Question
Full-time
5-10

Senior Guidance Engineer (GNC)

1/25/2026

Design, develop, and optimize guidance and motion planning algorithms for autonomous drones while defining mission-level behaviors and guidance logic. Collaborate with various teams to ensure seamless integration and address edge cases to build resilience.

Working Hours

40 hours/week

Company Size

51-200 employees

Language

English

Visa Sponsorship

No

About The Company
XTEND provides revolutionary human-guided autonomous machine systems that enable any operator to perform extremely accurate maneuvers and actions, in any environment with minimal training. The company's patented XOS operating system fuses the best of human intelligence and machine autonomy to enhance the operator's abilities, and simultaneously reduce the need for physical confrontation, thereby minimizing casualties and injuries. Hundreds of XTEND's systems are already operationally deployed worldwide, and the company is continuously developing its XOS operating system and platforms to deliver the future of human-machine teaming to defense, public safety, and security professionals worldwide.
About the Role

We are seeking a Senior Guidance Engineer to play a critical role in the development of next-generation drone platforms.

This position focuses heavily on guidance and mission-level decision-making for high-performance aerial systems operating in dynamic, real-world environments.

You will design and deploy guidance and motion planning algorithms that enable precise, high-speed maneuvers and complex mission execution. This role blends analytical rigor with creativity, tackling problems that often have no textbook solutions. You’ll collaborate closely with hardware, embedded software, and perception teams to bring advanced autonomy from concept to flight.

Key Responsibilities

  • Design, develop, and optimize guidance and motion planning algorithms for autonomous drones
  • Define mission-level behaviors and guidance logic, balancing performance, safety, and robustness
  • Implement real-time control interfaces to execute trajectories reliably in uncertain conditions
  • Work closely with embedded software, mechatronics, and perception teams to ensure seamless integration
  • Identify and address edge cases and failure modes, building resilience and graceful degradation
  • Stay current with advancements in drone autonomy, guidance, motion planning, and control

Requirements

  • BSc or MSc in Mechanical, Aerospace, or related engineering fields. 
  • 5+ years of experience in GNC, guidance, autonomy, or related aerospace/robotics fields
  • Strong experience with guidance algorithms, trajectory generation, and motion planning
  • Solid understanding of system-level constraints affecting real-world aerial platforms
  • Hands-on experience with real-world drone development, debugging, and iteration
  • Proficiency in C++ and Python
  • Strong collaboration skills across software, hardware, and deployment teams
  • A creative, problem-solving mindset with a passion for advanced aerial missions

Nice to Have / Advantage

  • Strong foundation in control theory
  • Experience with state estimation techniques, including Extended Kalman Filters (EKF)
  • Experience using ROS 2, PX4, ArduPilot, or similar drone/robotics frameworks

Why Join Us?

  • Work on cutting-edge drone guidance and autonomy systems with real-world impact
  • Join a fast-paced, highly skilled team that values ownership and technical excellence
  • See your ideas progress from whiteboard → simulation → real-world deployment
  • Be part of a culture that thrives on solving hard problems and pushing the limits of engineering
Key Skills
Guidance AlgorithmsTrajectory GenerationMotion PlanningReal-Time ControlEmbedded SoftwareMechatronicsPerceptionC++PythonControl TheoryState EstimationExtended Kalman FiltersROS 2PX4ArduPilotProblem Solving
Categories
EngineeringTechnologyData & AnalyticsScience & ResearchConsulting
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