Flight Termination System Engineer

ARES Corporation; Wallops Island (VA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

HSA/FSA Accounts

Life & Disability Insurance

ESOP

401(k) Plan

Paid Time Off & Holidays

Job summary

ARES seeks a highly skilled Electrical Engineer specializing in Flight Termination Systems to join our Range Safety Operations Division at Wallops Flight Facility. You will review designs, test, and certify FTS hardware and electronics to meet stringent regulatory and mission requirements.

As part of the NASA GSFC contract team, you will contribute to flight safety analyses, support launch vehicle operations, and collaborate with cross-disciplinary teams on RF systems, redundancy, and

Qualifications

• Experience with FTS and safety-critical systems for rockets.
• RF systems, command destruct receivers, and high-reliability circuit design.
• Familiarity with NASA, MIL-STD, and FAA range safety and FTS requirements.
• Hands-on environmental testing (thermal, vibration, EMI/EMC).
• Ability to work in cross-disciplinary teams; security clearance may be required.

Responsibilities

• Review designs, test, and certify FTS hardware and electronics to meet stringent regulatory and mission requirements.
• Contribute to flight safety analyses and operational support for rocket launches.
• Collaborate with launch vehicle teams and range safety stakeholders to ensure safety, reliability, and compliance.

Skills

Flight Termination Systems

Safety-critical systems

RF systems

Cross-disciplinary teamwork

Problem solving

Environmental testing

Security clearance (may be required)

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Electrical Engineering or Aerospace Engineering

Job description

ARES is seeking a highly skilled Electrical Engineer specializing in Flight Termination Systems (FTS) to join our aerospace engineering team in the Range Safety Operations Division at Wallops Flight Facility. This role is critical to ensuring the safety, reliability, and compliance of launch vehicle operations. The incumbent will review designs, test, and certify FTS hardware and electronics that meet stringent regulatory and mission requirements. ARES is the prime contractor for the Safety and Mission Services (SMAS III) contract at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), with locations in Greenbelt MD and Wallops Island VA. ARES provides full life cycle hardware and software quality oversight, reliability and risk assessments, system safety design and operational support and related services to NASA's science and exploration missions and ground support elements, including the Roman Space Telescope (RST), and Dragonfly (Titan moon) probe. ARES also provides flight safety analysis and operational support for NASA/Wallops orbital and suborbital rockets, balloons, and other aerial projects.

Minimum Requirements

• Experience with FTS and or safety-critical systems for rockets.
• Strong knowledge of Radio Frequency (RF) systems, command destruct receivers, and high-reliability circuit design.
• Familiarity with NASA, MIL-STD, and FAA range safety and FTS requirements.
• Hands-on experience with environmental testing (thermal, vibration, Electromagnetic Interference/ Electromagnetic Compatibility).
• Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to work in cross-disciplinary teams * Security clearance may be required depending on program.

Preferred Skills

• Experience with launch vehicle avionics and telemetry systems.
• Knowledge of redundancy design and fault-tolerant architectures.
• Prior work with government ranges (e.g., NASA Wallops Island, Eastern Range, Western Range).
• Familiarity with DO-254 certification processes.

Education

• Bachelors or Masters degree in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field.
• Five years of experience in aerospace or defense electronics, with FTS or safety-critical systems.

ARES Benefits

ARES offers a competitive compensation and benefit package. Full time employees may participate in:

• Medical Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• HSA/FSA Accounts
• Life & Disability Insurance
• Critical Illness & Accident Insurance
• ESOP
• 401(k) Plan
• Paid Time Off & Holidays

ARES is an equal opportunity employer and complies with E-Verify. We believe in hiring a diverse workforce and fostering an inclusive culture. We are committed to non-discrimination on any protected basis, such as disability and veteran status, or any other basis covered under applicable law. ARES shall abide by the requirements of 41 CFR 60-1.4(a), 60-300.5(a) and 60-741.