As a Principal Research and Development Engineer - Navigation Analysis at Honeywell Aerospace, you will lead the strategic advancement of alternative navigation technologies. You will spearhead the analysis, design, and development of innovative navigation solutions that significantly enhance the safety, reliability, and performance of aerospace systems.
Reporting directly to senior leadership, you will operate from our Redmond WA or Plymouth, MN locations on a hybrid onsite work schedule. In this role, you will shape the future of aerospace navigation by driving the development of cutting-edge systems that enable safer and more efficient flight operations worldwide.
As a principal leader, you will also mentor and guide engineering teams, influence technical direction, and foster a culture of innovation and excellence. You will play a key role in building a strong, diverse team by recruiting top talent, developing successors, driving retention and engagement, and promoting an inclusive environment.
ResponsibilitiesKEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Lead the analysis, design, and development of advanced alternative navigation algorithms and systems to elevate aerospace navigation capabilities.
- Drive collaboration across multidisciplinary teams to integrate navigation solutions into comprehensive aerospace platforms.
- Oversee research initiatives and validation testing to ensure navigation system performance, reliability, and compliance under diverse operational conditions.
- Provide technical leadership and mentorship to engineering teams, fostering innovation and professional growth.
- Influence strategic planning and roadmap development for navigation technology advancements aligned with business objectives.
The annual base salary range for this position in Minneapolis is $176,000-$219,000. The annual base salary range for this position in Redmond is $202,000-$252,000. Please note that this salary information serves as a general guideline. Honeywell Aerospace considers various factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate's work experience, education and training, key skills, as well as market and business considerations.
This position is incentive eligible
Due to compliance with U.S. export control laws and regulations, candidate must be a U.S. Person, which is defined as, a U.S. citizen, a U.S. permanent resident, or have protected status in the U.S. under asylum or refugee status or have the ability to obtain an export authorization
YOU MUST HAVE
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in a technical discipline such as science, technology, engineering, or mathematics
- 10+ years of experience in research and development focused on navigation systems or related aerospace technologies
- Deep expertise in navigation algorithms, sensor fusion, and alternative navigation techniques
- Proficiency with navigation system simulation tools, data analysis software, and programming languages such as MATLAB, Python, or C++
- Extensive experience with aerospace navigation standards and regulatory requirements
WE VALUE
- Advanced degree (Master’s or PhD) in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field, demonstrating a strong foundation in theoretical and applied navigation technologies.
- Extensive experience leading complex navigation technology projects from concept through deployment, showcasing strategic vision and execution excellence.
- Deep expertise with GNSS, inertial navigation systems, and alternative navigation technologies, such as terrain referenced navigation (TRN), vision-based navigation, and robust sensor fusion techniques that enhance navigation reliability in GPS-denied or degraded environments.
- Proven ability to architect and validate sophisticated algorithms integrating multiple sensor inputs—including inertial sensors, radar altimeters, cameras, LiDAR, and other environmental sensors—to deliver accurate, resilient, and continuous navigation solutions under challenging operational conditions.
- Strong command of error modeling, fault detection, and mitigation strategies to ensure navigation system integrity, robustness, and compliance with aerospace safety standards.
- Experience applying advanced machine learning and artificial intelligence techniques to navigation data processing, anomaly detection, and system optimization, driving innovation in navigation solutions.
- Proficiency with simulation environments and hardware-in-the-loop testing methodologies to rigorously evaluate alternative navigation system performance and reliability.
- Hands-on experience with CUDA programming and NVIDIA Jetson platforms or equivalent high-performance embedded computing technologies for real-time navigation applications.
- Demonstrated success in transitioning research innovations into operational aerospace navigation products or solutions, including managing stakeholder expectations and navigating regulatory approval processes.
- Proven leadership in driving complex projects and delivering innovative navigation solutions
- Exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills, with a passion for innovation and continuous improvement in navigation technologies.
- Strong knowledge of software development best practices, architecture principles, and the ability to influence and establish technical standards within the organization.
- Proven leadership and mentoring skills, with the ability to inspire multidisciplinary teams, foster collaboration, and cultivate a culture of technical excellence and inclusion.
- Ability to communicate complex technical concepts effectively to diverse audiences, including executives, customers, and cross-functional teams.
ABOUT US
Join a company reintroducing itself to the aviation community we've helped advance for more than a century. At Honeywell Aerospace (NASDAQ: HONA), we're launching as an independent, publicly traded aerospace and defense company built on a legacy of operational excellence and mission-focused execution.
Our new brand identity pairs that heritage with real momentum, as we build technology that helps pilots navigate with confidence, aircraft operate more efficiently, and operators stay ahead of change. With our systems on board 90% of the world's aircraft, your work here has reach that's rare to find anywhere else.
Focusing on our customers, investing in innovation, and building a culture of accountability and performance is how we're shaping what comes next.
Every horizon. Every mission. Every day.
