Orbit Determination Engineer

Rincon Research Corp; Centennial (CO); On-site; USD 110,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

100% employer-paid premiums for family

medical and dental insurance

life insurance

short-term and long-term disability

ESOP participation

401(k) Plan with employer matching

Job summary

Rincon Research Corporation in Centennial, CO (with Colorado Springs, CO and Chantilly, VA locations) seeks a Junior Orbit Determination Engineer to join a dynamic team building end-to-end orbit determination, maneuver planning, and constellation management for U.S. government space systems.

You will collaborate with electrical, aerospace, and software engineers across the full lifecycle—from architecture and SRR to CDR, integration, testing, and deployment—designing robust astrodynamics

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant aerospace or physics field and strong programming skills.
• Demonstrated strength in scientific programming, especially C/C++ and Python.
• Ability to obtain and maintain TS/SCI security clearance; US citizenship required.

Responsibilities

• Astrodynamics analysis and problem solving.
• Researching, implementing, and updating custom astrodynamics algorithms.
• Implementing algorithms in software and testing with real-world data.
• Developing astrodynamics software tools.

Skills

C/C++

Python

Education

Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Astronomy, Applied Physics, or other equivalent field

Master's degree or PhD in Aerospace Engineering, Astronomy, Applied Physics, or equivalent

Tools

STK

ODTK

GMAT

FreeFlyer

Job description

If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact this employer to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

Orbit Determination Engineer

Centennial, CO, US

3 days ago Requisition ID: 1383

Salary Range: $110,000.00 To $135,000.00 Annually

Why Join Rincon Research Corporation (RRC)?

At Rincon Research Corporation, our primary business is innovating, developing, and fielding digital signal processing (DSP) products and services for the United States Defense and Intelligence Communities in support of national security.

Rincon Research Corporation is seeking a Junior Orbit Determination Engineer to serve as a part of a dynamic team to build a new, end-to-end development program studying, designing, and deploying advanced orbit determination, maneuver planning and constellation management missions for United States Government space systems. RRC is looking for an exceptional experienced engineer to support this program through all phases of development—from early architecture and System Requirements Review (SRR) through Critical Design Review (CDR), integration, testing, and finally deployment into operational systems. In this role, you will work with other team members to engineer a complex space program. As a small business, RRC offers a unique opportunity to combine hands‑on technical depth with senior‑level leadership, allowing you to remain deeply engaged in detailed design and engineering decisions while helping to guide the overall program.

Come join the team that is creating cutting edge signal processing and geolocation systems for the future!

What are the primary responsibilities in the Orbit Determination Engineer position?

You will work in a highly collaborative, multidisciplinary environment alongside talented electrical engineers, mathematicians, aerospace engineers, and computer scientists/engineers. At RRC, all engineers are involved across the entire system lifecycle from architecture and development through deployment, operations, and sustainment—receiving direct feedback from customers and seeing their work make a tangible, real‑world impact. Innovation is expected: team members are encouraged to propose improvements to system architectures, engineering processes, tools, and security posture.

Core responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Astrodynamics analysis and problem solving
• Researching, implementing, and updating custom astrodynamics algorithms
• Implementing algorithms in software and testing with real‑world data
• Developing astrodynamics software tools.

What required background will make you successful?

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering (preferred), Astronomy, Applied Physics, or other equivalent field of discipline
• Demonstrated strength in scientific programming, especially C/C++ and Python
• Ability to obtain and maintain TS/SCI security clearanceUS CITIZENSHIP REQUIRED

Preferred skills:

• Master's degree or PhD in Aerospace Engineering (preferred), Astronomy, Applied Physics, or equivalent field of discipline

Applicable Background:

• Astrodynamics
• Orbit determination / estimation theory
• Orbit analysis and space mission analysis
• Satellite maneuver planning, reconstruction, and characterization
• Navigation via GPS and other GNSS
• Experience with orbit software systems such as STK, ODTK, GMAT, or FreeFlyer
• Scientific programming
• Experience in both Windows and Linux environments

Where is the position located?

This position can be located at our Centennial, CO; Colorado Springs, CO; or Chantilly, VA locations.

*The likely salary range for this position is $110,000 to $135,000. This is not, however, a guarantee of compensation or salary. Rather, salary will be set based on experience, geographic location and possibly contractual requirements and could fall outside of this range.

What benefits does RRC offer?

• 100% employer‑paid premiums for family medical and dental insurance, employee life insurance, short‑term and long‑term disability (STD & LTD)
• Flexible reimbursement spending accounts for medical expense and dependent care
• Immediate participation and vesting in the company's Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) and 401(k) Plan
• Employer contributions to RRC's ESOP
• Employer matching contributions to the company's 401( k) Plan
• Employer discretionary contributions to the company's 401(k) Plan

Rincon Research Corporation is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected factor.