RPO Operations Engineer

The Aerospace Corporation; Colorado Springs (CO); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 166,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health care plans

Paid holidays and vacation

401(k) plan with matching

Education assistance programs

Relocation assistance

Flexible spending accounts

Job summary

The Aerospace Corporation is seeking an Operations Engineer to support space mission analysis and on-orbit operations. You will provide expert space ops knowledge, develop robust CONOPS, and build tools to support engineering and flight activities across US Space Force and IC programs.

You will collaborate with diverse teams, apply AI/ML methods to flight mechanics, and travel as required to support customer efforts. A security clearance and US citizenship are required.

Qualifications

• BS degree in engineering, mathematics, physics, computer science, or related field (pursuing or conferred within last 12 months).
• 5+ years of professional, technical work experience.
• Experience with spacecraft operations, on-orbit testing, and anomaly resolution.
• Proficiency in programming languages/tools: C, C++, Python, Fortran, MATLAB.
• Ability to obtain/maintain a security clearance; US citizenship required.

Responsibilities

• Provide space operations expertise for US Space Force/Command and IC missions.
• Develop concepts of operations and design maturation for space systems.
• Build tools to support deliverables and maintain internal tool base.
• Incorporate AI/ML/RL techniques with flight mechanics modeling.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams and travel as needed.

Skills

Spacecraft ops

On-orbit testing

Pose estimation

C/C++/Python

Communication

Travel 10%

Education

BS degree in Engineering

Tools

MATLAB

Fortran

Python

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. The RPO Analysis and Integration Department (RAID) is EED's premier organization for mission-level Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO), bringing together the expertise necessary to analyze, design, and develop systems across the full lifecycle of RPO missions. We deliver impactful modeling, simulation, and analysis to a variety of military and civil customers, enabling the key missions that will service and protect critical space infrastructure. We are looking for an Operations Engineerto join the Tactics and Operations Section of the RAID team. The selected candidate will provideexpertisefor a wide range of customer flight-mechanics needs, but will specialize in on-orbit, operational practices, processes, and procedures to support analysis, research, development, and operations requests. The work will require candidates to provide deep technical solutions while also collaborating with engineering partners tofacilitateintegrated solutions for our customers’ hardest problems. Customers will includedefense, intelligence, civil, and commercialorganizations.

Work Model

This is a full-time position based in Colorado Springs, CO or Chantilly, VA, offering an in-person work model that combines 4 or more regular onsite workdays per week and remote flexibility as business needs allow.

What You’ll Be Doing

Providing space operations support and expertise for a variety of US Space Force, US Space Command, and Intelligence Community missions. Explore Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs) and incorporate complex operational constraints into the design and maturation of space systems that support RPO objectives. Support evaluation of contested space mission applications to assess system vulnerabilities and contribute to the development of Concepts of Operations (CONOPS). Build new tools to cultivate and maintain a healthy and modern internal tool base that supports customer deliverables. Combine AI/ML/RL techniques with flight mechanics modeling to assess complex analysis and decision-making trade spaces. Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to translate customer mission requirements into technical solutions and analysis products. Occasional travel to support customer efforts.

What You Need to be Successful

Minimum Requirements for Senior Member of Technical Staff – Flight Mechanics

• BS degree from an accredited college/university program in engineering, mathematics, physics, computer science, or related field (pursuing or conferred within last 12 months)
• 5+ years of professional, technical work experience
• Experience with spacecraft operations, on-orbit testing, and anomaly resolution
• Experience in one or more of the following subjects: space mission analysis and design, state estimation, pose estimation, orbit determination, image processing, algorithm design, software development, astrodynamics, trajectory simulation and performance optimization of spacecraft conducting RPO, mathematical modeling
• Proficiency with one or more of the following programming languages/tools: C, C++, Python, Fortran, MATLAB
• Effective written and verbal communication skills
• Willing to travel domestically to customer and contractor facilities (approx. 10%)
• This position requires ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance, which is issued by the U.S. government.
• U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance.
• Transcripts required for this position

Minimum Requirements for Engineering Specialist – Flight Mechanics

• 8+ years of professional, technical work experience
• Demonstrated technical excellence in the relevant job capabilities and functions
• The ability to operate independently, often in the presence of ambiguity, and still deliver high quality, relevant end products to a range of customers
• Graduate level course work, research, and/or experience in the following areas: space mission analysis and design, state estimation, pose estimation, relative navigation, orbit determination, computer vision, image processing, astrodynamics, trajectory simulation and performance optimization of spacecraft conducting RPO
• Experience using or building analysis software to combine numerical methods, orbital or flight mechanics, and optimization approaches for spacecraft or related vehicles
• Advanced algorithm development skills to include parallel processing and scripting experience
• Experience with contested space trajectory applications, military exercises, and wargaming events
• This position requires ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance, which is issued by the U.S. government.
• U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance.

We offer a competitive compensation package where you’ll be rewarded based on your performance and recognized for the value you bring to our business. The grade-based pay range for this job is listed below. Individual salaries within that range are determined through a wide variety of factors including but not limited to education, experience, knowledge and skills. (Min - Max) $110,400.00 - $165,500.00 Pay Basis: Annual

Leadership Competencies

Our leadership philosophy is simple: every employee, regardless of level and role, can demonstrate leadership. At Aerospace, our commitment is our people. To cultivate our talent and ensure that we have a strong pipeline of future leaders, we want individuals who:

• Operate Strategically
• Lead Change
• Engage with Impact
• Foster Innovation
• Deliver Results
• Ways

Benefits

Benefits vary and are applicable based on Job Type. A few highlights include:

• Comprehensive health care and wellness plans
• Paid holidays, sick time, and vacation
• Standard and alternate work schedules, including telework options
• 401(k) Plan — Employees receive a total company-paid benefit of 8%, 10%, or 12% of eligible compensation based on years of service and matching contributions; employees are immediately eligible and vested in the plan upon hire
• Flexible spending accounts
• Variable pay program for exceptional contributions
• Relocation assistance
• Professional growth and development programs to help advance your career
• Education assistance programs
• An inclusive work environment built on teamwork, flexibility, and respect

Equal Opportunity Commitment

The Aerospace Corporation is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, color, religion, genetic information, marital status, ancestry, national origin, protected veteran status, physical disability, medical condition, mental disability, or disability status and any other characteristic protected by state or federal law. If you’re an individual with a disability or a disabled veteran who needs assistance using our online job search and application tools or need reasonable accommodation to complete the job application process, please contact us by phone at 310.336.5432 or by email at [e-mail] . You can also review Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal.

Right Place

The Aerospace Corporation has over 26 locations nationwide, which allows us to build a workforce that will nurture the best ideas, and generate the most novel innovations and solutions to our nation’s toughest space enterprise challenges.

Right Path

Aerospace covers all stages of the space lifecycle, from concept to operations. We believe our people are our most valuable resource and that’s why we propel our employees forward in their careers through ongoing education, training, and professional development.

Right Purpose

We can all serve a mission much greater than ourselves, and at Aerospace that is exactly what we do. By hiring the industry’s most preeminent scientists and engineers, Aerospace advances emerging technologies that protect some of the most critical missions on Earth and above it.

Return to the Aerospace Careers site. Aerospace employees working in organizations with technical responsibilities are required to obtain a Security Clearance. U.S. citizenship is required for those positions.