GNC Engineer - Controls

About Mach Industries

Founded in 2023, Mach Industries is a rapidly growing defense technology company focused on developing next-generation autonomous defense platforms. At the core of our mission is the commitment to delivering scalable, decentralized defense systems that enhance the strategic capabilities of the United States and its allies. With a workforce of approximately 350 employees, we operate with startup agility and ambition.

Our vision is to redefine the future of warfare through cutting-edge manufacturing, innovation at speed, and unwavering focus on national security. We are dedicated to solving the next generation of warfare with lethal systems that deter kinetic conflict and protect global security.

The Role

Mach Industries is seeking a GNC Engineer - Controls to help develop, implement, and test flight-control systems for autonomous aircraft and related defense platforms. You will contribute across modeling, control-law development, simulation, embedded implementation, integration, and flight-test analysis.

This is a hands-on engineering role for someone building depth in flight dynamics and controls while delivering real vehicle capability. You will work with experienced GNC engineers to turn requirements into analyses and software, investigate system behavior, and build evidence that control functions perform reliably.

The ideal candidate has strong engineering fundamentals, enjoys solving problems with models and data, and is motivated to learn quickly. You approach work carefully, communicate assumptions and results clearly, seek feedback early, and take increasing ownership as your technical judgment develops.

Key Responsibilities

Controls Development and Analysis

• Support the design, analysis, tuning, and verification of flight-control functions such as stability augmentation, attitude and rate control, trajectory tracking, gain scheduling, control allocation, and mode logic.
• Translate defined vehicle objectives into analysis tasks, performance metrics, simulation cases, and verification evidence with guidance from senior engineers.
• Evaluate command tracking, disturbance rejection, stability, robustness, saturation behavior, and transient performance across representative operating conditions.
• Account for aerodynamic variation, mass-property changes, actuator limits, sensor effects, latency, environmental disturbances, and other real-world constraints in analysis and simulation.
• Document methods, assumptions, results, limitations, and recommendations in a clear and reproducible form.

Modeling, Simulation, and Verification

• Develop and maintain vehicle, plant, actuator, sensor, and environmental models used for controls development.
• Use linear and nonlinear analysis techniques to understand vehicle dynamics and control-system behavior.
• Build and run six-degree-of-freedom simulations, Monte Carlo analyses, parameter sweeps, sensitivity studies, and targeted off-nominal cases.
• Create requirements-based tests and automated regression checks with clear expected behavior and pass/fail criteria.
• Compare simulation predictions with component, ground, and flight-test data; investigate discrepancies and update models with review.
• Maintain traceability between input data, model versions, gain sets, software versions, test cases, and reported results.

Software Implementation and Integration

• Implement, test, and review controls algorithms in MATLAB/Simulink, Python, C, or modern C++ as appropriate.
• Support translation of analysis algorithms into embedded, real-time software while accounting for numerical precision, discretization, timing, initialization, mode transitions, and saturation handling.
• Develop unit tests, test vectors, data-replay workflows, and software-in-the-loop or hardware-in-the-loop scenarios.
• Work with Guidance, Navigation, Avionics, Embedded Software, Aerodynamics, Mechanical Engineering, Propulsion, and Test to define interfaces and resolve integration issues.
• Support actuator characterization and evaluate how authority, bandwidth, rate limits, position limits, latency, and failures affect closed-loop performance.

Test and Engineering Execution

• Support ground and flight-test planning by defining objectives, maneuvers, instrumentation needs, expected behavior, and success criteria.
• Analyze test data, compare measured behavior with predictions, and help investigate anomalies or performance shortfalls.
• Break assigned work into clear tasks, identify required inputs and dependencies, and communicate progress or blockers early.
• Ask for review when decisions exceed available evidence or experience, then incorporate feedback into the work.
• Contribute to design reviews, technical documentation, shared tools, coding standards, and team learning.
• Take increasing end-to-end ownership of controls tasks as capability and judgment grow.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, robotics, applied mathematics, physics, or a related technical field.
• Foundational understanding of dynamics, feedback control, linear systems, differential equations, and numerical methods.
• Experience applying controls or dynamics concepts through professional work, internships, co-ops, research, competition teams, or substantial academic projects.
• Ability to use MATLAB/Simulink or Python for modeling, simulation, data analysis, and visualization.
• Exposure to C or modern C++ and an interest in developing production-quality embedded software skills.
• Ability to interpret technical requirements, check work systematically, and communicate results with supporting evidence.
• Comfort working collaboratively, receiving technical feedback, and learning unfamiliar tools or concepts.
• Strong ownership, curiosity, attention to detail, and commitment to reliable engineering work.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, controls, robotics, or a related field.
• Experience with aircraft, rockets, missiles, spacecraft, UAVs, robotics, or other dynamic systems.
• Experience with classical and modern control design, frequency-domain analysis, state-space methods, gain scheduling, or control allocation.
• Experience developing or using six-degree-of-freedom simulations.
• Experience with hardware testing, embedded systems, real-time software, or flight-test data.
• Familiarity with Git, code review, automated testing, continuous integration, issue tracking, or configuration management.
• Experience with PX4, simulation frameworks, or student flight-vehicle programs.

What Success Looks Like

Within your first year, you will have:

• Become a dependable contributor to controls analysis, software, simulation, and test activities.
• Delivered assigned control functions or analyses with clear assumptions, reproducible results, and appropriate review.
• Built a working understanding of the vehicle dynamics, models, control architecture, software interfaces, and verification approach.
• Created useful tests, analysis tools, or simulation improvements that increase team speed and confidence.
• Used ground- or flight-test data to evaluate performance and improve models or control behavior.
• Communicated risks and blockers early, incorporated feedback effectively, and shown growing technical independence.
• Taken end-to-end ownership of increasingly complex controls tasks.

ITAR Requirements

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.  

At Mach, we believe that compensation is more than just a paycheck. It's a comprehensive package designed to reward the time, skills, and expertise you bring to our team. We are committed to offering competitive compensation that is equitable, transparent, and aligned with market trends.

Key Elements of Our Compensation Philosophy:

• Competitive Salaries: We continuously research market rates to ensure our salaries are competitive with those in our industry and geographic location.
• Performance-Based Incentives: Our bonus structure is tied to both individual and company performance, creating a win-win scenario that motivates our team members to excel.
• Equity Participation: We offer stock options or equity to employees, ensuring that you share in the success and growth of the company.
• Benefit Packages: Our benefits include healthcare, dental and vision plans, retirement savings, and paid time off, because we understand that your well-being extends beyond the office.
• Professional Development: We allocate funds for continuing education, training, and career growth.
• Transparency: We are committed to openness about our compensation tiers and how decisions are made, ensuring trust and mutual respect.

By joining Mach, you’re not just accepting a job—you’re becoming a key part of a team that values your contributions and invests in your growth. Together, we aim to create a rewarding environment that sets the stage for long-term success.

Data Privacy
To view Mach Industries candidate data privacy policy, please visit https://machindustries.com/privacy-policy.

Disclosures

This position may require access to information protected under U.S. export control laws and regulations, including the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).  Please note that any offer for employment may be conditioned on authorization to receive software or technology controlled under these U.S. export control laws and regulations without sponsorship for an export license.

Mach participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.

The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary offers may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and training, critical skills, and business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are included in most offers and are considered part of Mach’s total compensation package. Mach offers benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, and opportunities for professional development.

Mach is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. All qualified applicants will be treated with respect and receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, uniform service, Veteran status, age, or any other protected characteristic per federal, state, or local law, including those with a criminal history, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws. If you’d like to defend the American way of life, please reach out!