Flight Dynamics Engineer (GNC)

The Role:

Helogen is seeking a Flight Dynamics Engineer (GNC) in Austin, Texas to design, develop, and validate the guidance, navigation, and control systems that enable our aerospace vehicles to operate safely and effectively throughout flight. You'll be joining a small team of high-caliber engineers, scientists, and operators united by the belief that the microgravity environment of space represents one of the greatest untapped opportunities in the history of medicine and industry. We value execution over perfection, clarity over complexity, and ownership over handholding. We move quickly, learn fast, and adapt as the company evolves.

As our Flight Dynamics Engineer, you'll develop the simulations, flight dynamics models, estimation systems, and GNC algorithms that support vehicle development from early concept through mission execution. You’ll be hands-on with vehicle testing and validation, helping translate theoretical performance into real-world flight. Your work will help ensure our vehicles can accurately navigate and perform as intended across a range of mission conditions.

This role is ideal for an engineer with a strong foundation in physics, controls, and simulation who has experience working on real vehicles. As an early member of the engineering team, you'll have real ownership over your work and a direct hand in shaping the systems that will power Helogen's future.

Responsibilities:

• Design, develop, and validate GNC systems for advanced aerospace vehicles and mission platforms

• Build high-fidelity simulations, flight dynamics models, and mission analysis tools that drive vehicle development decisions

• Perform trajectory design, performance analysis, maneuver planning, and vehicle optimization across a range of mission scenarios

• Develop estimation, navigation, guidance, control, and autonomy algorithms for flight systems

• Build and operate software-in-the-loop (SIL) and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation environments to support testing and validation

• Perform Monte Carlo analyses, dispersion studies, and system performance assessments

• Work closely with systems, software, avionics, structures, thermal, and mission operations teams throughout the development lifecycle

• Support vehicle integration, environmental testing, qualification campaigns, and flight readiness activities

• Contribute to flight software architecture, autonomy frameworks, and fault management strategies

• Participate in mission planning, flight operations, anomaly investigations, and post-flight analysis

• Help define technical roadmaps, engineering standards, and future vehicle capabilities

What We're Looking For:

• Requirements:

  • Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD in Aerospace Engineering, Controls Engineering, Physics, Applied Mathematics, Robotics, Computer Science, or a related technical field

  • Experience developing guidance, navigation, control, autonomy, robotics, flight dynamics, mission analysis, or simulation systems

  • Hands-on experience supporting a flight vehicle or mission through development, testing, and operational deployment

  • Strong fundamentals in dynamics, estimation, control theory, and systems modeling

  • Proficiency in MATLAB, Simulink, Python, C++, Julia, or equivalent technical computing environments

  • Comfortable developing analytical tools, simulations, algorithms, or software for complex engineering systems

  • Practical understanding of the gap between simulation and real-world flight behavior

  • Sound engineering judgment and the ability to make confident decisions with incomplete information

  • Strong first-principles engineering and problem-solving skills

  • Excellent communication and collaboration skills

  • Demonstrated ownership of technical projects from concept through implementation

• Nice to have:

  • GNC or flight dynamics experience on atmospheric flight systems, spacecraft, launch vehicles, autonomous systems, or defense platforms

  • State estimation, sensor fusion, and navigation system development

  • Autonomous vehicle development and mission planning

  • Experience supporting vehicle testing, qualification, flight operations, or anomaly resolution

  • Hardware-in-the-loop and software-in-the-loop simulation environment development

  • Flight software development, verification, and validation

  • Experience taking flight systems from concept through deployment

  • Startup or rapid hardware development program experience

Compensation:

The salary range for this position is $150,000-$180,000 with equity offered. Qualified candidates must be based in Austin, Texas or willing to relocate there.

Benefits:

• Unlimited PTO

• Health, dental, vision and life insurance

• 401(k) program

• Membership to OneMedical

• Be part of creating something new that will change the world

Export Control Requirements

Due to the nature of the work performed, applicants must be a U.S. Person as defined by U.S.* export control regulations or otherwise eligible to access export-controlled information and technology.
*U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident, or protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) (i.e., individual admitted to the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum in the U.S.)