Location: Chicago, IL (Onsite)
Ascend Engineering develops autonomy and flight software for next-generation unmanned aerial systems. Our work includes PX4 and ArduPilot development , navigation systems, perception integration, and autonomy software for UAV manufacturers, robotics companies, and defense programs.
We are looking for a Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) Engineer to help develop and deploy flight autonomy capabilities for UAV platforms, particularly in challenging or GPS-denied environments.
This role focuses on analyzing and tuning flight control systems, modifying estimation algorithms, and developing software that runs on onboard UAV computers. The role also involves hands-on work with hardware and flight testing , and therefore requires working onsite with our team in Chicago.
** Must have at least 2 years of work experience **
Responsibilities
- Analyze and tune multi-loop UAV control systems (rate, attitude, velocity, position)
- Diagnose vehicle performance using flight logs and real-world test data
- Modify and tune state estimation systems , including Extended Kalman Filters (EKF)
- Develop software for onboard UAV computers to control and interact with flight controllers
- Implement navigation solutions for GPS-denied or degraded environments
- Work with PX4 or ArduPilot flight stacks to modify behavior and integrate new capabilities
- Support airframe integration, sensor integration, and flight testing
- Develop and validate autonomy capabilities from simulation through flight test
Ideal Candidate
- Degree in Aerospace Engineering, Robotics, Control Systems, or similar field
- Strong understanding of flight dynamics and control systems
- Experience tuning PID-based flight control systems
- Experience working with Extended Kalman Filters (EKF) or similar estimation systems
- Experience analyzing UAV flight logs and tuning vehicle performance
- Experience writing C++ or Python software for robotics or embedded systems
- Comfortable working with real hardware and flight testing
Bonus Experience
- Experience with PX4 or ArduPilot
- Experience with MATLAB / Simulink
- Experience with visual-inertial navigation, SLAM, or sensor fusion
- Experience with ROS / ROS2
- Experience modifying UAV airframes or integrating sensors