Flight Dynamics Engineer

aero; El Segundo (CA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

The Aerospace Corporation's Earth Orbit Flight Dynamics Department seeks a Senior Member of the Technical Staff to provide flight mechanics expertise for launch vehicles and spacecraft, delivering deep technical solutions and collaborating with engineering partners to meet customers' toughest problems. This hybrid role requires onsite work four days a week at El Segundo, CA (and other-listed sites).

A Bachelor's degree in aeronautical/astronautical engineering or related field and 5+ years in

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in aeronautical/astronautical engineering, physics or applied mathematics, or related discipline.
• Five or more years of experience in flight mechanics, astrodynamics, trajectory optimization, or related fields.
• Experience with space-relevant TTPs development or operational planning is preferred.
• Proficiency in one or more of the following: C, C++, Fortran, Python, Linux, Java, and/or MATLAB.

Responsibilities

• Trajectory design and optimization for launch vehicles and spacecraft in various orbit regimes.
• Astrodynamics analysis including orbit propagation and maneuver design for transfers, station keeping, disposal, and reentry.
• Evaluate threat performance and resiliency of space systems; provide technical risk assessments.
• Develop CONOPS and TTPs; integrate operational constraints into space system design.

Skills

C/C++

Python

Fortran

MATLAB

Linux

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

Tools

ASSET

GPOPS-II

SNOPT

POST

OTIS

Copernicus

GMAT

EMTG

Job description

The Aerospace Corporation is the trusted partner to the nation's space programs, solving the hardest problems and providing unmatched technical expertise. As the operator of a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC), we are broadly engaged across all aspects of space- delivering innovative solutions that span satellite, launch, ground, and cyber systems for defense, civil and commercial customers. When you join our team, you'll be part of a special collection of problem solvers, thought leaders, and innovators. Join us and take your place in space.

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, t he Earth Orbit Flight Dynamics Department (EOFDD) provid es flight mechanics expertise for launch vehicle s and space vehicle s . Relevant skills include orbital mechanic s , astrodynamics, trajectory design and optimization, and atmospheric flight modeling and simulation. We are looking for a Senior Member of the Technical Staff or Engineering Specialist to join the EOFDD team . The selected candidate will provide expertise for a wide range of customer flight mechanics needs , supporting both analysis and research and development requests. The work will require candidates to provide deep technical solutions while also collaborating with engineering partners to facilitate integrated solutions for our customers' hardest problems. Customers will include defense, intelligence, and civil and commercial organizations .

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 4 days a week onsite, as the business needs allow.

What You'll Be Doing

Primary Support

• Trajectory design and optimization for launch vehicles and spacecraft for missions operating in 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, station keeping , graveyard, disposal, and reentry events
• Evaluating contested missions applications for space systems to understand threat performance, assess vulnerabilities, and improve system resiliency
• Develop space warfighting tactics aligned to the Chief of Space Operations (CSO) and Commander of US SPACECOM priorities by providing technical, operational, and risk assessments
• Maneuver and orbit design, selection , and optimization for missions that support Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO) objectives with complex operational constraints
• 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 and modernize existing capabilities to service customer requests as stand-alone services and/or ready-to-integrate submodules
• Leveraging external tools like ASSET, GPOPS-II, SNOPT, POST, OTIS, Copernicus, GMAT, EMTG, etc. where appropriate to augment internally developed capabilities
• Communicating effectively with customers and management through timely reporting of technical issues, analysis reports, and recommendations

Additional inter-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
• Integrated, multi-disciplinary RPO system simulations

What You Need to be Successful

Minimum Requirements for the Senior Member of the Technical Staff - Flight Mechanics position:

• Bachelor's degree in aeronautical/astronautical engineering, physics or applied mathematics, or related disciplines
• Five or more years of experience in flight mechanics, astrodynamics, maneuver optimization, trajectory optimization, launch vehicle trajectory design, hypersonic vehicle modeling, or general trajectory modeling and simulation
• Experience in space-relevant TTPs development , operational planning, or battle management
• Proficiency in one or more of the following programming languages and environments: C, C++, Fortran, Python, Linux, Java, and/or MATLAB
• The ability to operate indepe