ZipRecruiter

Log In

1

Guidance Navigation Control Engineer Jobs in Virginia

Astrion

Aerospace Engineer - Midlevel

Dahlgren, VA · On-site

$110K - $180K/yr

Overview Aerospace Engineer - Midlevel Job Location: Dahlgren, Virginia Job Status: Full Time ... Development of aerodynamics, mass properties, propulsion, guidance, navigation and control inputs ...

Astrion

Aerospace Engineer - Midlevel

Dahlgren, VA · On-site

$110K - $180K/yr

Overview Aerospace Engineer - Midlevel Job Location: Dahlgren, Virginia Job Status: Full Time ... Development of aerodynamics, mass properties, propulsion, guidance, navigation and control inputs ...

next page

Showing results 1-20

All JobsGuidance Navigation Control Engineer JobsGuidance Navigation Control Engineer Jobs in Virginia

Guidance Navigation Control Engineer information

See Virginia salary details

$54.5K

$95.7K

$129.9K

How much do guidance navigation control engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 15, 2026, the average yearly pay for guidance navigation control engineer in Virginia is $95,745.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $82,800.00 and $107,100.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Guidance Navigation Control Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Guidance Navigation Control Engineer, you need a strong background in aerospace engineering, control theory, and mathematics, usually supported by a relevant bachelor’s or master’s degree. Familiarity with simulation tools like MATLAB/Simulink, programming languages such as C/C++, and experience with sensor integration and embedded systems are typically required. Strong analytical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and effective teamwork and communication skills help you excel in this role. These skills and qualities are vital to ensure the safe, precise, and reliable operation of complex aerospace or autonomous systems.

What Does a Guidance, Navigation, and Control Engineer Do?

A guidance, navigation, and control engineer designs, manufactures, and tests aircraft and other vehicles. Your duties span research and development, analysis, design, and manufacturing. As a GNC engineer, you are an aerospace engineer with responsibilities that include examining design proposals for financial and structural feasibility, overseeing the design and manufacturing system operations, and running tests to determine safety and performance. You manage quality control, look for issues with designs and final products, and determine what solutions are safe and effective. You must understand and apply concepts like propulsion and flight mechanics, aerodynamics, and thermodynamics when designing and building vehicles.

How does a Guidance Navigation Control Engineer typically collaborate with multidisciplinary teams during a project?

Guidance Navigation Control Engineers work closely with professionals from various disciplines, such as mechanical engineers, software developers, and systems engineers, to ensure that navigation and control systems are seamlessly integrated into larger aerospace or robotics projects. Regular meetings, design reviews, and simulation sessions are common, where GNC engineers both contribute their expertise and adapt solutions based on feedback from other teams. This collaborative environment helps resolve integration challenges early and ensures that final products meet safety, performance, and reliability standards.

What are Guidance Navigation Control (GNC) Engineers?

Guidance Navigation Control (GNC) Engineers are professionals who design, develop, and test systems that guide and control the movement of vehicles such as aircraft, spacecraft, missiles, and autonomous vehicles. Their work involves creating algorithms and integrating sensors and actuators to ensure precise navigation and stability. GNC Engineers play a critical role in mission planning, real-time control, and safety, making sure vehicles follow their intended paths accurately. They often collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to solve complex problems related to flight dynamics, navigation, and control systems.
More about Guidance Navigation Control Engineer jobs
What are the most commonly searched types of Guidance Navigation Control Engineer jobs in Virginia? The most popular types of Guidance Navigation Control Engineer jobs in Virginia are:
What are popular job titles related to Guidance Navigation Control Engineer jobs in Virginia? For Guidance Navigation Control Engineer jobs in Virginia, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Guidance Navigation Control Engineer jobs in Virginia look for? The top searched job categories for Guidance Navigation Control Engineer jobs in Virginia are:
What cities in Virginia are hiring for Guidance Navigation Control Engineer jobs? Cities in Virginia with the most Guidance Navigation Control Engineer job openings:
Guidance Navigation Control Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Guidance Navigation Control Engineer job openings in Virginia as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 76% Full Time, 19% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 96% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 3% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $95,745 per year, or $46 per hour.
Guidance Navigation Control (GNC) Engineering Analyst - Level 2 or 3

