Head of Guidance, Navigation, and Control
$155k - $215k/yr
Senior
Bachelor's, Master's, PhD
Long Beach, CA, USA
In PersonTypically works in an office; travel up to 25%.
Aerospace EngineeringFlight Dynamics & GNC
About the job
Requirements
- A Bachelor of Science degree from an accredited university is required.
- At least 6 years of experience developing guidance, navigation, and control systems for aircraft, missiles, spacecraft, or similar vehicles is required.
- Deep expertise developing guidance, navigation, and control systems for aircraft, missiles, spacecraft, or similar vehicles is required.
- Proficiency with modeling, simulation, and analysis tools such as MATLAB/Simulink is required.
- Experience developing and validating guidance, navigation, and control algorithms, models, and flight software is required.
- Ability to lead technical teams and drive complex problems toward simple, robust solutions is required.
- Strong understanding of vehicle dynamics, control theory, and trajectory analysis is required.
- Ability to sit or stand for extended periods, use a computer to complete assignments, communicate in person, by phone, and via telepresence, and lift up to 50 pounds is required.
- Ability to access information protected under U.S. export control laws as a U.S. person is required; eligible statuses include U.S. citizenship, U.S. permanent residency, U.S. asylum, or U.S. refugee admission.
Responsibilities
- Perform and lead guidance, navigation, and control system development, implementation, integration, and testing.
- Gather, define, and document requirements supporting missions and trajectories.
- Develop guidance, navigation, and control algorithms, models, and software.
- Develop, analyze, and review data to validate and verify that systems meet specifications and design requirements.
- Perform modeling and simulation to validate system design and performance.
- Integrate, check out, and troubleshoot anomalies in guidance, navigation, and control systems.
- Plan tests, develop test procedures, and execute tests.
- Develop sensor and supporting avionics system requirements.
- Support systems engineering, integration, and testing for critical sensors such as inertial measurement units.
- Support systems engineering, integration, and testing for critical controllers such as thrust vector control actuators and throttle valves.
- Perform mission-specific analysis for customer launches and business development.
- Perform hardware-in-the-loop testing and simulation on the testbed and integrated launch vehicle before launch.
- Mentor junior engineers and help develop their technical skills.
- Lead efforts to address challenging technical issues.
- Travel up to 25% of the time.
Desired Qualifications
- A Master of Science or PhD degree from an accredited university is preferred.
- Experience with MATLAB/Simulink and at least one high-level programming language such as C, C++, or FORTRAN is preferred.
- Experience modeling interception control systems is preferred.
- Experience with control systems for hypersonic flight regimes is preferred.
- Proficiency in trajectory planning, design, and optimization algorithms or tools such as POST2 is preferred.
- Day-of-launch or on-orbit systems support, including launch limits and loads/guidance, navigation, and control capability evaluation, is preferred.
- Demonstrated leadership of or within a small project team is preferred.
- Ability to solve complex technical problems with simple, robust solutions is preferred.
About the company
Long Wall repurposes its rocket and ground-system heritage to serve U.S. defense needs. Its RSX is a hypersonic flight-test vehicle used to test and replicate missile threats, Ironwood is a containerized ground system for rapid, on-demand launch, and Cyclops is a surface-launched exoatmospheric interceptor designed to attack missiles in midcourse. The company focuses on government and defense applications with U.S.-based manufacturing and an integrated set of launch, test, and intercept hardware. Its goal is to strengthen national security by providing ready-to-use, deployable missile-defense testing and interception capabilities for the U.S. military.
Company Size
51-200
Company Stage
Grant
Total Funding
$659.9M
Headquarters
Long Beach, California
Founded
2025
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- June 2026 Pentagon hypersonic activity validates demand for responsive test and interceptor systems.
- Long Wall raised fresh capital in July 2026, extending runway to 2027 programs.
- The 2025 rebrand aligned hiring and facilities around defense, improving government procurement fit.
What critics are saying
- No public Cyclops contract was disclosed by December 2025, leaving demand unproven.
- ABL's 2023 launch failure and 2024 fire destroyed credibility before the defense pivot.
- SpaceX and Lockheed Martin dominate contracts; Long Wall risks becoming a niche supplier.
What makes Long Wall unique
- Long Wall's 2025 pivot repurposed RSX and Ironwood for missile defense, not launch.
- Cyclops targets exoatmospheric interceptors with containerized launch, aiming at low-cost magazine depth.
- Its 160,000-plus square feet can produce over one hundred Cyclops rounds yearly.
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Benefits
- Health Insurance
- 401(k) Retirement Plan
- Remote Work Options
- Paid Vacation
- Paid Holidays
- Flexible Work Hours
- Wellness Program
- Mental Health Support
- Phone/Internet Stipend
- Home Office Stipend
- Conference Attendance Budget
- Professional Development Budget