Aerospace Engineer - Flight Performance

SpaceWorks Enterprises, Inc.; Atlanta (GA); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare options

401k with company match

Bonuses possible

Flexible work schedules

Flexible schedule

Job summary

SpaceWorks Enterprises, Inc. is seeking aerospace engineers to design and develop next-generation hypersonic flight vehicles, Earth-to-orbit launch systems, human and robotic spacecraft, and space re-entry vehicles.

You will contribute to Flight Performance and Trajectory Optimization, working with a small multidisciplinary team. This role is based in Atlanta, GA with in-office work and occasional telework, offering a culture that values practical problem solving, ownership, and rapid innovation

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering is required or strongly preferred.
• 2+ years of relevant experience, including internships or research.
• Experience with hypersonic atmospheric vehicles, Earth-to-orbit systems, or human/robotic spacecraft.
• Hands‑on trajectory optimization, CFD tools, MATLAB/Simulink, or equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Design and optimize hypersonic flight vehicles and launch systems.
• Support a small multidisciplinary team to design complex systems.
• Conduct modeling, simulation, and design of high-speed flight systems.
• Balance performance, safety, and system constraints through design optimization.
• Collaborate in a small multidisciplinary team to deliver complex systems.

Skills

Trajectory optimization

CFD tools

MATLAB/Simulink

Aerospace design

Team collaboration

Team collaboration

Education

Aerospace Engineering degree

Tools

trajectory optimization software

Job description

SPACEWORKS

At SpaceWorks Enterprises, we specialize in next-generation high-speed flight systems, human and robotic spacecraft, as well as entry, descent & landing technologies. Our core competencies include conducting preliminary design of aerospace concepts, performing detailed multidisciplinary engineering analysis, developing commercial aerospace software, prototyping spacecraft hardware components, and conducting market and economic research within the aerospace industry. We serve clients from the Department of Defense, NASA, and the commercial space sector.

THE ROLE

SpaceWorks is seeking aerospace engineers with a focus on designing and developing next-generation hypersonic flight vehicles, Earth-to-orbit launch systems, human and robotic spacecraft, and space re-entry vehicles. Seeking domain expertise in Flight Performance and Trajectory Optimization.

A successful candidate will:

• Be well versed in hypersonic aircraft and/or spacecraft performance
• Support a small multidisciplinary team of technical staff to design complex systems
• Exhibit a "can do" and "want to" attitude - bringing an open-minded approach and a bias toward finding solutions
• Have experience supporting activities in modeling, simulation, and design of high-speed flight systems including airbreathing, re-entry, and launch systems

A DAY IN THE LIFE

Flight Performance and Trajectory Optimization:

• Perform trajectory design and optimization using state-of-the-art 3-DOF trajectory software.
• Conduct flight performance assessments (ΔV budgets, mass margins, staging trade-offs) to ensure mission objectives are met.
• Use trajectory optimization tools and methods to balance mission performance, safety, and system constraints.
• Perform multidisciplinary design optimization of aerospace systems.
• Develop and analyze mission trajectories, including ascent, orbital operations, re-entry, and landing phases.

WHAT WE OFFER

At SpaceWorks, we believe in cultivating a culture that offers the opportunity to grow both personally and professionally. It is our firm belief that work-life balance is critical to strong, happy, healthy employees. As we challenge what is possible and push the boundaries of innovation, we stand together as a team. Here you will find a community that is dedicated to our mission as well as your personal goals. Here are just a few of the benefits we offer to our employees -

• Comprehensive healthcare coverage options including medical, telemedicine, vision, dental, long-term disability, short term disability, health savings accounts, and flexible spending accounts
• Flexible work schedules - the position is in-office at our facility in Atlanta, GA, however we do offer telework days, compressed workweek options, core hours, and flex time to provide flexibility to our employees
  
• Time to reset - paid time off, holidays, parental leave, and sabbatical leave
  
• 401k + company match, opportunities for bonuses, employee experience events throughout the year, employee assistance program, and more

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

• Bachelor’s or Master'sdegree in Aerospace Engineering
• 2+ years of relevant experience, includes time in internships and research
• Experience in the design/modeling of hypersonic atmospheric vehicles, Earth-to-orbit launch systems, or human & robotic spacecraft
• Experience in multidisciplinary design optimization
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, multidisciplinary, collaborative environment with ownership and autonomy typical of a smallbusiness
• Hands‑on experience with trajectory optimization software, CFD tools, MATLAB/Simulink, or equivalent simulation platforms

Must be a U.S. citizenand be immediately eligible to obtain a DoD Secret Security Clearance

BONUS POINTS IF YOU HAVE...

• 5+ years of related aerospace industry experience contributing technically as an engineer primarily within concept development, requirement definition, preliminary design, and detailed design.
• High level disciplinary experience with multidisciplinary analysis and optimization of high-speed flight and/or launch vehicle design
• Experience in relevant aerospace-oriented, flight development programs (e.g. UAVs, missiles, CubeSats)
  
• Basic knowledge of Monte Carlo analysis, uncertainty analysis, or risk analysis
  
• Smallbusiness experience

SpaceWorks is an equal opportunity employer. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.