Full-Time

Head of GNC

Long Wall

Long Wall

51-200 employees

Produces hypersonic testbeds and defense interceptors

Compensation Overview

$155k - $215k/yr

No H1B Sponsorship

Long Beach, CA, USA

In Person

Travel up to 25% of the time is required.

Bachelor's, Master's, PhD

Category
Aerospace Engineering (1)
Required Skills
MATLAB
Simulink
C/C++
Data Analysis

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Requirements
  • A B.S. 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 in developing guidance, navigation, and control systems for aircraft, missiles, spacecraft, or similar vehicles is required.
  • Proficiency in modeling, simulation, and analysis tools such as MATLAB and Simulink is required.
  • Experience developing and validating guidance, navigation, and control algorithms, models, and flight software is required.
  • Demonstrated 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 is required.
  • Ability to use a computer to complete assignments is required.
  • Ability to communicate with individuals and groups in person, by phone, and through telepresence is required.
  • Ability to lift up to 50 pounds is required.
  • U.S. person status, including U.S. citizenship, U.S. permanent residence, U.S. asylum status, or U.S. refugee status, is required to access information protected under U.S. export control laws.
Responsibilities
  • Perform and lead guidance, navigation, and control system development, implementation, integration, and testing.
  • Gather, define, and document requirements to support 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 tasks to validate system design and performance.
  • Perform guidance, navigation, and control system integration, checkout, and troubleshooting of anomalies.
  • Perform and direct test planning, test procedure development, and test execution.
  • Develop sensor and supporting avionics system requirements.
  • Support critical sensor system engineering, integration, and testing, including inertial measurement units.
  • Support critical controller system engineering, integration, and testing, including 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 before launch on the testbed and integrated launch vehicle.
  • Mentor junior engineers and help develop their technical skills.
  • Lead efforts to solve challenging and impactful technical issues.
  • Typically work in an office environment.
  • Travel up to 25% of the time.
Desired Qualifications
  • An M.S. or PhD degree from an accredited university is preferred.
  • Demonstrated skills in modeling, simulation, and analysis software such as MATLAB and Simulink, plus experience with one or more high-level programming languages such as C, C++, or FORTRAN, are preferred.
  • Experience modeling interception control systems is preferred.
  • Experience with hypersonic flight-regime control systems 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 experience, including launch limits and loads or guidance, navigation, and control capability evaluation, is preferred.
  • Demonstrated leadership within a small project team is preferred.
  • Demonstrated ability to solve complex technical problems with simple, robust solutions is preferred.

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

Debt Financing

Total Funding

$584.2M

Headquarters

El Segundo, California

Founded

2025

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Simplify Jobs

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

Stock Options

Company Equity

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

0%

1 year growth

0%

2 year growth

-8%
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