Mission Planning Engineer - GNC
Harmattan Ai
Mission Planning Engineer (Guidance, Navigation, Control)
Location
Washington D.C.
Employment Type
Full time
Location Type
On-site
Department
R&D
About Us
Harmattan AI is a next-generation defense prime building autonomous and scalable defense systems. Following the close of a $200M Series B, valuing the company at $1.4 billion, we are expanding our teams and capabilities to deliver mission-critical systems to allied forces.
Our work is guided by clear values: building technologies with real-world impact, pursuing excellence in everything we do, setting ambitious goals, and taking on the hardest technical challenges. We operate in a demanding environment where rigor, ownership, and execution are expected.
About the Role
As a Mission Planning Engineer, you’ll design and implement the Guidance, Navigation, and Control algorithms that translate high-level mission goals into actionable guidance for autonomous robots and multi-agent systems. You’ll bridge cutting-edge research and field-ready autonomy, ensuring our systems are both intelligent and predictable in live operations.
Responsibilities
Design algorithms that decompose high-level missions into structured, solvable guidance tasks for autonomous robots.
Develop and optimize mission and path-planning frameworks for autonomous systems.
Build scalable backend integrations for mission guidance and execution.
Run simulations and validation campaigns to assess autonomy consistency across diverse mission types.
Partner with AI/ML, backend, and product teams to ensure algorithms are efficient, testable, and deployable in real-time environment
Candidate Requirements
Education: Ph.D. or M.S. in Aerospace Engineering, Robotics, Applied Math, AI, or related field.
Experience: Proven experience designing and deploying mission- or path-planning algorithms in aerospace, defense, or robotics.
Technical Skills: Strong coding in Python and C++ (or MATLAB for prototyping). Deep understanding of autonomous decision-making, multi-agent coordination, and simulation frameworks.
Mindset: Ability to move from research prototype to production-grade system
Clearance: Eligible for U.S. DoD Security Clearance.
Commitment: 100% dedication to Harmattan AI’s mission, vision, and ambitious growth plans, ready to go the extra mile to ensure operational excellence.
Location and Commitments
Contract Type: Full-time / Permanent
Work Schedule: DMV area (D.C. / Maryland / Virginia) / On-site
Compensation: $165K-$190K + equity + benefits
Start Date: November 2025
We look forward to hearing how you can help shape the future of autonomous defense systems at Harmattan AI.
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