Mission Formulation Engineer (8-12 yrs)

The team at Advanced Space is leading humanity back to the Moon and pioneering innovative solutions in the space industry. Based in Westminster Colorado this incredible team is looking for a skilled and experiencedMission Formulation Engineerwith 8-12 years of experience to support a growing list of projects and missions. Advanced Space is a rapidly growing privately held business that operates with core values that reinforce we are customer obsessed and mission focused; when we see it we solve it; we are one team motivated by our vision; and we bring technical excellence and inexhaustible curiosity. This role will be based in Westminster Colorado and an ideal candidate for this role will love not just the responsibilities but will also have a passion for the exploration development and settlement of space. This person will play an integral role in ensuring that our fast-paced and growing team is properly aligned and equipped to support mission planning operations and technological development.

This position is restricted to U.S. Persons only as defined under 22 CFR 120.62 (U.S. citizens lawful permanent residents refugees and asylees).

We do not provide visa sponsorship or support work authorization for this role. Candidates must be authorized to work in the U.S. without the need for current or future sponsorship.

Were defining missions before they become missions. As a Mission Formulation Engineer youll work at the front end of the lifecycle where requirements are still open and the architecture is still a question. Youll translate ambiguous customer needs into credible mission concepts lead trade studies across competing architectures size mission designs and resource budgets shape concepts of operations and execute the quick-turn analysis that results in viable down-select options with confidence. This position requires a broad systems engineering purview across multiple disciplines: youll reason across propulsion GNC comms and operations well enough to know what closes and what doesnt and comfortable working before the answers are fixed. You bring the judgment to navigate undefined problems. We bring the missions that need defining. Together we decide what flies to meet our customers needs.

Responsibilities:

• Lead early-phase mission studies and concept development for new and upcoming missions from initial objectives through concept maturation and down-select of viable options
• Translate customer mission objectives into mission concepts top-level system requirements and concepts of operations (ConOps)
• Define and lead trade studies across competing mission architectures weighing feasibility performance cost and risk to drive down-select decisions
• Develop and balance system-level resource budgets (delta-v mass power link data) and validate candidate concepts against mission performance requirements
• Own concept-level mission design including orbit and trajectory selection maneuver and coverage analysis in coordination with astrodynamics and navigation teams
• Work directly with customers to shape and mature mission concepts present technical options and guide the transition from concept to a baselined design
• Lead or handoff leadership for early system reviews (MCR SRR SDR) and provide technical guidance to subsystem concept development (GNC ADCS comms propulsion EPS etc.)
• Proactively identify and manage technical maturity (TRL) and feasibility risks across the formulation phase
• Assess concept viability against regulatory and operational constraints including orbital debris spectrum and operability considerations
• Coordinate a broad range of technical experts spanning astrodynamics GNC navigation communications and systems engineering to close concepts as integrated wholes
• Lead the development of compelling technically rigorous proposals for future missions

Required Skills & Qualifications:

• B.S./M.S./Ph.D. in Engineering or a related field with emphasis on systems engineering or mission concept design or deep knowledge of a specific mission critical subsystem engineering field.
• 8 to 12 years of experience in mission formulation concept development and early-phase systems engineering with deep-space or cislunar experience preferred
• Demonstrated ability to lead architecture trade studies and translate mission objectives into requirements and ConOps
• Strong mission design and astrodynamics literacy across Earth cislunar and deep-space regimes
• Systems-level breadth across propulsion GNC communications and operations sufficient to judge concept feasibility and resource closure
• Familiarity with NASAs Systems Engineering Handbook and early-lifecycle (pre-Phase A and Phase A) processes; DoD space program experience a plus
• Programming proficiency for analysis and trade tooling Python preferred
• Experience supporting technical proposals and customer-facing concept development
• Thrives amid evolving and ambiguous technical needs: adaptable decisive and dependable
• Strong communicator and leader able to mentor delegate and drive cross-functional teams
• Customer-focused technically sharp and forward-looking

Eligibility Requirements:

• Ability to work in the Westminster CO office 5 days/week during core business hours.
• Applicants must be a US Person (citizen or Green Card Holder/permanent resident or protected individual)

Compensation and Benefits:

• Base Salary Range $134000 - $170000 based on role and experience
• Signing bonus
• Quarterly performance bonuses
• Company provided health insurance and 401K plan upon eligibility
• Fully stocked breakroom with free snacks drinks and grab-and-go options
• Flexible PTO
• Relocation Assistance

About the company:

Advanced Space exists to enable the sustainable exploration development and settlement of space through software and services that leverage unique subject matter expertise. The company is actively supporting mission and cutting-edge capabilities spanning commercial civil and national security customers. Our core business is focused on three areas: (1) mission enabling services (2) technology solutions and (3) mission solutions. Through its mission enabling services Advanced Space provides mission and flight optimization mission design mission systems engineering. With its technology solutions Advanced Space provides its customers with trusted AI/ML/autonomy expertise flight-demonstrated applications and analysis at scale. Advanced Space offers Mission Solutions with unique turn-key missions data and capabilities purchases and demonstrated cislunar and Martian success. Advanced Space is mission focused as the owner and operator of CAPSTONE for NASA and Prime contractor for Oracle for AFRL.

These competencies are leveraged by a dynamic flexible and agile team with cross domain knowledge. We have a small but growing team that works collaboratively across projects. We provide flexibility and an opportunity for passionate employees to contribute directly to meaningful projects. Trusted to take on the challenge the team at Advanced Space is Delivering Innovation to Orbit to the Moon Mars and beyond.

Advanced Space LLC recruits employs trains compensates and promotes regardless of race religion color national origin sex disability age veteran status and other protected status as required by applicable law.