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UAS GNC Engineer

Knightwerx
Scottsdale, AZ Full Time
POSTED ON 4/15/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 5/14/2026

Job description

Knightwerx is looking for a highly skilled and experienced Senior GNC/Autonomy Engineer to work on the development of a small unmanned electric aircraft. We operate in a fast-paced development environment that balances innovation and ingenuity with practicality and reliability. You’ll be working and supported by a team of strong engineers and subject matter experts to develop an aircraft from the ground up and be involved in every step of the process.

Work Experience

  • Bachelor's or higher degree in relevant engineering discipline
  • Min. 8-12 years GNC experience developing software for embedded systems
  • Top to bottom, start to finish development of embedded system
  • Cross-discipline, hands-on experience with electrical, embedded, and software fields

Attributes

  • Innovative, hands-on, and practical
  • Multi-disciplined, problem solver, driven by engineering analysis
  • Goal driven, learns from mistakes, and closes the loop on the design process
  • Understands trades of scope for effort
  • Communicates well through discussion and documentation
  • Works well with others to develop plans and solve problems

Primary Duties

  • Focus on the adaptation and development of onboard flight control system for a small UAS
  • Works with cross-discipline engineers (AE, ME, EE, SW) to understand the system-level desired functionality and translates to software requirements
  • Works with aircraft designer to size and spatially configure control actuators; define and experimentally confirm control authority requirements
  • Architects, implements and tunes vehicle and component control loops, and state estimation algorithms
  • Work with SW team to build and implement 6-DOF software in the loop simulator
  • Work with AE team to build 6-DOF vehicle model for simulation
  • Aide in evaluating and defining tasking/effort to fit the schedule and scope of the project in conjunction with project management

Tasks

  • State estimation algorithm implementation and tuning
  • Architect/modify vehicle control loops
  • Verify/tune vehicle and component control loops
  • Develop vehicle and component-level models
  • Research, down-select, and source vehicle sensors and computational components
  • Help roadmap GPS-denied / VIO implementation into vehicle

Skills

  • Understanding of common state estimation algorithms and methods for assessing/tuning
  • Understanding of common control loops and methods for assessing/tuning
  • Embedded programming, with emphasis on C/C in a robotics and/or UAV setting. Experience with Python, C# (desired)
  • Basic understanding of low-level avionics hardware
  • Capable of hardware debugging and/or working with hardware engineers to troubleshoot avionics issues Includes following wiring diagrams and oscilloscope/analyzer use
  • Physics-based actuator/vehicle modeling
  • Experience with Ardupilot and/or PX4 code bases and compatible hardware (desired)

Requirements

  • Must have US citizenship
  • On-site, collaborative work environment

Salary.com Estimation for UAS GNC Engineer in Scottsdale, AZ
$126,748 to $150,154
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