recently, signaling continued investment in family support.
Northrop Grumman Insights
What We Do
We are a close-knit community of big thinkers collaborating to keep the world safe. Our passion, creativity and expertise bring next-level technology solutions to life in autonomous systems, cyber, C4ISR, strike, space, and logistics and modernization for our customers around the globe. On the Northrop Grumman team, you’ll join our pursuit of excellence immersed in a dynamic culture of innovation and respect. Your unique perspective will help achieve our shared vision for the future of global security. Every step of the way, you'll be supported by world-class training, employee resource groups and a comprehensive benefits package that enables greater health and happiness for you and your family. Worldwide and across disciplines, we’re challenging what’s possible for technology to protect people and places from undersea to outer space and into cyberspace. And we see the impact of our performance every day. We are Northrop Grumman, and we work on what matters—now, you too can make a difference. Explore opportunities in engineering, IT, manufacturing, business management, cybersecurity and more with us. Northrop Grumman is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
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