GNC Intern

Job description

Dufour Aerospace is pioneering drones for critical missions. Based in Switzerland, Dufour develops and manufactures efficient and sustainable VTOL aircraft for cargo transportation, logistics, and public safety. We are seeking a highly motivated intern to join our Control Systems Team. This is a unique opportunity to gain deep insights into our advanced systems and contribute directly to core technology. The successful candidate will contribute to the development of automated validation infrastructure and advanced flight control capabilities for autonomous aerial systems. Tasks Design and implement automated testing and validation workflows using our in-house nonlinear flight simulation environment Develop analysis tools and infrastructure to validate flight control software against system and control requirements Perform comprehensive simulation-in-the-loop (SIL) and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing to verify new features and ensure system stability Develop and maintain unit tests for flight control software components Contribute to the development and improvement of in-house flight control algorithms, including model-based and robust control approaches, handling of degraded modes and aircraft failure scenarios, taking projects from algorithm design through simulation, integration, and field testing Support technical documentation efforts, including requirement derivation, validation procedures, and engineering documentation Requirements Background in Robotics, GNC, Aerospace or a related technical field Solid programming skills, particularly in Python and C++ Familiarity with Git and collaborative software development workflows, including CI/CD Knowledge of linear control theory and model-based control methods Experience within aerospace or aerial robotics is a plus Hands-on experience through projects, student teams, research, internships, or industry work is preferred Good knowledge of English, both spoken and written Applicable work permit 6-month minimum Benefits Opportunity to work on cutting-edge UAS technology and shape the future of aviation. Collaborative, innovative, and safety-focused work environment. We offer flexible working hours. We also provide our employees with tea, coffee and snacks. Dufour Aerospace is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from all qualified individuals regardless of race, sex, gender identity, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age.