SpaceOps Tool Developer

ASRC Federal is a leading government contractor furthering missions in space, public health and defense. As an Alaska Native owned corporation, our work helps secure an enduring future for our shareholders. Join our team and discover why we are a top veteran employer and Certified Great Place to Work

Data Networks Inc is hiring a Space Ops Tool Developer who is a specialized hybrid engineer bridging satellite subsystems expertise (power, comm, GNC, flight dynamics, thermal) with modern software engineering. The position builds, automates, and optimizes real‑time command systems and offline engineering tools, streamlines data analysis, and improves satellite operations.

As a member of the Engineering and Mission Operations Support Services
-VII (EMOSS-VII) contract, based in Suitland, MD the position requires proven education and experience to perform at a high level as a Space Ops Tool Developer
. Our client is responsible for engineering and mission operations support for environmental monitoring satellites managed by NOAA Office of Satellite and Product Operations (OSPO).

• Development and Maintenance of Operational Tools: Maintaining current satellite operations tools (flight dynamics, data trending and analysis), developing critical enhancements, and responding to changing mission requirements.
• Intersection of Roles: Position acts as “satellite operations engineer‑who‑codes,” creating user‑friendly interfaces (UIs) to automate operations.
• Automation of Real‑time Ops: Maintaining software that automates routine commanding, telemetry monitoring, fault detection, and isolation/recovery (FDIR) sequences. Tools enable shifting from “human‑in‑the‑loop” to “human‑on‑the‑loop,” and maintaining autonomous systems that manage health without direct operator intervention.
• Subsystem Intelligence: Understanding of satellite flight and ground systems, including Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC), communication, thermal regulation, and power management to write effective control algorithms.
• Modern Software Practices: Proficient in C, C++, Rust, Python, Google Apps Script and Linux environments, implementing robust automated test procedures, and writing operational procedures.
• Aerospace Context vs. General Coding: Understands why a satellite takes a certain action, not just how to code the command. Knows what telemetry parameters indicate thermal violation, thruster malfunction, or communication loss.

• Bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering or related field, and 3‑5 years of aerospace engineering experience. A Master’s degree in relevant discipline is equivalent to two years’ experience.
• Writing and presentation skills for a wide diverse audience.
• Perform contingency real‑time troubleshooting and analysis during anomalies, including real‑time problem identification and resolution, support in case of any in‑orbit anomaly and participate in the investigation of ground system anomalies.
• Propose new or execute improvements to tools that will increase long‑term reliability, monitoring, and anomaly detection capability.

• Direct experience developing and sustaining GOES‑R Lightweight Automation‑Driven Orbital Solution (GLADOS) code and its SOLAR‑1 variant.
• Direct experience using flight dynamics software packages (GMAT, STK) for mission analysis.
• Direct experience providing trending and analysis software updates, mission unique adaptations and database updates.
• Configuration management and document management supporting flight operations.

Work in a typical office building during a standard 40‑hour week. Occasional deadlines or operational conditions require non‑standard hours and longer hours. Travel for a few days to a couple of weeks per year. Work is at the NOAA Satellite Operations Facility (NSOF) located on the Suitland Federal Center, MD.

We invest in the lives of our employees, both in and out of the workplace, by providing competitive pay and benefits packages. Benefits offered may include health care, dental, vision, life insurance; 401(k); education assistance; paid time off…