What A Guidance Navigation Controls Engineer In Aerospace Wishes They Had Known Before Entering The Industry
Ife, a GN&C Engineer, advises that the title "guidance navigation controls engineer" is deceptively broad, with day-to-day responsibilities varying significantly even within a single company; the work performed by those with the same title can differ substantially, depending on whether the focus is on "guidance," "navigation," or "control."
Industry Realities, Career Exploration, Job Search, Hard Truths, Workplace Challenges
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Ife Ibitayo
GN&C Engineer
Aerospace Company
University of Texas at Austin 2017
Purdue University, MS in Mechanical Engineering
Engineering - Aerospace
Aerospace, Aviation & Defense
Product / Service / Software Development and Management
Video Highlights
1. The title "Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GN&C) Engineer" can have different meanings across companies and even within the same company. The day-to-day tasks can vary significantly depending on the specific focus (guidance, navigation, or control).
2. It's important to clarify the specific responsibilities and tasks associated with a GN&C Engineer role before accepting a position, to ensure it aligns with your interests and career goals.
3. Researching the specific responsibilities and focus of different GN&C roles within various companies is crucial for finding a suitable position that matches your preferences and skillsets.
Transcript
What have you learned about this role that you wish someone would have told you before you entered the industry?
One important, more generalizable point is that you have to be careful with titles. My title was Guidance Navigation Controls Engineer.
This looked very different, not just across the industry, but even within our company. Some of us focused on guidance, some on navigation, and some on controls.
We had the same titles, but what we actually did on a day-to-day basis looked very different. This can be good or bad, depending on what type of person you are and what you want to be doing. Just having that realization is really helpful for the future.
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