Engineer V

Vantage Systems • Albuquerque, NM

74d • $137,591 - $168,724 • Onsite

About The Position

Vantage Systems, Inc. (Vantage) is a leading provider of multi-disciplinary engineering services for spaceflight projects, serving NASA and the Department of Defense (DoD) since 1992. We are seeking a highly qualified Aerospace Engineer (Engineer V) for a potential upcoming contract onsite at Kirtland AFB in Albuquerque, NM, supporting the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) SSHINE contract. This senior-level role involves systems engineering, mission design, and technical analysis for space technology programs, covering the full lifecycle of space missions from concept to flight operations for spacecraft ranging from CubeSats to ESPA-class satellites. The position requires hands-on aerospace engineering experience, strong analytical skills, and the ability to work in Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities (SCIFs).

Requirements

• BS degree with 20+ years of relevant experience, or MS degree with 15+ years of relevant experience, or PhD degree with 10+ years of relevant experience.
• Ability to work in Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities (SCIFs).
• TS clearance with eligibility for SCI Poly.

Responsibilities

• Provide systems engineering, mission design, and technical analysis support for space technology programs.
• Support spacecraft subsystem design, mission analysis, concept of operations development, and requirements definition.
• Perform mechanical, thermal, structural, and systems engineering for spacecraft buses, payloads, and high-altitude balloon experiments.
• Support spacecraft hardware design, fabrication, and integration, including technology prototyping and flight experiment assembly.
• Develop and exercise spacecraft models, mission simulations, and analytical tools.
• Support systems engineering tasks for AFRL Program Managers, Chief Engineers, and Systems Engineers.
• Develop and refine mission requirements, concept of operations (CONOPS), mission constraints, and conceptual designs.
• Conduct mission design and evaluation, including orbit analysis, launch vehicle integration studies, and mission timeline development.
• Perform design tradeoffs and alternatives analysis.
• Support refinement of programmatic objectives into actionable technical requirements.
• Develop interface control documentation, specifications, and design documentation.
• Perform mechanical, thermal, electrical, and structural engineering for spacecraft and high-altitude balloon experiment designs.
• Conduct spacecraft subsystem modeling, integration planning, and system-level simulations.
• Design and analyze spacecraft structures, mechanisms, thermal management systems, and power systems.
• Evaluate spacecraft performance through analytical methods, modeling and simulation, and engineering analysis.
• Support development of Government Reference Designs (GRD).
• Identify requirement shortfalls and recommend system improvements.
• Ensure all testing activities comply with industry standards, company policies, and regulatory requirements.
• Support Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) activities.
• Develop modeling capabilities to simulate, emulate, and evaluate technology options.
• Test and operate modeling and simulation capabilities for spacecraft systems and mission scenarios.
• Perform analyses comparing model and simulation results to experimental findings and test data.
• Conduct satellite system simulation and mission effectiveness evaluation.
• Support spacecraft and high-altitude balloon flight hardware design and fabrication.
• Provide hardware development, integration planning, and technology transition support.
• Support design and fabrication of ground-based proofs-of-concept, experiments, and demonstrations.
• Prepare documented data acquisition, processing, analysis, and modeling/simulation tools.
• Document experimental processes and results.
• Support spacecraft bus, payload, and experiment assembly and integration.
• Review and provide input on test procedures, safety plans, and risk management plans.
• Support launch integration activities.
• Assist with shipping, protecting, and transporting flight experiments and support equipment.
• Participate in technical meetings, design reviews, program reviews, and technical conferences.
• Support procurement assistance with long lead hardware/software.
• Support technology transfer planning and decommissioning activities.
• Support miscellaneous tasks such as trade studies, demonstrations, and various analyses.
• Support comprehensive cybersecurity and information assurance activities.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior