Flight Dynamics Engineer

• Provide flight mechanics expertise for a wide range of customer needs across defense, intelligence, and civil and commercial organizations
• Design and optimize trajectories for launch vehicles and spacecraft across LEO, MEO, HEO, GEO, and other Earth-centric regimes
• Perform astrodynamics and orbital mechanics analysis, including orbit propagation and maneuver design and optimization
• Analyze chemical and/or electric propulsion vehicles
• Evaluate contested mission applications, threat performance, vulnerabilities, and system resiliency
• Explore and define the Dynamic Space Operations mission area
• Design, select, and optimize maneuvers and orbits for Rendezvous and Proximity Operations objectives
• Develop CONOPS and TTPs and incorporate operational constraints into space system design and maturation
• Provide operational support for launches, spacecraft deployment and transfer sequences, anomaly resolution, and on-call emerging events
• Develop optimal control, flight mechanics, computer science, and algorithm-based capabilities and submodules
• Combine AI/ML/RL techniques with flight mechanics modeling for complex analysis and decision-making trade spaces
• Perform research and development and build new flight dynamics tools
• Leverage external tools including ASSET, GPOPS-II, SNOPT, POST, OTIS, Copernicus, GMAT, and EMTG
• Collaborate with engineering partners to deliver integrated solutions for challenging customer problems
• Support potential collaborations in cislunar exploration, hypersonics, missiles, interceptors, reentry vehicles, traveling salesman problems, facility location, and integrated RPO simulations

• Bachelor’s degree in aeronautical/astronautical engineering, physics or applied mathematics, or related disciplines
• Two years of experience in flight mechanics, astrodynamics, maneuver optimization, trajectory optimization, launch vehicle trajectory design, hypersonic vehicle modeling, or general trajectory modeling and simulation
• For Senior Member: five or more years of relevant technical work or PhD
• Proficiency in one or more of C, C++, Fortran, Python, Linux, and/or MATLAB
• Willingness to travel domestically approximately 10%
• Ability to obtain and maintain a US security clearance
• U.S. citizenship required to obtain a security clearance
• Demonstrated technical excellence in relevant job capabilities and functions
• Ability to operate independently in ambiguous situations and deliver high-quality end products
• Advanced degree in aeronautical/astronautical engineering, physics or applied mathematics, or related disciplines is strongly desired
• Experience or graduate-level coursework/research in orbital mechanics, astrodynamics, ascent trajectory modeling, hypersonic flight simulation, optimal control, flight mechanics, and/or trajectory modeling and simulation
• Experience using or building analysis software combining numerical methods, orbital or flight mechanics, and optimization approaches
• Experience with nonlinear 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 including parallel processing and scripting
• Experience with contested space trajectory applications, military exercises, and wargaming events
• Current TS/SCI and/or TS/SAP Access is impressive/preferred

Demonstrates expertise in flight mechanics, astrodynamics, and trajectory optimization, with a strong foundation in algorithm development and numerical methods. Capable of providing operational support and developing innovative solutions for complex aerospace challenges.

• Flight Mechanics Expertise
• Astrodynamics Analysis
• Trajectory Optimization
• C/C++/Python Proficiency
• Advanced Algorithm Development

• Astrodynamics
• Trajectory Optimization
• Maneuver Design
• Optimal Control
• Flight Mechanics
• Numerical Methods
• Nonlinear Programming
• Genetic Algorithms
• Heuristic Optimization
• Calculus of Variations

• Independent Operation
• Problem-Solving
• Collaboration

• US Security Clearance
• TS/SCI Access
• TS/SAP Access

• Launch Vehicle Design
• Hypersonic Flight Simulation
• Contested Space Trajectory
• Rendezvous and Proximity Operations
• Cislunar Exploration

• ASSET
• GPOPS-II
• SNOPT
• POST
• OTIS
• Copernicus
• GMAT
• EMTG