Valinor
Technology
GNCEngineer
Neural analysis suggests this role is
optimal for Senior candidates.
“GNC Engineer at Valinor. Skills: Guidance, Navigation, Control, Flight Controls, VTOL Aircraft, Control Systems. Own GNC stack. Own VTOL transition logic”
Industry & Context.
Root cause analysis; Debugging; Troubleshooting
Eligible for security clearance, Active clearance preferred
What They're Looking For.
Must Have
4+ years flight controls experience, 4+ years GNC engineering experience, PX4 familiarity, Fixed-wing platform experience, VTOL platform experience, Read flight logs, Diagnose control system issues, Aerodynamic modeling pipelines familiarity, Python scripting ability, MATLAB/Simulink experience, Classical control theory, Modern control theory, Rigid body dynamics, State estimation fundamentals, Comfortable in field, Execute flight tests
Nice to Have
TECS implementation experience, NPFG implementation experience, L1 guidance implementation experience, EKF-based state estimators experience, MAVLink experience, UAV communication protocols experience, NDAA compliance requirements familiarity, Support operational demonstrations, Support field deployments
What You'll Do.
Own VTOL transition logic
Own fixed-wing control laws
Own multicopter controller
Implement control laws
Iterate on control laws
Translate theoretical designs
Test parameters in field
Conduct flight test campaigns
Execute in-field tests
Close loop with analysis
Debug flight anomalies
Build flight dynamics model
Maintain flight dynamics model
Extract aerodynamic coefficients
Validate aerodynamic coefficients
Integrate CFD outputs
Develop simulation environment
Maintain simulation environment
Prototype control laws
Linearize control laws
Analyze stability margins
De-risk parameter changes
Work with software team
Support autopilot integration
Support sensor fusion
Support estimator configuration
Support customer demonstrations
Ensure vehicle reliability
Ensure vehicle gracefulness
How You'll Work.
Team & Collaboration
Small cross-functional team; Work with Chief Engineer
Full Job Description
Valinor is a new type of defense and government tech company focused on solving the problems others don't. Our unique model of centralized go-to-market and decentralized engineering allows us to move with unparalleled efficiency to identify unmet needs, build right-sized solutions, and get products where they matter most - in the hands of users. Unlike others in the space, who focus on the flashy problems, Valinor exists to solve the quiet, unaddressed problems-the small but significant ones that lead to cracks in the country's strength, stability, and security. Backed by General Catalyst, Founders Fund, and Friends & Family Capital, Valinor was founded in 2024 and has established strategic partnerships with Palantir, Anduril, and Helsing. We are building the dream team, and we want you on it. ABOUT THE ROLE Valinor Condor is building the next generation of autonomous VTOL aircraft for defense and enterprise applications. We're a small, technical team moving fast — our vehicle is flying, our customers are real, and the work spans simulation to real life. We're seeking a Flight Controls & GNC Engineer to own the guidance, navigation, and control stack on our VTOL platform. This is a senior individual contributor role with direct ownership of flight performance — from control law architecture to day-of-demo parameter tuning. You'll work closely with the Chief Engineer and a small cross-functional team. You'll be our technical authority on everything from transition logic and rate controller design to aero model development and stability analysis. WHAT YOU'LL DO Flight Controls & Tuning - Own the full GNC stack on our drone: PX4 code, VTOL transition logic, fixed-wing control laws (TECS, NPFG, attitude/rate loops), multicopter controller - Design, implement, and iterate on control laws; translate theoretical controller designs into flight-validated parameters, and test them in the field to tune the aircraft - Conduct structured flight test campaigns — define test cards
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