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P13272 Sr Engineering Manager- Guidance, Navigation and Control Verified today

Sierra Space · 2 Locations · Space Systems · first seen 2026-10-02
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About the Role

The Sr Manager, Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) Engineering provides senior technical and organizational leadership across multiple GNC disciplines, including guidance, navigation, controls, and sensor integration. You will combine significant individual technical leadership on major programs with direct supervision of managers and senior engineers, driving strategy, execution, and outcomes of large-scale GNC projects that impact multiple areas of the organization.

Key Responsibilities

  • Provide significant individual technical leadership on major programs, owning complex GNC analyses and shaping technical approaches for high-impact deliverables
  • Apply advanced expertise in modern control theory, state estimation, sensor fusion, and trajectory optimization
  • Develop and implement advanced GNC methodologies including adaptive control, navigation, and fault-tolerant architectures for high-reliability applications
  • Provide strategic direction on complex GNC architectures for aerospace or autonomous systems
  • Apply in-depth knowledge of industry standards and regulations related to flight control systems, avionics certification, and qualification requirements
  • Influence certification strategies as needed
  • Drive strategy and success of larger GNC projects contributing to multiple areas of the organization, including critical flight control systems for complex missions
  • Directly supervise managers and senior engineers across guidance, navigation, controls, and sensor integration teams
  • Support the Director in shaping long-range GNC engineering roadmaps with technical insight, resource planning, and cross-disciplinary strategic input
  • Develop Integrated Master Schedule (IMS) tasks and create long-term plans and Gantt charts for program execution
  • Support internal and external proposals and Statements of Work (SOWs)
  • Manage budgets
  • Lead major organizational or technology transformations, including adoption of new engineering processes, tools, or structures
  • Solve complex, ambiguous technical challenges requiring conceptual thinking and understanding of organizational and market contexts
  • Communicate high-stakes technical content to executives, partners, and external stakeholders
  • Champion company values and enforce high standards of technical excellence
  • Mentor, develop, and scale engineering leadership talent

Minimum Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field (or equivalent work experience)
  • Minimum of five years of relevant guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) engineering management experience through a technical leadership or managerial role
  • Advanced expertise in GNC principles including modern control theory, state estimation, sensor fusion, and trajectory optimization, with ability to provide strategic direction on complex GNC architectures for aerospace or autonomous systems
  • Experience managing activities of multiple GNC disciplines and providing direct supervision to managers and senior engineers across guidance, navigation, controls, and sensor integration teams
  • Demonstrated ability to drive strategy and success of larger GNC projects contributing to multiple areas of the organization, including critical flight control systems for complex missions
  • Demonstrated ability to drive program strategy, execution, and outcomes impacting multiple business areas, including aircraft or spacecraft development efforts
  • Exceptional communication skills with experience presenting high-stakes technical content to executives, partners, and external stakeholders
  • Ability to solve complex, ambiguous technical challenges requiring conceptual thinking and understanding of organizational and market contexts
  • Ability to champion company values and enforce high standards of technical excellence

Preferred Qualifications

  • In-depth knowledge of industry standards and regulations related to flight control systems, avionics certification, and qualification requirements, with ability to influence certification strategies
  • Experience developing and implementing advanced GNC methodologies including adaptive control, navigation, and fault-tolerant architectures for high-reliability applications
  • Experience supporting a Director in shaping long-range GNC engineering roadmaps, including technical insight, resource planning, and cross-disciplinary strategic input
  • Experience developing Integrated Master Schedule (IMS) tasks, creating long-term plans and Gantt charts for program execution, and supporting internal and external proposals and Statements of Work (SOWs)
  • Experience managing budgets
  • Experience leading major organizational or technology transformations, including adoption of new engineering processes, tools, or structures
  • Strong capability in mentoring, developing, and scaling engineering leadership talent

Compensation

Pay Range: $192,239.00 - $264,328.25

Your actual base compensation will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on job-related knowledge and skills, education, experience, internal equity and market competitiveness.

Benefits

Sierra Space offers a generous benefit package including medical, dental, and vision plans, 401(k) with 150% match up to 6%, life insurance, and 3 weeks paid time off.