Backend Engineer
Position, Navigation and Timing Engineer
Munich
Apply on the employer's siteRole description
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.
By joining
Hypersonica
, 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
- Architect and develop multi-sensor state estimation systems (e.g. Kalman filters) for mission-critical navigation
- Design and implement the full navigation software pipeline, from sensor ingestion to fused state output
- Develop GNSS Navigation Solution in contested or GPS-denied environments
- Build solutions robust to non-ideal conditions: sensor drift, noise, bias, dropouts, and adversarial environments
- Fuse data from non-GNSS sources (e.g. IMU, vision, radar, altimeters, etc.) to maintain navigation accuracy in GPS-denied environments
- Deliver deterministic, real-time software suitable for flight-critical systems
- Define and execute validation frameworks, including simulation and Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing
- Establish navigation system interfaces and APIs, ensuring clean integration with guidance, control, and flight software
- Model system-level failure modes and implement fault-tolerant designs (e.g. FMEA-driven architecture)
- Work closely with GNC, software, hardware, and integration teams to ensure system performance under real constraints
- Iterate rapidly using test data to improve robustness and reliability
Who You Are
- An experienced PNT or GNC Engineer with a strong record of delivering real, deployed hardware.
- Expertise in state estimation under real-world conditions (e.g. Kalman filtering with drift, bias, and noise)
- Proven experience delivering hard real-time, deterministic software systems
- Strong understanding of system-level failure modes and fault modelling (e.g. FMEA in complex systems)
- Experience with GNSS-denied or degraded navigation systems
- Background in aerospace, defence, robotics, or autonomous systems
- Experience integrating multi-modal sensors (IMU, vision, radar, LiDAR, etc.)
- Familiarity with trajectory generation, guidance, or control systems
- Experience with simulation, HIL testing, or flight validation
- Understanding of safety-critical software architecture and standards
- You’ve built systems that work outside the lab, not just in theory
- You are comfortable working with imperfect data and hard constraints
- You combine mathematical depth with engineering pragmatism
- You take ownership and deliver, even when problems are ambiguous
- You care about correctness, robustness, and real-world performance
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.
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
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