---
title: 'Guidance, Navigation, and Controls Engineer at wardstone.space'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/guidance-navigation-and-controls-engineer-wardstone-space-el-segundo-af4nyczss525'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-05'
---

# Guidance, Navigation, and Controls Engineer at wardstone.space

- **Company:** wardstone.space
- **Location:** El Segundo, CA
- **Compensation:** $100k–$160k
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-07-13
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-05
- **Apply:** https://jobs.gem.com/wardstone-space/am9icG9zdDp3OL-JbSySOu7K3hz0kAXK

## Job description

## Overview

We are looking for a Guidance, Navigation, and Controls Engineer to build and own the entire guidance, navigation, and control stack for Wardstone’s interceptors. You will design the necessary development tools and flight control algorithms to ensure that Wardstone’s interceptors hit their target. This is a highly cross-functional role. You will work closely with sensing, actuation, and propulsion engineers to deliver a performant autopilot.

## What You’ll Do

Guidance Algorithm Development

- Design guidance laws for midcourse and terminal homing under high-speed, non-linear dynamics.
- Implement proportional navigation, augmented PN, pursuit/lead guidance, and/or optimal control methods.
- Develop intercept prediction algorithms using sensed tracking and state estimation inputs. Flight Controls & Actuator Modeling
- Design and tune control loops for aerodynamic surfaces, thrust vectoring, or impulse-based actuators.
- Model actuator bandwidth, latency, saturation, and uncertainties.
- Implement robust control strategies for high-G, high-rate maneuvers. State Estimation & Sensor Fusion
- Implement EKFs/UKFs for fusing IR sensor data, IMU, GPS, and onboard timing signals.
- Build prediction and filtering pipelines that operate reliably under noise, jitter, and thermal effects.
- Develop relative navigation and target-state estimation algorithms. Simulation & 6DOF Modeling
- Build and maintain high-fidelity 6DOF simulations of interceptor dynamics.
- Integrate aerodynamic models (> Mach 1), control response, propulsion events, and sensor models.
- Run Monte Carlo and worst-case analyses to drive design decisions. Hardware-in-the-Loop & Real-World Testing
- Develop GNC software that runs on embedded hardware with hard real-time constraints.
- Conduct hardware-in-the-loop tests with scene generators and real sensors.
- Support ground-based intercept tests, including flight software tuning, data collection, and analysis. Cross-Functional Collaboration and Vehicle Design
- Influence the Vehicle Design through controllability requirements.
- Work with perception engineers to integrate vision-based tracking into guidance algorithms.
- Work with propulsion engineers on control authority, ΔV budgets, and impulse timing.
- Work with embedded engineers to implement deterministic and reliable real-time GNC pipelines.

Required Qualifications

- B.S. or M.S. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, Controls, or similar.
- Deep understanding of classical and modern control theory.
- Experience building 6DOF flight simulations (MATLAB, Simulink, Python, C++).
- Strong background in state estimation, nonlinear dynamics, filtering, or guidance algorithms.
- Hands-on experience tuning controllers for UAVs, rockets, missiles, or autonomous systems.
- Familiarity with coordinate frames, quaternion math, and navigation transformations.
- US Person or Lawful Permanent Resident status required.

Nice to Haves

- Experience with high-speed interceptors, hypersonics, or missile guidance.
- Familiarity with aerodynamics, actuator modeling, or impulse-based control.
- Experience with optimal control (MPC, LQR variants, differential games).
- Experience with embedded real-time systems, RTOS, or high-rate control loops.
- Experience integrating perception (IR/EO, CV algorithms) into closed-loop guidance.
- Experience with MIL-STD flight hardware, environmental testing, or flight qualification.

## About wardstone.space

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Wardstone builds a modular, low-cost interceptor platform for air and missile defense, designed to counter threats from Group 4 UAS to medium-range ballistic missiles.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Seed stage; raised $5M)
- **Headquarters**: El Segundo, California, USA
- **Founded**: 2025
- **Founders**: Sebastian Fischer (CEO) and Tobias Fischer

## Core Business
- **Primary industries**: Aerospace & Defense, Missile Defense, Space-Based Interceptors
- **Target customers**: U.S. Department of Defense (Space Force, Missile Defense Agency, Air Force Research Labs), allied nations
- **Mission or purpose**: To out-produce, out-innovate, and out-perform adversaries by building a modular interceptor platform that can be mass-produced, rapidly adapted, and fielded at the pace of evolving threats.

