Principal Flight Dynamics Engineer

Babcock International; Rudloe; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous holiday allowance

Matched pension with life assurance

Digital GP & Aviva DigiCare+

Employee share scheme

Shopping savings portal

Payment of Professional Fees

Reservists 10-days paid leave

Holiday Trading

Be Kind Day

Flexible working

Dynamic working environment

Job summary

Babcock International seeks a Principal Flight Dynamics Engineer to join a critical mission team supporting the UK geostationary satellite constellation. You will lead orbit determination, manoeuvre planning, and life estimation for the Military Satellite Communications fleet, with on-site activities at Hawthorn, Corsham.

The role demands strong programming, data analysis, and communication skills, with eligibility for SC/DV clearance.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in a relevant technical field (aerospace preferred).
• Experience in satellite flight dynamics or operations.
• Must be able to obtain SC and DV security clearance; Sole UK national eligibility.

Responsibilities

• Perform orbit determination and plan maneuvers to maintain UK Military Satellite Communications fleet; provide on-call support as needed.
• Support daily flight dynamics operations, including orbit determination and manoeuvre planning; generate products and analyze data trends.
• Monitor manoeuvre performance and propellant use to refine life estimates; develop tools to improve data trending and life calculations.
• Support special satellite operations (relocation, deorbit, launches, orbit transfers) and participate in software maintenance and testing.

Skills

Orbit determination

Maneuver planning

Programming

Data analysis

Communication skills

Security clearance

Aerospace engineering

Education

Undergraduate degree

Aerospace background preferred

Job description

As a Principal Flight Dynamics Engineer, you'll join a mission-critical team supporting the UK's current and next-generation military geostationary spacecraft constellation. This is a rare opportunity to apply your expertise to highly complex satellite operations that directly contribute to national security and defence capability. Working as part of a collaborative multi-company operations team, you'll help ensure the highest levels of availability across the Military Satellite Communications programme. From orbit determination and manoeuvre planning through to satellite life optimisation and operational support, your work will have a direct impact on mission success. You'll also have the opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge space operations while further developing your technical expertise in a highly specialised and growing area of aerospace engineering. Day-to-day, you'll be required to:

• Perform orbit determination and plan the manoeuvres necessary to maintain the positions of the UK Military Satellite Communications geosynchronous satellite fleet. Perform on-call support responsibilities, when required.
• Support daily flight dynamics operations, including orbit determination, manoeuvre planning, and product generation. Support detail data and trending analysis for the Military Satellite Communications fleet. Maintain accurate accounting of propellant.
• Monitor manoeuvre performance and propellant consumption to continuously refine, optimize, and update the satellites' operational life estimates. Derive algorithms and implement tools to improve data trending and satellite manoeuvre life calculations.
• Support occasional special satellite operational activities which include, but are not limited to geosynchronous satellite relocation, deorbiting a satellite, satellite launches, and orbit transfers.
• Participate in flight dynamics software maintenance, development, enhancement, and testing.

This role is full time, 37 hours per week and is based on site at Hawthorn, Corsham.

Essential experience of the Principal Flight Dynamics Engineer

• Proven years of relevant experience in satellite flight dynamics, engineering, or operations.
• Good analytical ability and programming skills
• Experience working in an environment which requires engineering and analytical skills
• Effective communication skills, including the ability to express ideas clearly both verbally and in writing., Undergraduate university degree in a relevant technical field. Prefer degree in aerospace engineering, physics, computer science, or a similar engineering discipline., The successful candidate must be able to achieve and maintain Security Check (SC) and Developed Vetting (DV) security clearance for this role. Must be Sole UK

At Babcock, we're working to create a safe and secure world, together. If you join us, you can play your part as a Principal Flight Dynamics Engineer at Hawthorn, near Chippenham, Wiltshire.

We're Babcock - a global FTSE 100 organisation with over 29,000 people working together to make a difference.

Here, you'll be part of something bigger. From initial design to final decommissioning, your work will contribute to products and services that are essential to national security and public infrastructure. Together, we're building a future that lasts - not just through the impact we make, but through meaningful careers that respect your work-life balance.

Many of the positions within our company are subject to national security clearance and Trade Control restrictions. This means that your eligibility for certain roles may be affected by your place of birth, nationality, current or former citizenship, and any residency you hold or have held. Further details are available at United Kingdom Security Vetting: clearance levels - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

What we offer

• Generous holiday allowance
• Matched contribution pension scheme, with life assurance
• Access to a Digital GP, annual health check, and nutritional consultations through Aviva DigiCare+
• Employee share scheme
• Employee shopping savings portal
• Payment of Professional Fees
• Reservists in the armed forces receive 10-days special paid leave
• Holiday Trading is a benefit that allows the majority of employees to buy additional leave or to sell up to one working week of annual leave from their annual entitlement
• 'Be Kind Day' enables employees to take one working day's paid leave a year (or equivalent hours) to undertake volunteering work with their chosen organisation or registered charity
• Flexible working - we give people more options to better integrate their work and personal life, whilst ensuring that business needs are met
• A dynamic working environment