Senior Flight Dynamics Engineer — Lead Orbit Design

CesiumAstro; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 133,000 - 161,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

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Benefits package

Job summary

CesiumAstro is seeking a Senior Flight Dynamics Engineer to lead orbit design, trajectory analysis, and orbit determination across our spacecraft operations. You will own the flight dynamics function from early concept through launch, commissioning, and on-orbit operations.

You will build scalable tools and workflows, collaborate with GNC, propulsion, and mission operations teams, and mentor junior engineers in a fast-paced startup environment.

Qualifications

• B.S. in Aerospace Engineering or related field; MS/PhD preferred.
• 5 years of experience in flight dynamics, mission analysis, or astrodynamics.
• Strong programming skills in Python; MATLAB/C++ a plus.
• Experience with industry-standard astrodynamics tools.
• Ability to work independently in a high-ownership environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead orbit design, trade studies, and trajectory optimization for LEO/GEO/cislunar/deep space missions (as applicable).
• Develop and maintain high-fidelity mission analysis models.
• Perform launch window analysis, injection targeting, and dispersions analysis.
• Define and validate ΔV budgets across all mission phases.
• Support constellation design, station keeping strategies, and end-of-life disposal planning.
• Develop orbit determination strategies using tracking data (GNSS, radiometric, optical, etc.).
• Support maneuver planning, targeting, and execution analysis.
• Establish conjunction assessment and collision avoidance processes.
• Support mission readiness reviews, launch campaigns, and on-orbit anomaly resolution.
• Build, validate, and maintain flight dynamics tools and simulation environments.
• Automate analysis workflows to scale with company growth.
• Integrate tools with GNC, FSW, and mission operations pipelines.
• Evaluate and implement industry-standard tools (e.g., GMAT, STK, ODTK, MONTE, custom Python/C++ frameworks).
• Collaborate closely with GNC, propulsion, systems engineering, and mission operations teams.
• Provide technical mentorship to junior engineers.
• Contribute to technical roadmaps and long-term mission strategy.
• Interface with customers, partners, and regulatory agencies as needed.

Skills

Python

Orbital mechanics

C++

MATLAB

Education

B.S. in Aerospace Engineering

M.S. or Ph.D. preferred

Tools

GMAT

STK

ODTK

MONTE

Job description

CesiumAstro is seeking a Senior Flight Dynamics Engineer to lead orbit design, trajectory analysis, and orbit determination across our spacecraft operations. You will own the flight dynamics function from early concept through launch, commissioning, and on-orbit operations.

You will build scalable tools and workflows, collaborate with GNC, propulsion, and mission operations teams, and mentor junior engineers in a fast-paced startup environment.