Honeywell Aerospace products and services are found on aircraft across commercial aviation, defense, and space — from engines and cockpit electronics to cabin systems, mechanical components, and connectivity solutions. Our technology helps operators fly more safely, reduce fuel consumption, improve on-time performance, and deliver a better experience for the people on board.
As aviation continues to evolve, we're also developing systems to support autonomous and supersonic platforms, bringing the same focus on safety and efficiency to the next era of flight. With approximately 36,000 employees worldwide and net sales of $17.4B in 2025, Honeywell Aerospace is one of the largest dedicated aerospace companies in the world. Explore our businesses: https://www.honeywellaerospace.com
Electronic Solutions develops the avionics, navigation systems, sensors, and electromagnetic defense technology that help aircraft perform safely and with precision. Our systems are on board 90% of the world's aircraft — serving commercial aviation, defense, and space operators from integrated flight deck platforms with 30-plus years in service to radiation-hardened systems trusted for human spaceflight.
Benefits:
Beyond a performance-driven salary, you'll work alongside dedicated experts on technology that's advancing aviation. As a Honeywell Aerospace employee, you're eligible for a comprehensive benefits package that includes:
- Employer-subsidized medical, dental, vision and life insurance
- Short-term and long-term disability coverage
- 401(k) match, flexible spending accounts and health savings accounts
- Employee assistance program and educational assistance
- Parental leave and 12 paid holidays
- Paid time off for vacation, personal and sick time
Explore your benefits: https://honeywellaerospacebenefits.com/
The application period for the job is estimated to be 40 days from the job posting date; however, this may be shortened or extended depending on business needs and the availability of qualified candidates
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or another technical discipline
- 10+ years of research and development experience focused on navigation systems or related aerospace technologies
- Deep expertise in navigation algorithms, sensor fusion, and alternative navigation techniques
- Proficiency with navigation system simulation tools, data analysis software, and MATLAB, Python, or C++
- Extensive experience with aerospace navigation standards and regulatory requirements
- U.S. Person status or ability to obtain export authorization under U.S. export control laws
- Master's or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field
- Experience leading complex navigation technology projects from concept through deployment
- Expertise with GNSS, inertial navigation systems, terrain referenced navigation, vision-based navigation, and robust sensor fusion
- Experience architecting and validating algorithms integrating inertial sensors, radar altimeters, cameras, LiDAR, and other environmental sensors
- Knowledge of error modeling, fault detection, mitigation strategies, navigation integrity, and aerospace safety standards
- Experience applying machine learning and artificial intelligence to navigation data processing, anomaly detection, and system optimization
- Proficiency with simulation environments and hardware-in-the-loop testing methodologies
- Hands-on experience with CUDA programming and NVIDIA Jetson or equivalent high-performance embedded computing platforms
- Experience transitioning research innovations into operational aerospace navigation products and managing regulatory approval processes
- Strong knowledge of software development best practices and architecture principles
- Proven leadership and mentoring skills with multidisciplinary engineering teams
- Ability to communicate complex technical concepts to executives, customers, and cross-functional teams
The Aerospace Corporation Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about The Aerospace Corporation and has not been reviewed or approved by The Aerospace Corporation.
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Retirement Support — The 401(k) plan provides a company‑paid contribution of 8–12% based on years of service with immediate eligibility and vesting, and eligible employees can access retiree medical benefits.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Paid time off includes 15 vacation days (rising to 20 after five years), nine paid holidays, and unlimited sick time for exempt employees with accruals for non‑exempt staff.
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Flexible Benefits — Flexible work models include a 9/80 schedule with alternating Fridays off, supported by backup care services, an EAP, relocation assistance, and home‑office stipends where applicable.
The Aerospace Corporation Insights
What We Do
The space enterprise has been transformed by rapid change and growth. New vehicles for national security space, a more rapid launch cadence, proliferated satellite constellations, the pursuit of interplanetary exploration, and thriving commercial ventures are changing the nature of the space industry. The Aerospace Corporation (Aerospace) is a leading architect for U.S. space programs, shaping efforts to outpace threats to our national security while cultivating the technologies needed to further this new era of space commercialization and exploration. Aerospace works across the space enterprise in service of the public interest. In addition to supporting the Department of Defense and the Intelligence Community, our customers include NASA, NOAA, numerous federal agencies, and commercial space — all of whom benefit from our deep technical knowledge. We only pursue business related to the space mission and complementary fields, operating as the nation’s trusted partner to solve the toughest challenges and develop reliable and innovative technologies. Innovation in space occurs when people have the freedom to imagine and do. At Aerospace, we take pride in our readiness to solve some of the most complex challenges in the space enterprise.
Why Work With Us
We are a non-profit corporation chartered by the government to work on the hardest problems in space. We employ technical experts in every discipline of space-related science and engineering who touch every part of the US space program. Come join us as we make an impact bigger than ourselves.
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