hero

Find jobs at planet-healing startups

Search jobs at hundreds of venture-backed climate tech companies across the portfolios of dozens of leading climate VCs

GNC Engineer

Vatn Systems

Vatn Systems

Software Engineering
Bristol, RI, USA
Posted on Oct 10, 2025

About Us: At Vatn Systems, we are at the forefront of underwater operations, developing innovative autonomous underwater vehicles that push the boundaries of technology. We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated Senior Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) Engineer with a focus on inertial navigation to join our growing team. This role offers a unique opportunity to contribute to the advancement of underwater navigation systems in challenging environments.

Position Overview: As a GNC Engineer specializing in inertial navigation, you will be responsible for designing, developing, and implementing advanced inertial navigation algorithms for our autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). You will collaborate with a cross-functional team of engineers and researchers to enhance the performance and reliability of our navigation systems.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Develop and implement sophisticated estimation and inertial navigation algorithms for AUVs, including sensor fusion and error correction techniques
  • Conduct extensive simulations and field tests to validate and refine inertial navigation systems
  • Integrate inertial navigation solutions with other AUV subsystems, including guidance and control modules
  • Perform detailed analysis and performance evaluation of inertial navigation systems.
  • Lead troubleshooting and resolution of inertial navigation-related issues
  • Mentor junior engineers and provide technical guidance in inertial navigation and GNC practices
  • Keep abreast of the latest advancements in inertial navigation technologies and apply them to our projects

Qualifications:

  • Master's or Ph.D. degree in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field from an accredited program
  • 4+ years of experience in developing and implementing inertial navigation systems
  • Knowledge of real-time operating systems and embedded systems
  • Experience developing and implementing real-time global positioning, navigation, and timing systems with more than just a GPS aiding source
  • Strong analytical, theoretical, and problem-solving skills with a proven track record of successful project delivery
  • Deep understanding of inertial measurement units, sensor fusion algorithms, sensor modeling, and error modeling
  • Proficiency in Python and C/C++ programming, Rust is a bonus
  • Excellent communication skills and the ability to convey complex technical concepts clearly

Preferred Skills:

  • Experience with GPS denied navigation (particularly naturally occurring aiding sources)
  • Experience with collaborative navigation
  • Experience with simultaneous localization and mapping
  • Experience with underwater vehicles or robotics is desirable
  • Experience with AUV-specific sensors and integration, including sonar and Doppler Velocity Log
  • Experience with Guidance and Control
  • Experience with programming microcontrollers such as an STM32
  • Familiarity with machine learning techniques applied to navigation problems