Ursa Major was founded to address a critical shortfall in the U.S. industrial base and bring a new model to aerospace and defense systems: we design and manufacture the world’s leading propulsion systems for space, hypersonic applications, and missile systems.
Our products and technologies require an extraordinary team – a team that will mold tomorrow’s technologies while deploying today’s best. We are an intrinsically motivated team that has a passion for solving problems and empowering each other every day to develop our skills, knowing that there is always room for growth.
Ursa Major is seeking a Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) Lead to drive the development of flight control systems for a next-generation hypersonic vehicle. This role will be responsible for designing, implementing, and testing GNC algorithms and ensuring vehicle stability, precision targeting, and autonomous navigation in extreme flight environments. The ideal candidate has a deep background in hypersonic flight dynamics, adaptive control, and sensor fusion.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead the development of GNC architectures and algorithms for a hypersonic vehicle.
- Design and implement guidance strategies for trajectory shaping, precision targeting, and mission objectives.
- Develop flight control laws to ensure vehicle stability and robustness under high-speed, high-temperature conditions.
- Design and integrate navigation algorithms, including sensor fusion for GPS, inertial, and alternative navigation techniques.
- Conduct high-fidelity simulations and Monte Carlo analyses to validate system performance.
- Support hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing and flight test campaigns.
- Collaborate with aerodynamics, propulsion, avionics, and software teams to optimize vehicle performance.
- Provide technical leadership and mentorship within the GNC team.
- Interface with government and commercial customers to align technical requirements and program execution.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
- 8+ years of experience in GNC development for high-speed aerospace vehicles, missiles, or spacecraft.
- Expertise in flight dynamics, adaptive control systems, and state estimation techniques.
- Proficiency in MATLAB, Simulink, C++, or Python for algorithm development and simulation.
- Experience with navigation sensors (IMU, GPS, star trackers) and sensor fusion techniques.
- Strong understanding of hypersonic aerodynamics and reentry physics.
- Demonstrated leadership in cross-functional engineering teams.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience with hypersonic vehicle development and flight testing.
- Background in machine learning applications for adaptive control and autonomy.
- Familiarity with DoD hypersonic programs and defense industry standards.
- Hands-on experience with hardware-in-the-loop testing and embedded systems.
Colorado law requires us to tell you the base compensation range of this role, which is $150,000- $190,000, determined by your education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities. The salary range for this role is intentionally wide as we are evaluating individuals based on their unique experience and abilities to fit our needs. Most importantly, we are excited to meet you, and see if you are a great fit for our team. What we can’t quantify for you are the exciting challenges, supportive team, and amazing culture we enjoy.
Benefits Include:
- Unlimited PTO - Vacation, Sick, Personal, and Bereavement
- Paid Parental and Adoptive Leave
- Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance
- Tax Advantage Accounts (HSA/FSA)
- Employer Paid Short and Long Term Disability, Basic Life, AD&D
- Additional Benefit Options Including Voluntary Life and Emergency Medical Transport
- EAP Program
- Retirement Savings Plan - Traditional 401(k) and a Roth 401(k)
- Equity Grants in the Company
Top Skills
Ursa Major Berthoud, Colorado, USA Office
Our one-of-a kind campus co-locates engineering, manufacturing, & testing operations, allowing for unmatched development time and the chance for employees, customers, and investors alike to experience rocket engine testing as a part of the normal work day.
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