Flight Dynamics EngineerSenior Flight Dynamics Engineer

The Enterprise Effects Division (EED) drives integration of Aerospaces strategic capabilities across the national space enterprise. The divisionleveragesa broad array of engineering disciplines against avariedand 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.

As a corecomponentof EED the Earth Orbit Flight Dynamics Department (EOFDD) providesflight mechanicsexpertisefor launch vehiclesand space vehicles.Relevant skillsinclude orbital mechanics astrodynamics trajectory design and optimization and atmospheric flight modeling and simulation.We are looking for anEngineering Specialist/Senior Engineering Specialistto join the EOFDD team.The selected candidate willprovideexpertisefora wide rangeofcustomerflight mechanics needssupporting bothanalysis and research and developmentrequests.Thework will require candidates to provide deep technical solutionswhile alsocollaboratingwith engineering partnerstofacilitateintegrated solutions for our customershardest problems.Customers will includedefense intelligence and civil and commercialorganizations.

Work Model

• This position will be a hybrid work model based in El Segundo CA;Colorado Springs CO;Chantilly VA;or Albuquerque NM with the expectation that the selected candidateworksat least4days a week onsite as the business needs allow.

WhatYoullBe Doing

Primary Support

• Trajectorydesign and optimization for launch vehiclesand spacecraftfor missionsoperatingin LEO MEO HEO GEO and other earth-centric regimes

• Astrodynamics andorbitalmechanics analysis includingorbit propagation and maneuver design and optimization fororbit transferstationkeeping graveyard disposal and reentryevents

• Analysis ofvehicles withchemical and/or electric propulsion

• Evaluating contestedmissionsapplications for space systems tounderstand threat performanceassess vulnerabilities andimprove system resiliency

• Exploring and defining the evolvingDynamic Space Operations (DSO) mission area

• Maneuver and orbit designselectionand optimization for missions thatsupportRendezvousand Proximity Operations (RPO)objectiveswithcomplexoperational constraints

• Developing Concepts of Operations (CONOPS) exploring Tactics Techniques and Procedures (TTPs) andincorporating operationalconstraintsinto the design and maturation of space systems

• Providing operational supportfor nominallaunch andspacecraftdeploymentand transfersequences anomaly resolution and on-call emerging events

• Utilizingoptimalcontrol flight mechanics and computer science/algorithm development skills to create new capabilities to servicecustomer requestsas stand-alone services and/orready-to-integrate submodules

• Combining AI/ML/RL techniques with flight mechanics modeling for assessing complex analysis and decision-making trade spaces

• Performing research and development andbuilding newflight dynamicstoolsto cultivate andmaintaina healthy and modern internal tool base

• Leveragingexternal tools like ASSET GPOPS-II SNOPTPOST OTISCopernicus GMAT EMTGetc.whereappropriate toaugment internallydeveloped capabilities

Additionalinter-department partnershipcollaborationsopportunities:

• Cislunar and exploration-classorbital mechanicsanalysisand trajectory optimization

• Hypersonics missiles interceptors and reentry vehicle trajectory design and optimizationsupporting Golden Dome or other related mission areas

• Time-dependentTraveling SalesmanProblems and Facility Location Problem(servicer)analysis

• Integratedmulti-disciplinary RPOsystem simulations

What You Need to be Successful

MinimumRequirements for theEngineering Specialist Flight Mechanicsposition:

• Bachelors degree in aeronautical/astronautical engineering physics or applied mathematics or related disciplines

• Eightor moreyears of experienceinflight mechanicsastrodynamicsmaneuver optimizationtrajectory optimization launch vehicle trajectory designhypersonic vehicle modeling orgeneraltrajectory modeling and simulation

• Proficiencyin one or more of the following programming languagesand environments: C C Fortran PythonLinux and/or MATLAB

• The ability tooperateindependently often in the presence of ambiguity and still deliver high-qualityinnovativeandspecializedend products to a range of customers

• Willing to traveldomesticallyapprox.10%

• The ability to obtain andmaintainaUS security clearance(TS clearance (SSBI) with SCI access)is. U.S citizenship isto obtain a security clearance.

In addition to the above theminimumrequirements for theSeniorEngineering Specialist Flight Mechanicspositioninclude:

• Twelveor moreyears of experienceofrelevanttechnicalwork

• The ability tolead and execute large and sustained technical effortswith vision to propose scope and coordinate these efforts across organizational boundaries

How You Can Stand Out

It would be impressive if youhaveone or more of these:

• Advanced degree inaeronautical/astronautical engineering physics or applied mathematics or related disciplines is strongly desired

• Graduatelevelcourse workresearchand/or experience in one or more of the following areas:orbitalmechanicsastrodynamicsascent trajectory modelinghypersonic flight simulationoptimalcontrol flight mechanicsand/ortrajectory modeling and simulation

• Experienceusing orbuilding analysis software to combine numerical methods orbital or flight mechanics and optimization approaches for launch vehiclesmissilesinterceptorsspacecraft or reentry vehicles(hypersonics)

• Experience with nonlinear programming (non-linear programming) direct methods gradient-based optimization parameter optimization genetic algorithms evolutionary algorithms heuristic optimization methods indirect methods and/or calculus of variations

• Advanced algorithm development skills to include parallel processing and scripting experience

• Experience with contested space trajectory applicationsmilitary exercisesand wargaming events

• CurrentTS (SSBI)TS/SCIand/orTS/SAP Access