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Helsing is a defense AI company focused on protecting democracies through technological leadership in AI and autonomous systems. This role is part of a dedicated Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) team developing state-of-the-art algorithms for unmanned aerial systems (UAS) platforms.
You will own end-to-end development and validation of navigation, guidance, and state estimation algorithms. Key responsibilities include:
• Develop bespoke controllers for UAS platforms from conception through design, simulation, integration, and iteration
• Design and implement state estimator algorithms robust in contested/GPS-denied environments
• Simulate navigation and guidance algorithm performance to inform sensor stack specifications (IMUs, GNSS, barometers, magnetometers, vision-based positioning)
• Analyze real sensor and test data to calibrate sensors and close the simulation-to-reality gap
• Support specification and execution of navigation/guidance algorithm evaluation tests
• Collaborate across Flight Mechanics, Aerodynamics, Embedded Systems, and Testing disciplines
• Participate in and analyze flight tests
Required qualifications: M.Sc. or PhD in Aeronautical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, or equivalent; 5+ years professional experience in navigation, guidance, or state estimation; expert-level Matlab/Simulink skills; strong background in state estimation theory, aerodynamics, stability/control, and systems modeling; excellent communication and presentation skills; solid software engineering in Matlab, Python, Rust, Java, or modern C++; passion for staying current with research and implementing state-of-the-art algorithms.
Nice-to-have: hands-on experience with fixed-wing aircraft/drones; contributions to open-source autopilots (Ardupilot, PX4).
The role offers unique technical challenges at the frontier of autonomous systems and defense AI, with direct impact on democratic security and ethical technology deployment.
