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 wide-ranging and 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.

The Space Enterprise Design and Optimization Department (SEDOD) is in EED’s Enterprise Design Subdivision (EDS). We bring to bear expertise in a wide variety of fields to tackle tough problems and explore novel ideas, focusing on the performance modeling, analysis, and optimization of orbits, mission architectures, and acquisition portfolios to inform the future of the national space enterprise.   

As part of SEDOD and EDS, a member of our technical staff will employ and develop sophisticated simulation tools to perform space and ground design, optimization, and analysis in support of architecture concept trade studies, requirements verification, analyses-of-alternatives, and performance modeling. Additionally, this staff member will leverage optimization techniques to enable our customers to make data-driven decisions regarding portfolio composition, budget planning, and commercial purchasing. They will act as a technical expert for a portfolio of high-impact projects, in addition to working on teams and collaborating with other analysts to expand their domain knowledge.   

Work Model 

This is a full-time position based in Chantilly, VA; El Segundo, CA; or Colorado Springs, CO, offering an in-person work model that combines 4 or more regular onsite workdays per week. 

What You’ll Be Doing: 

• Independently and collaboratively providing subject matter expertise to program offices and government customers in the areas of space architecture design and optimization, space network design, orbital analysis, and space security and defense 

• Leveraging in-house and commercial- and government-off-the-shelf engineering analysis tools to deliver technical insights through analytical deep dives, trade studies, and assessments in department focus areas 

• Contributing to efforts expanding department optimization capabilities to support a broader set of mission domains and architectures 

• Developing and presenting timely and technically-accurate presentations and reports that clearly communicate analysis results and provide recommended solutions to technical leads, management, and customers 

• Building and maintaininga strong base of customers and collaborators for the department through effective working relationships with cross-organization partners, government customers, and contractor teammates

• Identifying and instigating opportunities to sustain, develop, and grow simulation and analysis capabilities to support new functional areas for a diverse customer base 

• Supporting department growth by technical mentoring of junior staff members in one or more department capability areas

• Occasional travel to support customer efforts

What You Need to be Successful 

Minimum Requirements for the Sr. Member of the Technical Staff: 

• B.S. degree in aerospace, astronautical, or mechanical engineering, physics, operations research, mathematics, or a related field of science or engineering  

• Four or more years of relevant and progressive professional experience 

• Experience with constellation design, orbital mechanics, or mathematics related to satellite access geometry  

• Significant history of making effective contributions to a wide range of technical analysis or development projects  

• Ability to support multiple programs and/or activities simultaneously act as a technical point-of-contact  

• Lead and mentor small teams in conducting routine analysis and development tasks as part of larger project efforts 

• Knowledge of Python, C, C++, MATLAB, or another programming language 

• This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance (TS/SCI), which is issued by the US government. U.S citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance. 

In addition to the above, the minimum requirements for the Engineering Specialist include: 

• 6 or more years of relevant experience 

• Familiarity with one or more of the following: optimization techniques, space network design, orbital mechanics, or mathematics related to satellite access geometry 

• Significant history of consistent contribution to multiple substantial technical analytical or development projects through their successful fruition  Strong personal accountability, demonstrated growth mindset, and adaptable to changing customer expectations  

How You Can Stand Out 

It would be impressive if you have one or more of these: 

• A graduate degree in aerospace, astronautical, or mechanical engineering, physics, operations research, mathematics, or a related field of science or engineering  

• Graduate level course work or extensive knowledge in optimization techniques, genetic algorithms, space network design, orbital mechanics, space satellite constellation performance modeling and/or mathematics related to satellite access geometry 

• Work history in one of these specific national security space or intelligence mission areas: geo-spatial intelligence, signals intelligence, space surveillance, space protection, or satellite communication networks supporting defense or intelligence capabilities 

• Familiarity with Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT) principles, particularly access geometry considerations for electro-optical (EO) and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) collection systems 

• Experience with the use of Unix or Linux platforms  

• Extensive knowledge of Intelligence Community or U.S. Department of Defense business practices, acquisition policies, or space mission portfolios 

• Current SCI access with a current Counter-Intelligence (CI) polygraph