Advanced Mission Design Engineer

Are you passionate about human space exploration, understanding the origins of the universe, and working with a passionate and diverse team to make a difference? If you are, we need you!

We need your talent, teamwork, and energy to help us achieve great things that inspire people all over the globe. We need you to bring creative ideas and diverse backgrounds to help us envision, shape, and deliver systems that will enable the exploration of space while benefiting people here on Earth. We are excited about what we do, and we need you on our team as we take on exciting challenges for NASA’s pursuits in deep space exploration. Amentum is NASA’s largest engineering solutions provider working together with NASA at centers across the United States.

We are looking for a Advanced Mission Design Engineer to join the JETSII contract with Nexus, a teammate company. The Advanced Mission Design Team will be providing mission analysis and design across the Orion and commercial crew programs.

The selected applicant will:

• Provide trajectory products supporting spacecraft mission design & analysis for advanced Orion crewed missions such as Artemis I-III and related missions.
• Perform trajectory optimization runs to characterize vehicle performance and mission availability for a variety of scenarios.
• Develop, integrate, and test new algorithms for evaluation of vehicle and mission performance.
• Provide software development and scripting of NASA’s Copernicus trajectory optimization tool and related applications.
• Integrate Copernicus with other trajectory software and tools.
• Develop requirements documentation for mission design products.
• Provide recommendations for improvements in design and software development processes.
• Perform other duties as required.

Requisition Qualifications:

​This position has been posted at multiple levels. Depending on the candidate's experience, requirements, and business needs, we reserve the right to consider candidates at any level for which this position has been advertised.

• Typically requires a bachelor's degree in Engineering and a minimum of 2- 5 years of experience in the field or in a related area.
• Experience with orbital mechanics and designing spacecraft trajectories.
• Experience with development of spacecraft mission design algorithms and analyzing spacecraft performance.
• Experience developing, verifying, and validating simulation models.
• Excellent communication skills
• Experience working in a team environment consisting of NASA civil servants and contractors.
• Strong interpersonal skills to enable successful performance in a collaborative environment.
• Ability to organize and prioritize tasks to meet deadlines and schedules with limited supervision.
• Ability to prepare written documents and to verbally present at meetings.
• Experience with Microsoft Office products.
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Preferences:

• PhD in Aerospace Engineering with a focus on trajectory design, optimization, and orbital mechanics
• Experience with 3-DOF spacecraft simulations
• Proficiency in software development using programming languages such as Modern Fortran, Python, C++, bash, and Julia.
• Experience with Python package management systems such as conda/mamba
• Experience with 3D graphics libraries such as OpenSceneGraph, OpenGL, and OpenFrames.
• Experience with GUI development in Python and Qt
• Experience with multiple operating systems such as Windows, macOS Linux
• Experience with product delivery and management
• Experience with source code management tools such as Git/GitLab and continuous integration systems such as GitlabCI

Compensation:

• Salary starts at $83,700. Final pay will be commensurate with the candidate's experience, skills, and qualifications.

 Why Join Our Team?

In addition to exciting career opportunities, we also ave:

• Excellent personal and professional career growth
• 9/80 work schedule (every other Friday off), when applicable
• Onsite cafeteria (breakfast & lunch)
• Much, much more!

For more information on our partnership with NASA at Johnson Space Center (JSC), please visit www.wehavespaceforyou.com

• Proof of U.S. Citizenship or US Permanent Residency may be a requirement for this position.
• Must be able to complete a U.S. government background investigation.
• Management has the prerogative to select at any level for which the position is advertised.

Essential Functions

Work Environment

Generally, an office environment, but can involve inside or outside work depending on task.

Physical Requirements

Work may involve sitting or standing for extended periods (90% of time). May require lifting and carrying up to 25 lbs. (5% of time).

Equipment and Machines

Standard office equipment (PC, telephone, printer, etc.).

Attendance

Regular attendance in accordance with established work schedule is critical. Ability to work outside normal schedule and adjust schedule to meet peak periods and surge requirements.

Other Essential Functions

Professional behavior that enhances productivity and promotes teamwork and cooperation. Grooming and dress must be appropriate for the position and must not impose a safety risk/hazard to the employee or others.

#JETS #JETSII

Compensation Details:

EN2

The compensation range or hourly rate listed for this position is provided as a good-faith estimate of what the company intends to offer for this role at the time this posting was issued. Actual compensation may vary based on factors such as job responsibilities, education, experience, skills, internal equity, market data, applicable collective bargaining agreements, and relevant laws.

Benefits Overview:

Our health and welfare benefits are designed to support you and your priorities. Offerings include:

• Health, dental, and vision insurance

• Paid time off and holidays

• Retirement benefits (including 401(k) matching)

• Educational reimbursement

• Parental leave

• Employee stock purchase plan

• Tax-saving options

• Disability and life insurance

• Pet insurance

Note: Benefits may vary based on employment type, location, and applicable agreements. Positions governed by a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), the McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Act (SCA), or other employment contracts may include different provisions/benefits.

Original Posting:

11/15/2026 - Until Filled

Amentum anticipates this job requisition will remain open for at least three days, with a closing date no earlier than three days after the original posting. This timeline may change based on business needs.

Amentum is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our hiring practices provide equal opportunity for employment without regard to race, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding), age, ancestry, United States military or veteran status, color, religion, creed,  marital or domestic partner status, medical condition, genetic information, national origin, citizenship status, low-income status, or mental or physical disability so long as the essential functions of the job can be performed with or without reasonable accommodation, or any other protected category under federal, state, or local law. Learn more about your rights under Federal laws and supplemental language at Labor Laws Posters.