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Inertial Navigation Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Wing

Navigation Engineer

Palo Alto, CA

Wing is looking for a Navigation Engineer to join our Guidance, Navigation and Control (GN&C) team ... Provide expertise in various sensor modalities, including GNSS and inertial systems, and their ...

Blue Origin

Sr. Navigation Engineer

Los Angeles, CA

$156K - $219K/yr

As a Senior Navigation Engineer in our Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) and Avionics team ... Model and simulate inertial sensors (e.g., accelerometers, gyroscopes) and GPS receivers to analyze ...

Furientis

Navigation Engineer, GNC

Los Angeles, CA

Characterize inertial sensors: bias, scale factor, misalignment, g-sensitivity, random walks, Allan ... Engineering, Applied Math, Physics, or related. M.S. or Ph.D. preferred. * 7+ years of navigation ...

Wing

Navigation Engineer

Palo Alto, CA · On-site +1

$182K - $242K/yr

Wing is looking for a Navigation Engineer to join our Guidance, Navigation and Control (GN&C) team ... Provide expertise in various sensor modalities, including GNSS and inertial systems, and their ...

Mach Industries

Navigation Engineer

Huntington Beach, CA · On-site

$130K - $220K/yr

Characterize and integrate inertial sensors. * Build algorithm validation tools and infrastructure ... Engineering, Physics, Mathematics. * Experience: 1+ years of building and shipping Navigation ...

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Inertial Navigation Engineer information

How does an Inertial Navigation Engineer typically collaborate with cross-disciplinary teams during the development of navigation systems?

As an Inertial Navigation Engineer, you will frequently work alongside hardware designers, software developers, and systems engineers to integrate inertial sensors into navigation solutions. Collaboration often involves participating in design reviews, troubleshooting integration issues, and ensuring that sensor data is accurately interpreted by system algorithms. Clear communication and teamwork are essential, as you'll be translating complex technical requirements and results between different specialties to ensure the overall reliability and performance of the navigation system.

What does an Inertial Navigation Engineer do?

An Inertial Navigation Engineer specializes in designing, developing, and maintaining systems that use accelerometers and gyroscopes to determine the position, orientation, and velocity of moving objects without relying on external references. These engineers work on technologies used in aircraft, spacecraft, submarines, and autonomous vehicles. Their responsibilities include creating algorithms for sensor data processing, testing navigation systems, and collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to ensure accuracy and reliability in challenging environments.

What is the difference between Inertial Navigation Engineer vs GPS Navigation Engineer?

AspectInertial Navigation EngineerGPS Navigation Engineer
Required CredentialsBachelor's or Master's in Engineering, specialized in inertial systemsBachelor's or Master's in Electrical, Computer, or Software Engineering
Work EnvironmentResearch labs, aerospace, defense, autonomous vehiclesNavigation systems development, mapping, mobile devices, automotive
Industry UsageMilitary, aerospace, autonomous systemsConsumer electronics, automotive, outdoor navigation
Comparison Search IntentUnderstanding inertial vs satellite-based navigationDeveloping or improving GPS-based systems

Inertial Navigation Engineers focus on developing systems that use inertial sensors to determine position without external signals, ideal for environments where GPS signals are unavailable. GPS Navigation Engineers work on satellite-based positioning systems, common in consumer devices and automotive applications. Both roles require strong engineering backgrounds but differ in technology focus and application environments.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an Inertial Navigation Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Inertial Navigation Engineer, you need a strong background in electrical engineering, physics, or a related field, with expertise in navigation algorithms and sensor fusion. Familiarity with tools such as MATLAB, Simulink, Kalman filters, and inertial measurement units (IMUs), as well as experience with embedded systems and programming languages like C/C++, is typically required. Strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and the ability to communicate complex technical information clearly are vital soft skills. These competencies are critical to developing accurate, reliable navigation systems for applications in aerospace, defense, and autonomous vehicles.
What are popular job titles related to Inertial Navigation Engineer jobs in California? For Inertial Navigation Engineer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
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What cities in California are hiring for Inertial Navigation Engineer jobs? Cities in California with the most Inertial Navigation Engineer job openings:
Inertial Navigation Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Inertial Navigation Engineer job openings in California as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 93% Full Time, 4% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 89% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 7% Remote job distribution.
Senior Software Engineer, Inertial Navigation

Senior Software Engineer, Inertial Navigation

Waymo

Mountain View, CA • Hybrid

$144K - $190K/yr

Other

Posted 6 days ago

Job description

Hardware Engineering is a diverse, innovative, and collaborative group of electrical, mechanical, reliability, software and vehicle engineers. We design, build, and perfect the products which are the eyes and ears of Waymo's autonomous driving technology, and integrate those products into vehicle platforms. We're seeking curious and talented teammates to keep us moving in the right direction.        

This role follows a hybrid work schedule and you will report to a Software Engineering Manager.

You will:

  • Develop algorithms to improve the accuracy and robustness of our core state estimation algorithm.
  • Engineer and deploy robust, production-quality C++ software to fuse data from inertial, GNSS, and other advanced sensors into our algorithm for both new and existing vehicle platforms.
  • Build and maintain tools, pipelines, and evaluation frameworks to rigorously assess positioning system performance across millions of miles of real-world driving data.
  • Leverage Waymo's massive datasets to conduct large-scale analyses and optimizations, fine-tune sensor models, characterize system performance, identify root causes of failures, and establish performance guarantees.
  • Collaborate closely within a multi-disciplinary team of engineers to solve complex technical challenges, contribute to a culture of high standards, and share your expertise with fellow team members.

You have:

  • MS, PhD or equivalent industry experience.
  • Expertise in state estimation theory and application, including Kalman Filters, particle filters, factor graphs, and nonlinear optimization techniques.
  • Deep understanding of inertial navigation principles, including sensor modeling, IMU error characterization, calibration, and multi-sensor fusion with GNSS and other aiding sensors.
  • Strong C++ skills and ability to write high quality production level code.

We prefer:

  • Previous experience in the autonomous vehicle industry, particularly in inertial navigation, localization, perception, or sensor fusion.
  • Experience with computer vision, visual inertial odometry, SLAM, ICP or other sensor modalities.
  • Experience developing and using tools for large-scale data analysis and visualization (e.g., SQL, Python with libraries like NumPy, Pandas, Matplotlib).
  • Familiarity with machine learning techniques applied to sensor fusion, sensor calibration, or positioning problems.

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