Spacecraft Flight Dynamics Engineer

Proteus Space, Inc.; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive medical benefits

401(k) matching

Flexible vacation policy

Pregnancy and family leave

Holiday pay

Sick days

Job summary

Proteus Space, Inc. in Los Angeles is seeking a seasoned Flight Dynamics Engineer to lead the integration, simulation, and live operations of flight dynamics for satellite builds.

This full-time in-office role focuses on attitude control, guidance, navigation, and testing to ensure robust on-orbit performance. Ideal candidates will have 5+ years in spacecraft flight dynamics, strong skills in Python/C++/MATLAB, and experience with ADCS, propulsion, and high-fidelity simulations.

Qualifications

• BS or higher in aerospace or electrical engineering or related field.
• 5+ years in spacecraft flight dynamics with attitude control and propulsion experience.
• Proficiency with mission design software and flight dynamics simulation tools.
• Programming experience in Python, C++, or MATLAB for modeling.
• ESD in clean room environments and adherence to protocols.
• Leadership experience mentoring engineers and driving innovation.

Responsibilities

• Lead the technical integration, vendor management, interface and performance requirements for ADCS, propulsion systems, and hardware GNC components.
• Develop high-fidelity flight dynamics models to execute trajectory analysis, momentum management, and propellant budgeting using STK or custom Python simulations.
• Develop and tune control laws for pointing requirements, detumbling, and station-keeping.
• Coordinate with AI&T and Avionics teams to ensure flight dynamics hardware is integrated and calibrated within the spacecraft bus.
• Transition from design and simulation to on-console operations, handling flight dynamics-related anomalies and maneuvers.
• Ensure compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements.
• Document design processes, test results, and system performance.

Skills

Flight dynamics

Attitude control

Propulsion systems

Python

C++

MATLAB

Leadership

GNC integration

Education

Aerospace/Electrical Eng. degree

Tools

STK

Python

Job description

Company Description

Proteus Space is a Los Angeles-based spacecraft technology company established to capitalize on a rapidly evolving space landscape and the urgent need to deliver resilient orbital capabilities to maintain and increase our national science and security interests. We combine serious space flight experience with an open minded, first-principles approach, leveraging advanced computational design and Industry 4.0 practices to deliver custom spacecraft and mission solutions with industry leading speed, precision, and reliability. We seek to enable every payload and mission with a fully custom, purpose-built spacecraft bus, designed and delivered using Proteus™, our patent-pending, automated computational design platform, with industry leading reliability.

Role Description

We are seeking a Flight Dynamics Engineer to join our flight program team. This is a full‑time, in-office role for an experienced professional with a proven track record of hands‑on work in flight dynamics. This role focuses on attitude control, guidance, navigation, simulation, hardware integration, troubleshooting, and live flight operations. In this role, you will lead the integration, simulation, testing, and real‑time operations of flight dynamics systems for our satellite builds to ensure seamless performance on orbit.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the technical integration, vendor management, interface and performance requirements for ADCS, propulsion systems, and hardware GNC components.
• Develop high-fidelity flight dynamics models to execute trajectory analysis, momentum management, and propellant budgeting using tools like STK or custom Python simulations.
• Develop and tune control laws for pointing requirements, detumbling, and station-keeping.
• Work with the AI&T and Avionics teams to ensure flight dynamics hardware is integrated and calibrated correctly within the spacecraft bus.
• Transition from the design and simulation phase into “on-console” operations, handling flight dynamics-related anomalies and maneuvers.
• Ensure compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements.
• Document design processes, test results, and system performance.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or advanced degree in aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in spacecraft flight dynamics, including experience with attitude control and Propulsion systems.
• Proficiency in mission design software and flight dynamics simulation tools.
• Proficiency in programming (Python, C++, or MATLAB) for modeling flight dynamics and flight software integration.
• Experience working in clean room environments and adhering to ESD protocols.
• Demonstrated leadership skills, including mentoring junior engineers and driving innovation in engineering processes.
• Strong ability to collaborate effectively in a dynamic environment while maintaining a positive and professional attitude.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and attention to detail.

Salary Range

$150,000 - $190,000 per year. Final compensation is based on experience, education and qualifications.

Benefits

Proteus Space offers comprehensive benefits including paid medical healthcare for employees, flexible vacation policy, sick days, 401k matching option, pregnancy leave, family leave, holiday pay, military service leave, dental care, vision care and other benefits.

Equal Opportunity

Proteus is committed to providing equal employment opportunities regardless of an applicant’s age, disability, sex, race, religion, gender, national origin, veteran status or any other legally protected characteristic. The Company will provide reasonable accommodations to an applicant with a disability or religious belief in or to enable the applicant to apply for the position.