## Products & Services
- **Hailstorm (Ground-Based Interceptor)**: A right-sized, modular surface-based interceptor demonstrated in the Mojave (Mach 2.5, 40,000 ft). Uses a large particle cloud (1 km diameter) to kinetically neutralize hypersonic and ballistic missiles, reducing cost and sensing requirements.
- **Space-Based Interceptor Constellation**: Satellites equipped with kinetic interceptors designed to counter hypersonic and ballistic missiles from orbit. Part of the “Golden Dome” concept.
- **Modular Platform Architecture**: Interchangeable components allow mission-specific configuration, rapid upgrades, and parallel production across multiple suppliers.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed
- **Key Metric**: Total Funding — $5M seed round (raised from Nova Threshold, Liquid 2 Ventures, Bow Capital, B5 Capital, Allegis Capital)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Y Combinator (fall 2025 cohort), relationships with AFWERX, Space Systems Command, Air Force Research Labs, Navy Joint Special Operations Command
- **Growth Signals**: Accepted into Y Combinator; first prototype (Hailstorm-Ground) successfully flown; letters of support for a $3M SBIR grant; inbound requests for additional use cases; hiring multiple engineering roles.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Modularity**: Standardized, interchangeable components decouple production from single bottlenecks, enabling surge manufacturing and supply chain resilience.
- **Cost advantage**: Interceptors are designed to be “right-sized” to the threat, drastically reducing per-unit cost compared to traditional “exquisite” interceptors (e.g., THAAD, GMD).
- **Unique kill mechanism**: Large particle cloud increases probability of intercept without requiring precise hit-to-kill, reducing sensor and actuator costs.
- **Incremental path**: Starting with ground-based interceptors before scaling to space-based systems, allowing technology maturation and customer validation.

## Strategic Focus
- Near-term: Deliver ground-based interceptors to fill the “missing middle” threat band (Group 4 UAS to MRBMs) and secure SBIR/IRAD contracts.
- Medium-term: Deploy space-based interceptors as part of the U.S. “Golden Dome” missile defense architecture.
- Continuous improvement: Open architecture to integrate new technologies without redesigning the entire platform.

## Why Work Here
- **Mission-driven**: Direct impact on national security and countering hypersonic threats.
- **Early-stage startup**: Opportunity to shape the company’s technology and culture from the ground up.
- **Engineering focus**: Roles span mechanical, electrical, avionics, propulsion, GNC, simulation, and sensing.
- **Compensation & equity**: Competitive salaries ($100k–$160k for engineers) plus equity grants.
- **Location**: El Segundo, CA — a growing aerospace startup hub near LA Air Force Base and Space Force facilities.
- **Work environment**: Likely on-site/hybrid (El Segundo office); YC alumni culture with fast iteration and hands-on testing (e.g., Mojave flight tests).

## Sources
1. [wardstone.space](https://wardstone.space/)
2. [wardstone.space/careers](https://wardstone.space/careers)
3. [wardstone.space/ourstory](https://wardstone.space/ourstory)
4. [spacenews.com](https://spacenews.com/startup-bets-on-new-approach-to-space-based-missile-defense/)
5. [ycombinator.com](https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/wardstone)

## Other roles at wardstone.space

- [RF Sensing Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/rf-sensing-engineer-wardstone-space-el-segundo-sn8m2hqgqmy2) — El Segundo, CA
- [Business Development Intern](https://feeny.ai/job/business-development-intern-wardstone-space-el-segundo-62ac1psa2yb8) — El Segundo, CA
- [Engineering Intern](https://feeny.ai/job/engineering-intern-wardstone-space-el-segundo-rdcvr3c95qf3) — El Segundo, CA
- [Electrical Engineer - Avionics](https://feeny.ai/job/electrical-engineer-avionics-wardstone-space-el-segundo-k8h27tze6sg3) — El Segundo, CA
- [Simulation and Modeling Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/simulation-and-modeling-engineer-wardstone-space-el-segundo-7j963gyyqhar) — El Segundo, CA
- [Propulsion Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/propulsion-engineer-wardstone-space-el-segundo-5ez4q6jh0mr1) — El Segundo, CA
- [Mechanical and Structural Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/mechanical-and-structural-engineer-wardstone-space-el-segundo-wbe6s5wqvcn0) — El Segundo, CA