Senior GNC Embedded and HIL Engineer
GNC Software Engineer | Embedded Flight Software | SIL / HIL Infrastructure
Job Title
Senior GNC Software Engineer
Location
Hybrid, Tucson, Arizona (on-site for HIL activities)
Employment Type
Full Time
Department
GNC / Flight Software
Reports To
Shawn Gilmore
Salary Range
$155,000 to $200,000
Equity
Yes
Position Overview
Tiberius Aerospace is seeking a Senior GNC Navigation Engineer to own the translation of GNC algorithms into production-grade, real-time embedded flight software for the program. This role bridges algorithm design and hardware, developing the embedded navigation filter, guidance logic, and autopilot control laws on the flight computer, along with the SIL and HIL infrastructure required to verify GNC performance end-to-end from algorithm through silicon. You are the person who makes the math run in the box.
What You'll Do
Implement GNC algorithms including the navigation filter, guidance law, and autopilot control laws in embedded C or C++ targeting the flight computer.
Define and own the GNC flight software architecture including task scheduling, sensor data interfaces, GNC state machine, and fault detection logic.
Develop and maintain the Software-in-the-Loop environment integrating GNC flight code with the 6-DOF trajectory simulation for closed-loop algorithm verification.
Design and build the Hardware-in-the-Loop test bench including GPS signal stimulation, IMU stimulation hardware, actuator emulation, and avionics bus interfaces.
Apply and enforce flight software coding standards and institute code review processes across the GNC software team.
Define GNC software requirements and verification test cases and execute and close the GNC software V&V test plan.
Collaborate with navigation and controls engineers on algorithm translation, numerical stability, and fixed and floating-point performance trade-offs.
Perform real-time performance characterization covering CPU budget, worst-case execution time, timing jitter, and latency analysis.
Support environmental test, ground test, and range test activities as the GNC software technical lead.
Technical & Algorithm Implementation & Flight Software Engineering
Implement the GPS/INS navigation filter in embedded C or C++ with rigorous attention to numerical stability, fixed-point arithmetic constraints, and real-time execution timing.
Develop the GNC task framework including sensor read scheduling, filter update cadence, guidance computation, and actuator command output with deterministic timing.
Build and maintain the SIL environment in which the production GNC flight binary executes against the MATLAB/Simulink 6-DOF plant model in closed loop for regression testing.
Design the HIL test bench architecture including interface hardware for GPS receiver simulation, IMU digital output stimulation, actuator feedback emulation, and data recording.
Implement auto-code generation workflow from MATLAB/Simulink navigation and control law models to production C code using Embedded Coder or equivalent.
Define and apply coding standards for the GNC software module including MISRA-C rules, static analysis requirements, and unit test coverage expectations.
Develop the GNC software build system, regression test suite, and continuous integration process to support rapid algorithm iteration.
Characterize flight computer GNC software performance under worst-case loading and document CPU margin, memory usage, and stack depth results.
Operational & Engineering Support
Interface with the flight computer hardware team on processor selection, memory architecture, sensor bus protocols, and boot sequence requirements.
Coordinate GNC software schedule and deliverables with systems engineering, the navigation team, and the I&T team.
Support range test activities by providing GNC software configuration control, pre-test checkout procedures, and post-test log data extraction.
Participate in configuration control board reviews for GNC software changes and maintain the software version log.
Support environmental qualification by preparing GNC software test configurations for vibration, thermal, and shock testing.
Provide GNC software technical inputs to subcontractor statements of work for GPS receiver and IMU firmware interfaces.
What You'll Bring
B.S. or M.S. in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or Aerospace Engineering.
8 or more years of embedded flight software development for flight-critical defense or aerospace systems.
Expert-level C and C++ in real-time embedded environments including RTOS and bare-metal architectures.
Demonstrated experience implementing Kalman filter variants or flight control laws in embedded production code.
Proficiency in MATLAB and Simulink Model-Based Design including production C code generation using Embedded Coder or equivalent.
Experience developing or operating SIL and HIL test infrastructure for GNC algorithm verification.
Must be a U.S. citizen and eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. government security clearance.
Preferred Experience
Experience with GPS receiver software interfaces including NMEA, binary proprietary protocols, and M-code or SAASM pulse-per-second and timing interfaces.
Background implementing DO-178C, MISRA-C, or equivalent safety-critical software standards in a flight program.
Experience with high-g inertial sensor digital interfaces including SPI or UART IMU protocols and in-flight calibration algorithms.
Familiarity with MIL-STD-1553, RS-422, or ARINC 429 avionics bus interfaces.
Background with high-g avionics design considerations such as connector retention, PCB via-fill, and component derating under high-g launch load.
Experience with FPGA co-design for navigation algorithm pre-processing or sensor timing synchronization.
Active U.S. Secret or Top Secret security clearance.
What We're Looking For
An embedded GNC software engineer who can implement a navigation filter from a MATLAB prototype, make it run deterministically on a flight computer, and verify it against a 6-DOF plant model.
Someone who owns the SIL and HIL infrastructure, not just uses it, and can build it from scratch when it does not yet exist.
An engineer with the numerical instincts to know when a 32-bit float is not enough and the discipline to enforce coding standards that matter.
A technical leader comfortable reviewing algorithm equations with navigation engineers and debugging SPI bus timing issues with hardware engineers on the same day.
A high-ownership engineer who treats flight software as a safety-critical deliverable and builds accordingly.
Compensation & Benefits
Tiberius Aerospace offers competitive base compensation commensurate with experience, equity participation, comprehensive health benefits, and 401(k). Specific compensation will be discussed during the interview process.
Growth Opportunity
This role offers the opportunity to build the GNC flight software function at Tiberius Aerospace from the ground up on a program where the algorithm complexity and flight environment are genuinely challenging. The Senior GNC Software Engineer will own the implementation stack, build the test infrastructure, and close the software V&V against a real flight computer. As Tiberius grows, this person will be positioned to lead the broader flight software team and influence avionics architecture decisions on follow-on programs.
