About Careertakes

👉 Important disclosure: Careertakes is a third-party recruiting platform supporting this hiring process. If selected, you will be employed directly by our client, a confidential client in the defense technology and engineering industry.

Applicants for this role may also receive access to additional matched opportunities through the Careertakes platform.

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What You’ll Do

• Assist in the design and development of flight software algorithms, guidance/navigation/control (GNC) systems, or analytical/simulation models.
• Participate in integration and testing of software and hardware components in lab, ground, and flight test environments.
• Collect, analyze, and interpret data from simulations and flight tests to drive system improvements.
• Work cross-functionally with hardware, systems, and test teams to resolve engineering issues and improve performance.
• Contribute creative problem-solving and hands-on implementation to advance UAS and missile-related autonomous systems.

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What We’re Looking For

Required qualifications (must have):

• Pursuing or recently completed a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a closely related field.
• U.S. Person status is required due to export-controlled information/facilities; security clearance eligibility may be required on certain programs.
• Available to start full-time in 2027.

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Preferred Qualifications

• Strong foundation in software development (for flight software roles), control theory (for GNC), or analytical modeling/simulation (for MSA).
• Interest in autonomous systems, UAS, and missile technologies.
• Hands-on experience with student Design-Build-Fly teams, robotics competitions (FIRST, VEX), collegiate rocketry, or similar.
• Experience integrating flight hardware (servos/actuators, IMUs, magnetometers, GNSS receivers, radios) and familiarity with serial protocols (UART, CAN, I2C, SPI).
• Exposure to autopilot frameworks such as ArduPilot or PX4, and to Software-in-the-Loop (SITL) / Hardware-in-the-Loop (HITL) workflows.
• Comfortable with post-flight data analysis using Python, MATLAB, or similar tools; basic use of multimeters/oscilloscopes a plus.

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Compensation & Benefits

• Base salary range (U.S.): $112,000 - $149,000 USD (base salary only). This range is provided to comply with pay-transparency laws and may vary with experience, education, and skills.
• Competitive equity grants are commonly included in full-time offers.
• Comprehensive benefits (health, disability, retirement, etc.) are provided — details available from the hiring organization.

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Location & Eligibility

• Primary location: Costa Mesa, CA, United States. This role is eligible for telecommute/remote work (jobLocationType: TELECOMMUTE); candidates should be prepared to coordinate with teams across locations and, when required, attend on-site testing.
• Candidates must be U.S. Persons. Program-specific clearance eligibility may be required.
• Target start: full-time in 2027.

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Protecting Yourself from Recruitment Scams

• Legitimate recruiters will never ask for money or request payment for interviews or job offers.
• Verify recruiter identity before sharing personal information — ask for a company email address and check the recruiting agency’s credentials if contacted by a third party.
• Be cautious of unsolicited communications that contain poor grammar, pressure tactics, or unusual requests. If you suspect fraud, do not engage and report it to Careertakes.

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Equal Opportunity & Hiring Transparency

Careertakes and our client are Equal Opportunity Employers committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. We prohibit discrimination or harassment of any kind. To support a fair and efficient hiring process, AI tools may be used to assist with application review or resume screening. These tools do not replace human decision-making. Final hiring decisions are made by people.

If you have questions about how your data is used, please contact us directly.