Senior Astrodynamics Engineer

Senior Astrodynamics Engineer

We are seeking a highly talented, self-motivated Senior Astrodynamics Engineer to join our rapidly growing startup. As part of our larger Autonomous Systems team, you will have the technical leadership opportunity to create, design and implement full-cycle mission planning and orbital mechanics profiles for future reentry vehicles, unlocking the future of space factories with rapid flight and entry for next generation products.

You will work closely with a top-notch multidisciplinary vehicle engineering team to architect the mission plan and trajectory of the world's first commercial reentry vehicle, enabling the ability to precision land and return manufactured products to earth. You'll own and develop modeling and simulation infrastructure and tooling to help ensure trajectory design and reentry profile are accurate, reliable, and safe. You will own the full cycle of mission planning and orbital dynamics development, from requirements definition and design to mission planning and on-orbit and reentry operations. We are looking for engineers who enjoy solving complex and open-ended problems, can work effectively in a fast-paced environment and share our passion in creating in-space industry.

Responsibilities

• Perform trajectory design, optimization, and dispersion analysis for the reentry of a next generation space vehicle
• Design spacecraft trajectories and produce orbital analyses for commercial reentry vehicles
• Optimize trajectories based on fuel, time, and/or performance characteristics
• Work closely with propulsion, software and flight operations teams to ensure vehicle and mission objectives are accomplished in the vehicle design
• Design and implementation of autonomous satellite navigational solutions, collision avoidance, orbital rendezvous, and atmospheric re-entry algorithms
• Running Monte Carlo analysis to characterize performance of new features
• Lead the development of new vehicle capabilities
• Support in-orbit operations as trajectory specialist, including coordination with other spacecraft operators and 3rd party entities

Required Skills

• Teamwork skills are necessary to solve problems in a collaborative environment
• Ability to scope projects including requirements capture and initial design trades given open-ended problems
• Develop 6 degree of freedom vehicle simulation using C++ and Python
• Perform trajectory design, optimization, and dispersion analysis for the reentry of a space capsule
• Mission specific analysis for customer launch and in support of business development

Basic Qualifications

• B.S. degree in aerospace, mechanical, electrical engineering, physics, or related field
• 5+ proven years of experience, or PhD with 3+ years of relevant experience
• Demonstrated knowledge in designing, modeling, testing, and flying orbital trajectories or aerospace guidance, navigation, and control systems
• Strong software and model development skills, particularly in C++/Python/Matlab
• Understanding of orbital mechanics, modeling and simulation, and software development
• Experience anchoring/fitting first principles models to test data or high-fidelity external simulations
• Proven system engineering and configuration management skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Pay Range

• Salary range: $155,000 - $185,000/per year
• This role is on-site in El Segundo, CA
• Leveling and base salary is determined by job-related skills, education level, experience level, and job performance
• You will be eligible for long-term incentives in the form of stock options and/or long-term cash awards
• Offer compensation also includes the ability to receive stock options under the Company's Equity Incentive Plan.