Engineering Lead - Flight Safety

About Peraton

Peraton is a next-generation national security company that drives missions of consequence spanning the globe and extending to the farthest reaches of the galaxy. As the world's leading mission capability integrator and transformative enterprise IT provider, we deliver trusted, highly differentiated solutions and technologies to protect our nation and allies. Peraton operates at the critical nexus between traditional and nontraditional threats across all domains: land, sea, space, air, and cyberspace.

The company serves as a valued partner to essential government agencies and supports every branch of the U.S. armed forces. Each day, our employees solve the most daunting challenges that our customers face.

Program Overview

Support for a national security program space war fighting mission based in Springfield, VA.

About the Role

Engineering Lead (Flight Safety) responsible for ensuring that all program and partnered space‑based assets are protected and forewarned against on‑orbit collision risks and ground system threats (laser, RF jamming). The Lead serves as a subject matter expert on system tools performing conjunction analysis (CA) and integrates new tools to drive improved efficiencies and reduce risk. The Lead provides hands‑on training for team members, develops solutions, leads meetings, and supports collaboration with mission elements, intelligence, strategic plans, special programs, mission protection, current operations, detached operations centers, and partnered agencies.

Responsibilities

• Drive system engineering & integration activities for system tools furnished to Flight Safety.
• Lead flight safety and integration meetings and support planning, exercise, and system development collaborative efforts.
• Execute command shell (Bash) and Python scripts through GUI & command prompts, troubleshooting as needed within Linux OS in classified network environments.
• Perform routine RSO asset ephemeris against terrestrial locations and secondary RSOs, including ad hoc runs in response to non‑corporative maneuvers.
• Screen satellite positions (TLEs, state vector, and ephemeris formatted sources) for pre‑ and post‑launch assessments and hypothetical or planned burn ephemeris against known threats and on‑orbit conjunction risks; disseminate results.
• Develop improved tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) and courses of action (COAs) for flight safety operations; oversee checklist and job aid development.
• Task traditional & non‑traditional sensor assets to reduce RSO covariance and improve probability of collision (PoC) accuracy for collision avoidance decision‑making.
• Operate orbit propagating software, navigate GUIs, understand required field inputs and reporting criteria to deliver products to owner/operator and customer.
• Provide advanced training to team and assist in job training (OJT) to maintain team knowledge standards and increase system competency.
• Participate in exercise planning and scenario execution for scheduled events.
• Work with engineering team to report bugs, system deficiencies and advocate for software enhancements on developing systems.
• Ensure all critical 24/7 flight safety mission tasks are performed; direct and implement contingency and back‑up procedures during system or facility outages.
• This position is contingent upon award of contract.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of combined experience in flight safety (conjunction assessment) and/or space operations requiring flight safety system tools (STK, ASW) with a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Physics, Electrical, Optics, Aerospace or related technical fields); 14 years of relevant experience in lieu of degree; 11+ years of relevant experience with a master’s degree.
• 7 years of applied knowledge of orbital mechanics, conjunction assessment or related satellite operations.
• 5+ years assigned to National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) or partnered IC organizations.
• 3+ years of prior NRO systems engineering experience involving RSO vulnerability analysis.
• 2+ years of experience with Astrodynamics Support Workstation’s (ASW) Super Combo tool or STK Level 2 certification.
• Advanced oral & written communication skills.
• Active TS/SCI with…