Job SummaryWe have an exciting opportunity for a Spacecraft Flight Sciences Engineering Team Lead available within our Mechanical Engineering Team working with satellite development and orbital activities. We are looking for an experienced engineer with experience leading a team with broad technical scope in structural, thermal, fluids, guidance, navigation and controls to join our team.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: - Lead a team to develop engineering solutions that require creative designs, detailed analysis, investigation, and resolution of routine engineering problems while fostering a collaborative team environment.
- Engage in the development and integration of spacecraft and payload systems, high-energy lasers, electro-optical systems, and other complex technologies.
- Ability to perform structural and dynamic analysis on components, spacecraft and launch vehicle systems.
- Analysis of gas/liquid propulsion monopropellant and bi-propellant components/subassemblies into gas and liquid propulsion subsystems.
- Lead the analysis and optimization of spacecraft fluid systems, with a focus on propulsion, slosh dynamics, plume impingement and aerophysics.
- Perform advanced simulations and modeling of fluid behavior in spacecraft environments, including zero-gravity, extreme temperature variations, and vacuum conditions.
- Experience with the design, analysis, build, and test of advanced space hardware. Apply statistical methods and perform mathematical calculations to evaluate strength and dynamic capabilities.
- Conduct trades studies for sizing, specification and selection of spacecraft GNC hardware including reaction wheel and torque rod sizing, sensor noise and performance characteristics, redundancy and fault management.
- Lead architecture development of high fidelity GNC/attitude control algorithms.
- Establish, maintain and execute satellite altitude control simulation software.
- Analyze the stability and robustness of GNC algorithms using control theory and Monte Carlo simulations.
- Determines technical objectives and develop innovative, practical solutions to advanced technical engineering problems.
- Addresses complex and difficult technical issues requiring highly creative approaches, drawing on advanced engineering concepts.
- Hands-on work environment and high level of interaction with system components.
- Oversee prototype builds and implement lessons learned into design.
- Support business development and lead IRAD planning and execution
- Perform resource evaluation, development planning and performance reviews.
- Support tool evaluation and identify process gaps.
Job Qualifications- Typically requires a bachelors degree, masters degree or PhD in engineering or a related technical discipline from an accredited institution and progressive engineering experience as follows; fifteen or more years of experience with a bachelors degree, thirteen or more years of experience with a masters degree, or ten or more years with a PhD. May substitute equivalent engineering experience in lieu of education.
- Experience in managing and leading multi-disciplinary engineering teams is required.
- Strong communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills are required, enabling effective interface with other departments and professionals, representing the organization as a prime technical contact, and providing leadership and guidance to less experienced professionals.
- Demonstrates extensive technical expertise and application of engineering principles, with the ability to organize, plan, schedule, conduct, and coordinate workloads to meet established deadlines or milestones with some experience in project leadership.
- Must possess the ability to develop and communicate new concepts; apply them accurately throughout an evolving environment; organize, schedule, and coordinate work phases; and determine the appropriate approach at the task level or, with assistance, at the project level to provide solutions to a range of complex problems.
- Customer-focused, formulates plans based on the development of innovative new designs in resolving advanced technical engineering problems.
Technical Expertise
- Expertise in structural, thermal, propulsion, and GNC (guidance, navigation, and control) design and analysis is required.
- Mechanical design experience is strongly preferred.
- Optical systems, flight systems, or military systems experience is highly desirable.
- Familiarity with space/launch environments is a plus.
- Knowledge of aluminum honeycomb panels is advantageous.
- Exposure to laboratory environments, including materials characterization, materials testing, vibration testing, and failure analysis, is preferred.
- Proficiency in CAD and FEA (finite element analysis) software such as SolidWorks, ANSYS, NASTRAN, FEMAP, Thermal Desktop, STK, Monte, Basilisk is highly desirable.
- Experience with Matlab is helpful.
Professional Qualifications
- Must have a thorough understanding of engineering concepts, principles, codes, and theory; experience demonstrating a broad application of those concepts; and expanding knowledge of principles, concepts, theory, and practices in related technical specialties.
- A Professional Engineering License, original work(s) published in professional engineering journals, and invitations to present one or more original works at engineering symposiums are desirable.
Work Environment
- Must be customer-focused and able to work on a self-initiated basis or in a team environment, with the ability to work extended hours and travel as required.
- Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Security Clearance is required.
