Senior GNC Engineer (Navigation)

Castelion Corporation
Torrance +1 more
On-site

Who this role is best for

Strong fit for candidates with hands-on test engineering experience who lead cross-functional projects and work in defense or aerospace domains.

Best fit for

  • Candidates with hands-on lab experience and systems-level reasoning in avionics and control systems
    — “blends hands-on lab work with systems-level reasoning and close collaboration with electrical, controls, software, and mechanical engineering teams”
  • Individuals with a background in automated test equipment and embedded control systems
    — “hands-on experience developing automated test equipment using instruments such as oscilloscopes, DMMs, power supplies, loads, switch matrices, network analyzers, etc.”
  • Candidates who have led test integration and supported DVT or qualification campaigns
    — “Ability to work independently and lead cross-functional test integration”

Things to consider

  • Potential need for U.S. citizenship and security clearance due to export-controlled information access
    — “This position requires access to export-controlled information”
  • Candidates must be prepared for possible changes in duties and responsibilities over time
    — “Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice”

How to stand out

  • Highlight experience in designing test fixtures and automated test stations
    — “Design and build test fixtures, HIL environments, and automated test rigs”
  • Emphasize your ability to validate hardware performance across multiple domains
    — “Validate hardware performance across electrical, digital, mechanical, and RF metrics”
  • Showcase your skills in instrumentation control and data acquisition using Python or C++
    — “Experience with instrumentation control and data acquisition (Python, C++, protobufs, scripting)”
  • Demonstrate leadership in failure analysis and root-cause investigations
    — “Lead failure analysis and root-cause investigations”
  • Position yourself as experienced in environmental test campaigns and reliability qualification
    — “Drive qualification and environmental test campaigns (thermal, vibe, EMI)”
Pace · Fast PacedCollaboration · HighAutonomy · MediumDecision Impact · Team

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

  • Develop and execute test plans at component, subassembly, and integrated system levels
Typical background
B.S./M.S. in Electrical, Mechanical, Mechatronics, Aerospace, or related

Skills & requirements

Required

Experience Testing High-power SubsystemsHands-on Experience Developing Automated Test EquipmentFamiliarity With Embedded Control Systems And InterfacesExperience With Instrumentation Control And Data Acquisition

Preferred

Experience In RF Testing FundamentalsExperience With Software Development For Test Automation

Stack & domain

Test PlansTest FixturesAutomated Test StationsHIL EnvironmentsRF AssembliesMotion ControlFlight AvionicsPythonC++ProtobufsSCPIVISAPyvisaCANRs-422/485SPIEthernetEmbedded Control SystemsRF TestingRadar ArchitectureEnvironmental ChambersRF ChambersESSFault InjectionFailure Mode TestingReliability QualificationFlight TestLaunch OperationsCommunicationTeam PlayerIndependent WorkChange ManagementAvionicsControl Systems

About the role

Original posting from Castelion Corporation via Greenhouse

Why Castelion, Why Now 

Castelion is moving incredibly fast to develop and deliver advanced defense systems at a time when execution matters more than ever. We believe focus, ownership, and excellence are decisive advantages - and we're building a world-class team to turn bold ideas into real capability. 

This is a rare opportunity to join at an early stage, where you'll have significant ownership, collaborate with exceptional teammates, and make a direct, measurable impact on our mission and the future of the company - regardless of your function.  

Senior Avionics Test Engineer 

We are looking for a Senior Avionics Test Engineer to architect and execute the full suite of hardware test capabilities needed to move our avionics and control systems from prototype to production. In this role, you will own test requirements, automated test equipment (ATE) development, integration, validation, and performance characterization across domains including power electronics, digital interfaces, RF assemblies, motion control, and flight avionics.

You will design fixtures, build automated test stations, support DVT and qualification, and define the test performance envelope for components, circuit cards, and integrated sub-systems. This role blends hands-on lab work with systems-level reasoning and close collaboration with electrical, controls, software, and mechanical engineering teams.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute test plans at component, subassembly, and integrated system levels

Design and build test fixtures, HIL environments, and automated test rigs

Validate hardware performance across electrical, digital, mechanical, and RF metrics

Instrument and log tests to ensure precision and traceability

Lead failure analysis and root-cause investigations

Support hardware teams by feeding test results back into design cycles

Drive qualification and environmental test campaigns (thermal, vibe, EMI)

Deploy and validate automated test equipment for boards and sub-systems

Basic Qualifications

B.S./M.S. in Electrical, Mechanical, Mechatronics, Aerospace, or related

Experience testing high-power subsystems, high-speed digital interfaces, actuators, or RF hardware

Hands-on experience developing automated test equipment using instruments such as oscilloscopes, DMMs, power supplies, loads, switch matrices, network analyzers, etc.

Familiarity with embedded control systems and interfaces (CAN, RS-422/485, SPI, Ethernet)

Experience with instrumentation control and data acquisition (Python, C++, protobufs, scripting)

Ability to work independently and lead cross-functional test integration

Preferred Skills and Experience

Experience in RF testing fundamentals or more advanced knowledge of Radar architecture

Experience with software development for test automation for digital, power, and RF electronics (Python preferred)

Experience controlling test instrumentation using SCPI, VISA, or PyVISA commands

Experience developing GUIs or dashboards

Experience in writing custom scripts for data analysis & database creation

Experience writing software for Environmental Chambers and/or RF Chambers

Exposure to flight-like test environments, including environmental stress screening (ESS)

Experience with fault injection, failure mode testing, and reliability qualification for mission-critical systems

Working knowledge of C/C++ or Python for custom test tooling or embedded systems debugging

Background supporting flight test or launch operations.

Castelion offers a generous benefits package. Please refer to the bottom of our Careers page for more details.  

Other Duties 

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice. 

Additional Eligibility Requirements 

This position may require access to classified information or restricted U.S. Government sites, systems, or information, as determined by the Company and/or applicable U.S. Government requirements. If the position is so designated, your employment in the role may be contingent upon your ability to obtain and maintain the required U.S. Government security clearance or other government authorization, and to satisfy any citizenship or other eligibility requirements imposed by applicable law, regulation, executive order, or government contract requirements. You will be notified if and when such requirements apply. 

Affirmative Action/EEO Statement 

Castelion is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. 

Castelion is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities throughout the application and hiring process. If you require a reasonable accommodation to complete an application, participate in the interview process, or otherwise participate in the hiring process, please contact hr@castelion.com. Requests for accommodation will be considered on an individual basis and handled in accordance with applicable law. 

Castelion is committed to fostering a workplace where employment decisions are based on qualifications, business needs, and the ability to perform the essential functions of the role, with or without reasonable accommodation. 

EAR/ITAR Requirements 

This position requires access to export-controlled information, and as such, employment (or hiring of a contractor) is contingent upon the candidate’s ability to access all applicable export-controlled information without additional export licensing being required by the Bureau of Industry and Security and/or the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls. 

Source: Castelion Corporation careers (Greenhouse)

Similar roles