GNC / Autopilot Engineering Manager

Job description

At Stark, we forge the future of European and national security through cutting-edge, AI-driven technology and unmatched engineering precision. As a premier defence technology company, our mission is clear: to equip NATO Allies and their partners with next-generation autonomous defence platforms and advanced AI-driven software built to perform in the world’s most demanding environments. We believe that true security stems from relentless innovation. By combining elite engineering talent with agile technology and an AI-native operational culture, Stark turns complex defence challenges into field-tested, multi-domain solutions. Why Join Us? The software and systems you work on directly protect personnel and defend European and national sovereignty. You will work alongside industry-leading minds on autonomous systems, advanced propulsion, and secure cyber platforms. We foster a fast-paced, collaborative environment where bold ideas are supported by serious R&D backing. Your Mission You will own the flight control and navigation stack that keeps our autonomous platforms stable, predictable, and precise — from first power-on to final approach (GNC = Guidance, Navigation, Control) . This isn't a maintenance role: you're building the control and state-estimation foundation that every other system on the platform depends on, while growing a team of engineers who can own that responsibility with you. Success looks like a navigation and control stack that performs reliably under the demanding, contested conditions our systems are built for. Responsibilities Lead and grow a fast-expanding team of engineers working on flight control, guidance, and state estimation Facilitate and execute the technical direction for the STARK autopilot stack: control theory (PID/LQR/MPC), sensor fusion architecture, state estimation (EKF/UKF), and real-time performance Partner with hardware, perception, and systems engineering teams to ensure navigation performance holds end-to-end, not just in isolation Own technical roadmap planning for your domain and represent it to your Director and cross-functional stakeholders Bring software engineering best practices to the team such as the C4 architecture model, clean code principles and software design patterns Moderate the peer review process with the team and ensure knowledge sharing and across different seniorities Drive hiring, mentoring, a…