Job Title: Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) Engineer Location: [Pune, Maharastra] Company: Astrophel Aerospace Pvt. Ltd. Employment Type: Full-time Department: Avionics / Flight Systems About Astrophel Aerospace Astrophel Aerospace is an Indian space-tech startup building advanced launch vehicles with a strong focus on in-house engineering and rapid innovation. Our mission is to make space more accessible by developing reliable, high-performance, and cost-effective launch solutions. We're a passionate team of engineers and dreamers, redefining whats possible from the ground up. Role Overview We are looking for a highly motivated and skilled GNC Engineer to join our multidisciplinary engineering team. You will be responsible for the development and implementation of guidance, navigation, and control algorithms and systems for our launch vehicles. You will work across simulation, flight software, and hardware-in-the-loop testing to ensure safe and precise flight. Key Responsibilities Design and develop GNC algorithms for launch vehicles, including trajectory optimization, guidance laws, navigation filters (e.g., Kalman filters), and control laws. Model vehicle dynamics and simulate full flight profiles in 6DOF environments. Implement and test navigation systems using IMUs, GPS, and other sensors. Collaborate with avionics, propulsion, and software teams for integrated vehicle simulations and closed-loop performance verification. Design attitude control systems for various flight phases including lift-off, ascent, coast, and reentry (if applicable). Develop tools and frameworks for real-time GNC analysis, tuning, and validation. Participate in pre-flight simulations, hardware-in-the-loop testing, and post-flight data analysis. Support system integration, test campaigns, and launch operations as required. Qualifications Required: Bachelors/Masters degree in Aerospace Engineering, Control Systems, Robotics, or a related field. Strong fundamentals in flight dynamics, control theory, estimation, and numerical optimization. Experience with MATLAB/Simulink and/or Python for simulation and modeling. Familiarity with state estimation techniques (e.g., Kalman filtering). Experience with embedded systems and real-time implementation of control algorithms. Excellent problem-solving skills and a passion for precision. Preferred: Hands-on experience in launch vehicle or UAV GNC systems. Familiarity with embedded C/C++ and software-in-the-loop / hardware-in-the-loop testing. Knowledge of sensor fusion techniques and real-time navigation systems. Understanding of failure modes and fault-tolerant control. What We Offer A chance to work on India’s most advanced private launch systems. Flat team structure and high ownership of projects. Access to state-of-the-art tools, facilities, and testbeds. A collaborative team driven by passion and a hunger to innovate. Competitive compensation and performance-based incentives.
