Space Vehicle Simulation Developer

Job Summary

The Vehicle Systems Division (VSD) sits at the center of the ideas and data behind current and future systems supplying innovative research and development; technical evaluations during the acquisition process; conceptual and detailed design; assembly, integration, and test; and operational support. Comprised primarily of highly-trained mechanical and aerospace engineers, VSD provides national expertise in the areas of vehicle engineering; guidance, navigation, and controls; robotics; electro-mechanical devices; embedded systems; fluid mechanics; propulsion; thermal control; orbital mechanics; mechanisms; structures; structural dynamics; and dynamic environments. 

The Vehicle Modeling and Simulation (VMAS) Section, sits within the Vehicle Engineering and Integration Department (VEID) within VSD. VMAS is responsible for implementing multi-disciplinary analytical models and developing distributed simulation software tools required to execute the desired analyses with respect to satellite, ground, and launch vehicle development and operations.

Our team is seeking a Space Vehicle Simulation Developer (Member of the Technical Staff – Modeling & Simulation and Systems Software Engineering) who has outstanding technical and programming skills, an understanding of physics/physical hardware systems, is inquisitive and motivated to learn, and has uncompromising integrity and objectivity.  

Work Model

This is a full-time position based in Chantilly, VA, offering a hybrid work model that combines (3-4) days per week of regular onsite workdays with remote flexibility as the business needs allow.  

What You’ll Be Doing

• Support the build-up and application of distributed modeling and simulation software capabilities for civil and DOD government customers across the space industry

• Support multiple distributed simulation projects ranging from the development of space vehicle digital twin modeling and simulation capabilities to space architecture MODSIM

• Maintain and enhance Java-based distributed simulation frameworks with multi-threaded architectures and develop new distributed simulation federates, pre- and post-simulation data processing, and visualization tools

• Work with Vehicle Systems Division and other Aerospace subject matter experts to develop multi-disciplinary mod/sim capabilities and ensure new simulation capabilities fit within a larger, modular, distributed mod/sim environment. This may include translating algorithmic descriptions, refactoring legacy code, and more

• Additional opportunities may include development and integration of hardware- and software-in-the-loop testing capabilities with the group’s main mod/sim capabilities to enhance both emulation and testing fidelity

• Support and perform execution of mod/sim code and prepare visualizations and presentations to customer stakeholders

What You Need to be Successful

Minimum Requirements for the Member of the Technical Staff – Modeling & Simulation and Systems Software Engineering role:

• Bachelor's degreein Computer Science, Software Engineering, Physics, or an Engineering discipline with experience in software engineering and development of technical and scientific software is required

• A minimum of (2) years of experience in a Software Engineeringrole is required

• Experience in Java with strong Object-Oriented design and development skill and knowledgeof multithreaded, multi-processor, networked and distributed systems and architectures

• Practical knowledge and a willingness for continued learning with: C, C++, FORTRAN and MATLAB to extract or port critical code, experience with publish-subscribe architectures, Python and JSON and XML files often used for data exchange and API definitions is required

• Basic knowledge of space systems including spacecraft subsystems and interactions (GN&C, CDH/flight computer, power systems, comms, payloads, etc.) is a key requirement for this role

• Sound communication skills with an ability to explain software engineering processes, activities, architectures and designs, technologies, and operations to staff and customers with limited software engineering background

• This position requires ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance, which is issued by the U.S. government. U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance

How You Can Stand Out

It would be impressive if you have one or more of these:

• Advanced degree in mechanical, aerospace, physics or related field and a software or computer engineering field is strongly preferred

• (5) or more years of experience in modeling and simulation software development is preferred

• Knowledge or experience with HLA, HLA4, DIS, TENA, or other distributed simulation frameworks, and communications frameworks such as ActiveMQ, DDS, and Kafka

• Experience developing physics-based vehicle or sub-system level simulations including component simulation/emulation as well as physics, dynamics, orbital mechanics simulation

• Experience with hardware and software-in-the-loop testing including work with aerospace flight software or flight hardware and testing equipment including EGSE test racks, PXIs, simulators, etc.

• Active TS/SCI security clearance w/CI Poly , which is issued by the U.S. government is strongly desired. U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance