Flight Dynamics Engineer

The Enterprise Effects Division (EED) drives integration of Aerospace’s strategic capabilities across the national space enterprise. The division leverages a broad array of engineering disciplines against a dynamic portfolio of programs, customers, and national challenges. EED spans the capability lifecycle from concept and architecture design to performance assessment to application of space and space-enabled capabilities.

As a core component of EED, the Earth Orbit Flight Dynamics Department (EOFDD) provides flight mechanics expertisefor launch vehicles and space vehicleswith particular focus on rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO). Relevant skills include orbital mechanics, astrodynamics, trajectory design and optimization, and atmospheric flight modeling and simulation. We are looking for anEngineering Specialist to join the EOFDD team in the RPO Maneuver and Orbits Section (RMOS). The selected candidate will provide expertisefor a wide range of customer flight mechanics needs, supporting both analysis and research and development requests. The work will require candidates to provide leadership of deep technical solutions while also collaboratingwith engineering partners to facilitate integrated solutions for our customers’ hardest problems. Customers will include defense, intelligence, and civil and commercial organizations.

Engineering Specialists typically conduct specialized technical studies and are expected to be thought leaders for new efforts and customer relationships. They have opportunities to construct and lead technical teams to meet customer needs and advance department technical and strategic objectives. They are expected to provide innovation and initiative while providing effective communication to customers.

Work Model

• This position will be a hybrid work model based in El Segundo, CA, Colorado Springs, CO, Chantilly, VA, or Albuquerque, NM, with the expectation that the selected candidate works at least 3 days a week onsite, as the business needs allow.

What You’ll Be Doing 

Primary Support

• Maneuver and orbit design, selection, and optimization for missions that support Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO) objectives with complex operational constraints

• Trajectory design and optimization for launch vehicles and spacecraft for missions operatingin LEO, MEO, HEO, GEO, and other earth-centric regimes

• Astrodynamics and orbital mechanics analysis including orbit propagation and maneuver design and optimization for orbit transfer,stationkeeping, graveyard, disposal, and reentry events 

• Analysis of vehicles with chemical and/or electric propulsion

• Evaluating contested missions applications for space systems to understand threat performance, assess vulnerabilities, and improve system resiliency 

• Developing Concepts of Operations (CONOPS), exploring Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs), and incorporating operational constraints into the design and maturation of space systems

• Providing operational support for nominal launch and spacecraft deployment and transfer sequences, anomaly resolution, and on-call emerging events

• Utilizing optimal control, flight mechanics, and computer science/algorithm development skills to create new capabilities to service customer requests as stand-alone services and/or ready-to-integrate submodules 

• Performing research and development and building new flight dynamics tools to cultivate and maintain a healthy and modern internal tool base

• Leveraging external tools like ASSET, GPOPS-II, SNOPT, POST, OTIS, Copernicus, GMAT, EMTG, etc. where appropriate to augment internallydeveloped capabilities 

• Lead and manage the full lifecycle of complex technical projects, from conception to delivery

• Develop project plans, timelines, budgets, and resource allocations

• Effectively communicate project status, risks, and issues to stakeholders

Additionalinter-department partnership collaborations opportunities:

• Cislunar and exploration-class orbital mechanics analysis and trajectory optimization 

• Hypersonics, missiles, interceptors, and reentry vehicle trajectory design and optimization

• Time-dependent Traveling Salesman Problems and Facility Location Problem analysis

What You Need to be Successful 

Minimum Requirements for the Engineering Specialist – Flight Mechanics position:

• Bachelor’s degree in aeronautical/astronautical engineering, physics or applied mathematics, or related disciplines

• Typically eight years of experience in flight mechanics, astrodynamics, maneuver optimization, trajectory optimization, launch vehicle trajectory design, hypersonic vehicle modeling, or general trajectory modeling and simulation

• Proficiency in one or more of the following programming languages and environments: C, C++, Fortran, Python, Linux, and/or MATLAB

• Willing to travel domesticallyapprox. 10%

• The ability to obtain and maintain a TS//SSBI (SCI) clearance, which is issued by the U.S. government, is strongly preferred;U.S citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance (applicant will be submitted for this clearance upon hiring if they do not currently possess it)

How You Can Stand Out 

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

• Advanced degree in aeronautical/astronautical engineering, physics or applied mathematics, or related disciplines is strongly desired

• Graduate level course work, research and/or experience in one or more of the following areas: orbital mechanics, astrodynamics, ascent trajectory modeling, hypersonic flight simulation, optimal control, flight mechanics, and/or trajectory modeling and simulation

• Experience using or building analysis software to combine numerical methods, orbital or flight mechanics, and optimization approaches for launch vehicles, missiles, interceptors,spacecraft, or reentry vehicles (hypersonics)

• Experience with nonlinear programming (non-linear programming), direct methods, gradient-based optimization, parameter optimization, genetic algorithms, evolutionary algorithms, heuristic optimization methods, indirect methods, and/or calculus of variations

• Advanced algorithm development skills to include parallel processing and scripting experience

• Experience with contested space trajectory applications, military exercises, and wargaming events 

• Current TS/SCI and/or TS/SAP Access