Head of Flight Dynamics, Amazon Leo

Amazon; Redmond (WA); On-site; USD 208,000 - 282,000; Full time

Job summary

Amazon Kuiper Manufacturing Enterprises LLC in Redmond, WA is seeking a seasoned Flight Dynamics leader to own the roadmap and guide the technical strategy for the Amazon Leo program.

You will build and mentor a senior team, drive ground software for orbital maneuvers, and develop advanced algorithms for trajectory planning and orbit determination. Strong collaboration with GN&C and Mission Operations is required.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in engineering, physics, or equivalent.
• 10+ years of people management experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading spacecraft flight dynamics and mission design teams.
• Strong fundamentals in orbital mechanics, mission and trajectory design, state estimation, and orbital environments.
• Experience with orbital maneuver design and implementation using low-thrust electric propulsion systems.
• Experience managing complex, large-scale satellite engineering programs and delivering products on time.
• Proven ability to influence technical direction and drive consensus across multidisciplinary organizations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Knowledge of Jira, Confluence, SharePoint, Git, etc.
• Experience with Java, C++, or other programming language, as well as R, MATLAB, Python.

Responsibilities

• Own the Flight Dynamics roadmap and technical strategy.
• Build and lead a high-performing organization of engineers managing satellite operations.
• Develop ground software services and infrastructure for safe orbital maneuver operations.
• Develop algorithms for orbit determination and trajectory planning.
• Collaborate with GN&C and Mission Operations for autonomous on-orbit operations.
• Deliver products for spacecraft design, constellation planning, and operations.
• Provide leadership for GNSS independence and space situational awareness programs.
• Lead metrics, monitoring, and ML/AI-based analysis for on-orbit performance.

Skills

People management

Leadership

Communication skills

Orbital mechanics

Trajectory design

State estimation

Software development

Education

Master's degree in engineering, physics, or equivalent

PhD in aerospace engineering, astronautics, or related field

Tools

Jira

Confluence

SharePoint

Git

Java

C++

Python

MATLAB

Job description

Job ID: 10553781 | Amazon Kuiper Manufacturing Enterprises LLC

Key Job Responsibilities

• Own the Flight Dynamics roadmap and technical strategy, including forward-looking initiatives that enable Amazon Leo to deliver a best-in-class customer experience and leadership in orbital safety.
• Build, lead, and develop a high-performing organization of engineering managers and senior individual contributors; hire and grow top talent and foster a culture of innovation, operational excellence, and customer obsession.
• Own and lead the architecture, development, and deployment of resilient ground software services and infrastructure that manage safe orbital maneuver operations of Amazon Leo satellites — ascent, station keeping, collision avoidance, and end of life descent for re-entry
• Own and lead the development of algorithms for orbit determination, trajectory planning and guidance, and high-fidelity orbit modeling and prediction.
• Collaborate closely with GN&C and Mission Operations to enable safe, autonomous on-orbit satellite operations that integrate seamlessly with Flight Dynamics ground systems.
• Deliver the products needed by stakeholders for spacecraft design, constellation planning, and operations — including launch targets and launch-window assessments for launch and mission management teams
• Provide leadership oversight and direction to the GNSS independence and space situational awareness programs.
• Lead the development of metrics, monitoring, and response systems that leverage physical modeling and ML/AI to automate analysis of data from thousands of satellites for closed-loop assessment and improvement of on-orbit performance.
• Initiate and lead operator-to-operator collaboration for orbital safety, and partner with regulatory and legal teams to promote adoption of best practices in space safety across the industry.
• Own Flight Dynamics system risks and drive mitigations to minimize impact; manage program schedules and drive on-time delivery with support from technical program managers, balancing operational support against development efforts.
• As a key voice in on-orbit operations, work with Mission Operations and peer leaders to influence efficiency, safety, performance, and simplicity for customers.

Basic Qualifications

• Master's degree in engineering, physics, or equivalent
• 10+ years of people management, managing engineers experience
• Demonstrated experience leading spacecraft flight dynamics and mission design teams, including managing both senior individual contributors and managers of teams.
• Strong fundamentals in orbital mechanics, mission and trajectory design, state estimation, and orbital environments and perturbations.
• Experience with orbital maneuver design and implementation using low-thrust electric propulsion systems.
• Experience managing complex, large-scale satellite engineering programs and delivering products on time.
• Proven ability to influence technical direction and drive consensus across multidisciplinary organizations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Highly organized, and knowledge of tools such as Jira, Confluence, Sharepoint, Git, etc.
• Experience with Java, C++, or other programming language, as well as with R, MATLAB, Python, or an equivalent scripting language

Preferred Qualifications

• PhD in aerospace engineering, astronautics, or a related field.
• Experience with large satellite constellation operations.
• Strong mathematical background with experience in numerical computation, probability, and statistics.
• Knowledge of adjacent spacecraft subsystems, particularly GN&C and Propulsion.
• Experience with software development workflows and engineering management.
• Experience with conjunction assessment, collision avoidance workflows, and regulatory compliance (FCC/FAA)

Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.

Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.

The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits .

USA, WA, Redmond - 208,300.00 - 281,800.00 USD annually

Preferred Qualifications

• PhD in aerospace engineering, astronautics, or a related field.
• Experience with large satellite constellation operations.
• Strong mathematical background with experience in numerical computation, probability, and statistics.
• Knowledge of adjacent spacecraft subsystems, particularly GN&C and Propulsion.
• Experience with software development workflows and engineering management.
• Experience with conjunction assessment, collision avoidance workflows, and regulatory compliance (FCC/FAA)

Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.

Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.

The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits .

Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.