Autopilot and Guidance Design Engineer

Help Build Europe's Hypersonic Capability   At Hypersonica, we’re redefining what’s possible in European defence technology. We exist to deliver speed, resilience, and technological independence at a pace that sets a new standard. We are a small, elite team working on problems that matter, and solving them fast.   As our Autopilot and Guidance Design Engineer, you’re not stepping into a predefined role. You’re joining a talent dense environment where every individual shapes the direction of the company. Our philosophy is to hire a small number of exceptional people with broad, deep technical capability, strong judgement, and the ability to operate autonomously.   We hire for talent, not rigid boxes. This role represents a business need, but the way it evolves will be shaped by the individual. If you’ve achieved what others said was impossible, or you bring a unique combination of skills that doesn’t fit a traditional mould, we want to hear from you. The work you do here directly contributes to Europe’s technological independence.

What you'll do

Design and develop flight critical autopilot and guidance algorithms for hypersonic vehicles, from first principles through flight validation.

Apply control theory to highly non linear, high dynamic systems operating across wide flight envelopes.

Build and own simulation environments to design, test, and validate guidance and control behaviour.

Lead MIL and SIL testing to derisk algorithms ahead of integration and flight.

Work closely with avionics, software, systems, and test engineers to ensure algorithms are robust, implementable, and flight-ready.

Use ground test and flight data to tune controllers, close assumptions, and drive rapid iteration.

Take ownership of guidance and control performance as a flight enabling capability.

Who you are

A GNC or control systems engineer with 4+ years’ experience designing autopilot or guidance systems in aerospace, space, or defence.

Deeply grounded in control theory, with the ability to reason about stability, robustness, and performance in highly dynamic, non-linear systems.

Comfortable owning algorithm behaviour end to end, from mathematical formulation through to validated performance.

Experienced working with simulation-led development, using models as decision tools rather than academic exercises.

Someone who thinks naturally in closed loops and failure modes, not idealised scenarios.

Able to balance theoretical rigour with practical implementation constraints in real flight systems.

Motivated by seeing algorithms fly, fail, and improve through test and iteration.

Energised by responsibility in a small, high-tempo team where control performance is mission-critical.

What we offer

A mission driven environment with the opportunity to work on one of Europe’s most consequential defence challenges, with direct impact on sovereign capability and security.

Daily collaboration with top experts across engineering, operations, and defence, with real opportunity to learn from the best, contribute, and grow.

High ownership and autonomy; no time tracking, no micromanagement, just clear objectives and accountability for outcomes.

A fast paced environment where good ideas are implemented quickly, and feedback from test and flight drives real decisions.

A culture that values clarity, integrity, and excellence, and supports people who take initiative and push boundaries responsibly.

Competitive compensation and real share options aligned to responsibility and impact, not tenure or hierarchy.

At Hypersonica, every hire raises the bar. We are deliberately small, intensely capable, and deeply mission-driven. If this role feels like a strong fit, or if you believe you bring something exceptional that goes beyond the description, we encourage you to apply.   Hypersonica is an equal-opportunity employer and assesses candidates solely on merit, capability, and potential.   You can apply directly to this role or reach out to Nathan Sweeney, Head of Talent. We review every application and aim to respond to all candidates within two weeks, whether the answer is yes or no.