Guidance Navigation Control (GNC) Engineering Analyst - Level 2 or 3

Northrop Grumman Corporation

Sterling, VA • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Life, PTO

Posted yesterday

New

Northrop Grumman rating

8.1

Company rating: 8.1 out of 10

Based on 352 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

107th of 527 rated manufacturers

Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available
CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes
CLEARANCE TYPE: Top Secret
TRAVEL: Yes, 10% of the TimeDescription
At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work - and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history.
Expand your horizons, advance your career, and contribute to a secure future for generations. Northrop Grumman's Space Sector invites you to bring your pioneering spirit to our collaborative teams. As a Guidance Navigation Control (GNC) Engineering Analyst - Level 2 or 3 located in either Dulles, VA, Redondo Beach, CA, or Gilbert, AZ locations, you'll be a linchpin in missions of paramount importance, defining the art of the possible from day one.
The GNC team designs, builds, and tests spacecraft subsystems for a mix of DoD, NASA, and commercial customers. We are leaders in innovative solutions to the rapidly growing/evolving fields of space based autonomous rendezvous and docking and rapid design/production of small satellites.
This position will work a 9/80 schedule, with every other Friday off. This position is 100% onsite and cannot accommodate telecommute work.
Job responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:
  • Design, analyze, and tune spacecraft attitude and position control loops using time and frequency domain techniques
  • Design and analyze relative guidance solutions for Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO)
  • Design, analyze, and tune sequential filters (e.g. Kalman filters) for attitude determination and relative navigation
  • Analyze and test the spacecraft GNC subsystem performance using simulations and other analytic tools
  • Perform analysis to support early design phase concept development including actuator sizing and placement, sensor selection and placement, attitude and position guidance, rendezvous, proximity operations and docking analyses, and predicted performance assessments
  • Develop simulation models for sensors (e.g. star tracker, rate gyro, accelerometer, GPS, magnetometer, sun sensors), actuators (e.g. reaction wheel, torque bar, thruster, CMG), system dynamics (e.g. rigid body, multi-body, orbit mechanics, flexible models, propellant slosh), and the space environment (e.g. atmospheric, solar radiation pressure, third-body gravity, geopotential)
  • Communication is a key element of your role and all GNC engineers are expected to:
  • Apply engineering principles, industry standards, company process, and knowledge of vehicle dynamics, aerodynamics, propulsion, classical/modern control, and estimation theory to perform tasks to advanced program/project goals
  • Document designs, analysis, and test results and create presentation materials
  • Present designs, analysis, and test results to internal and external customers
  • Work well within small- to medium-sized groups
  • Other duties as assigned

This position is contingent upon the candidate obtaining final clearances and program access(es) within a reasonable period of time as determined by the company.
This position can be filled at either a Level 2 or Level 3.
Basic Qualifications for Level 2:
  • Bachelor's degree with 2 years of professional experience - OR - Master's degree with 0 years of professional experience
    • Will consider an additional 4+ years of experience in lieu of degree.
  • Requires an active U.S. Government Top-Secret with SCI [TS/SCI] security clearance at time of application, current and within scope
  • Experience developing software in MATLAB/Simulink and C/C++
  • Experience in Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) subsystem design, analysis, and testing; can include Attitude Determination and Control System (ADCS)

Basic Qualifications for Level 3:
  • Bachelor's degree with 5 years of professional experience - OR - Master's degree with 3 years of professional experience - OR - PhD with 1 year of professional experience
    • Will consider an additional 4+ years of experience in lieu of degree.
  • Requires an active U.S. Government Top-Secret with SCI [TS/SCI] security clearance at time of application, current and within scope
  • Experience developing software in MATLAB/Simulink and C/C++
  • Experience in Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) subsystem design, analysis, and testing; can include Attitude Determination and Control System (ADCS)

Preferred Qualifications:
  • MS or PhD in engineering, physics, or math
  • Experience with version control tools such as SVN or Git
  • Experience implementing spacecraft GNC algorithms on embedded systems
  • Strong technical fundamentals in the areas of spacecraft attitude and orbit dynamics, navigation filtering and/or control systems design
  • Experience with on-orbit space vehicle operations, commanding, debugging, and use of flight telemetry to track performance metrics
  • Experience with Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO) algorithms, practices and planning strategies
  • Experience with performing spacecraft GNC design, analysis, Hardware (HW) and Integration & Test (I&T), or flight operations.
  • Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities
  • Previous/current membership or leadership roles in professional groups, clubs, or extracurricular activities are desired

Curious about all the exciting developments with the Northrop Grumman Space Sector? Click the link below:
https://www.northropgrumman.com/space
Working at Northrop Grumman is more than just a paycheck. We offer a comprehensive Total Rewards and benefits package designed to help you thrive at work and in life. For more information on our Total Rewards package, please visit our Total Rewards site.
Northrop Grumman Total Rewards
Primary Level Salary Range: $91,800.00 - $137,600.00
Secondary Level Salary Range: $114,000.00 - $171,000.00
The above salary range represents a general guideline; however, Northrop Grumman considers a number of factors when determining base salary offers such as the scope and responsibilities of the position and the candidate's experience, education, skills and current market conditions.
Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Annual bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results. Employees in Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives. In addition, Northrop Grumman provides a variety of benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, Company paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business.
The application period for the job is estimated to be 20 days from the job posting date. However, this timeline may be shortened or extended depending on business needs and the availability of qualified candidates.
Northrop Grumman is an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. For our complete EEO and pay transparency statement, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.

What Northrop Grumman employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom

Northrop Grumman logo

About Northrop Grumman

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work - and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible.

Industry

Space research administration

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Falls Church, VA, US

Year founded

1939

View All Northrop Grumman Jobs

Apply