Aerospace Engineer Contract Jobs in Alabama (NOW HIRING)

Trajectory & GNC Engineer
Huntsville, AL

Who We Are

Aurex is a mission-focused aerospace and defense company building the next frontier of deterrence. From hypersonics and missile defense to hardened networks and orbital systems, we design, test, and deliver the platforms that turn unproven ideas into battlefield-ready capability.

Born in Huntsville and built for speed, Aurex brings together aerospace veterans, combat-tested operators, and forward-leaning technologists to solve problems that matterfast. We move from whiteboard to warfighter with precision, clarity, and zero tolerance for fluff.

Job Overview

We are seeking a highly skilled Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) / Trajectory Engineer to join our aerospace engineering team. In this role, you will design, analyze, and optimize vehicle trajectories, ensuring mission success through precise modeling, simulation, and performance assessment. You will collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to support flight test events, system validation, and mission planning.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and refine GNC algorithms for aerospace vehicles, including launch, re-entry, and intercept missions.
• Perform trajectory design, optimization, and simulation using industry-standard tools (e.g., POST2, MATLAB/Simulink, STK).
• Conduct Monte Carlo analyses and sensitivity studies to assess system robustness.
• Integrate GNC solutions into hardware-in-the-loop (HWIL) and software-in-the-loop (SWIL) environments.
• Support flight test planning, pre-flight predictions, and post-flight data analysis.
• Collaborate with systems engineering, propulsion, and avionics teams to ensure mission requirements are met.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field (Masters preferred).
• 3+ years of experience in GNC and trajectory analysis for aerospace applications.
• Proficiency in MATLAB/Simulink and trajectory simulation tools (e.g., POST2, TAOS, QuickShot).
• Strong understanding of orbital mechanics, flight dynamics, and control theory.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance (if applicable).

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with missile defense, launch vehicles, or space systems.
• Familiarity with MDA flight test environments and mission planning.
• Knowledge of Kalman filtering, sensor fusion, and state estimation techniques.

How You Will Be Rewarded

The salary range for this role is $140,000 - $160,000.00 per year. We offer a comprehensive total rewards approach to compensation, providing incentives and benefits that extend far beyond the base salary. Compensation is determined by the candidates work experience, education, training, and relevant skills. We offer a competitive benefits package designed to support our employees' health, well-being, and professional growth.

Location: Huntsville, AL

Aurex is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It prohibits discrimination, retaliation, or any type of harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, citizenship, immigration status, or any other legally protected status in employment, including in hiring, firing, and recruiting decisions. All applicants must be authorized to work lawfully in the United States for positions at Aurex. There may be limited circumstances in which a law, regulation, executive order, or government contract would require certain citizenship; only in those limited circumstances would Aurex require certain citizenship status to comply with the relevant law, regulation, executive order, or government contract applicable to that position. For all other positions, Aurex does not consider an applicants citizenship but only requires that the applicant be authorized to work lawfully in the United States. If a position is one that falls under export control laws and regulations requiring authorization from the U.S. government to access export-controlled items, any hiring is contingent on the applicant passing the export compliance assessment, which is separate from the I-9 process, for that specific position. A background check will be required prior to any hire.

Elevate your career by joining the Aurex Platform, a leader in aerospace innovation