Flight Dynamics Engineer

The Aerospace Corporation is the trusted partner to the nation’s space programs, solving the hardest problems and providing unmatched technical expertise. As the operator of a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC), we are broadly engaged across all aspects of space— delivering innovative solutions that span satellite, launch, ground, and cyber systems for defense, civil and commercial customers. When you join our team, you’ll be part of a special collection of problem solvers, thought leaders, and innovators.

Join us and take your place in space.

The Enterprise Effects Division (EED) drives integration of Aerospace’s strategic capabilities across the national space enterprise. The division leverages a broad array of engineering disciplines against a 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.

This is a full-time position based in El Segundo, CA, Albuquerque, NM, Chantilly, VA or Huntsville, AL, offering an in‑person work model that combines 4 or more regular onsite workdays per week and remote flexibility as business needs allow.

• This is a full-time position based in El Segundo, CA, Albuquerque, NM, Chantilly, VA or Huntsville, AL, offering an in‑person work model that combines 4 or more regular onsite workdays per week and remote flexibility as business needs allow.

Primary Support

• Hypersonics, missiles, interceptors, and reentry vehicle trajectory design and optimization
• Cislunar and exploration‑class orbital mechanics analysis and trajectory optimization
• Time‑dependent Traveling Salesman Problems and Facility Location Problem analysis
• Astrodynamics and orbital mechanics analysis including orbit propagation and maneuver design and optimization for orbit transfer, station keeping, graveyard, disposal, and reentry events
• Analysis of vehicles with chemical and/or electric propulsion
• Evaluating contested missions applications for space systems to understand threat performance, assess vulnerabilities, and improve system resiliency
• Developing Concepts of Operations (CONOPS), exploring Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs), and incorporating operational constraints into the design and maturation of space and near‑space systems
• Providing operational support for nominal launch and spacecraft deployment and transfer sequences, anomaly resolution, and on‑call emerging events
• Utilizing optimal control, flight mechanics, and computer science/algorithm development skills to create new capabilities to service customer requests as stand‑alone services and/or ready‑to‑integrate submodules
• Performing research and development and building new flight dynamics tools to cultivate and maintain a healthy and modern internal tool base
• Leveraging external tools like ASSET, GPOPS‑II, SNOPT, POST, OTIS, Copernicus, GMAT, EMTG, etc. where appropriate to augment internally developed capabilities

• Maneuver and orbit design, selection, and optimization for missions that support Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO) objectives with complex operational constraints
• Trajectory design and optimization for launch vehicles and spacecraft for missions operating in LEO, MEO, HEO, GEO, and other earth‑centric regimes

Minimum Requirements for Member of Technical Staff — Flight Mechanics:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited program in Engineering, Science, Mathematics, or related technical discipline.
• At least two years of relevant professional, technical work experience.
• Experience in one or more of the following subjects: space mission analysis and design, advanced astrodynamics, algorithm design, software development, or mathematical modeling, multi‑objective optimization, trajectory simulation and performance optimization of spacecraft, missiles, and reentry vehicles
• Proficiency with one or more of the following programming languages/tools: C, C++, Python, Fortran, MATLAB.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Willing to travel domestically to customer and…