Controls, Modeling, Simulation, and Analysis Engineer (GN&C Senior Engineer) (ES5)

Amentum•Huntsville, AL

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Amentum Space Exploration Division (ASED) Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GN&C) team is a high performing group executing challenging tasks to design and integrate GN&C systems for projects ranging from CubeSats to NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS). We are searching for highly qualified candidates to support the design, development, and oversight of Golden Dome work in the Control Systems Design and Analysis branch at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center as a Senior Controls, Modeling, Simulation, and Analysis Engineer. This exciting work will assist external partners with the Design, Development, Testing, and Engineering (DDT&E) of the “Golden Dome for America” assets including satellite constellations, space-based interceptors, and directed energy platforms.

Requirements

A degree in Aerospace, Mechanical or Electrical Engineering or related field from an ABET accredited institution is required.
Proficiency modeling, simulating, and analyzing the performance of satellites, spacecraft, launch vehicles, and/or missiles in the time domain using parametric, Monte Carlo, and statistical techniques.
Demonstrated ability to design ADCS systems (PID, state space, etc.) and analyze ADCS performance including jitter analysis and stability analysis in the time and frequency domain (Nicols, Bode, Nyquist, Root Locus, etc.)
Capability to model spacecraft components/subsystems such as: mass properties, Thrust Vector Control (TVC) actuators, Reaction Control System (RCS) thrusters, reaction wheels, slosh, pogo, rigid and/or flexible body dynamics.
Understanding of and simulation of orbital mechanics and trajectories for spacecraft and launch vehicles in Systems Tool Kit (STK) or equivalent tools.
Programming in MATLAB, Simulink, and C/C++. This includes debugging and improving the efficiency of simulation tools.
Experience in performing software development, verification, and validation.
Must be detail oriented and self-motivated that can work independently taking projects from start to finish without much oversight.
Must also be able to work collaboratively with other team members both locally and remote at other facilities or vendors.
Strong written and oral communication, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills.
Must be a US Citizen and have a STAR ID.

Nice To Haves

Ability to work problems from first principles, including derivation of dynamics equations of motion, including both nonlinear equations and linear state equations and integrate subsystem models into larger simulations.
Experience performing trade studies, sensitivity, and/or Monte Carlo simulation and analyses related to the control of launch vehicles and/or spacecraft.
Programming in other languages such as Python, Simscape Multi-body.
Familiarity with and the ability to apply the NASA Technology Readiness Level (TRL) scale.
Experience with creating animations/visualization from results of 3-DoF/6-DoF simulations using tools such as Unreal Engine, Systems Tool Kit (STK), etc.

Responsibilities

Review and analyze the mission design and/or the Attitude Determination and Control System (ADCS) design of Golden Dome providers, perform independent verification and/or validation of contractor results where necessary, and identify risks in the providers’ proposed concepts and designs.
Review and co-develop Concepts of Operations (ConOps) for in-space technology demonstration satellite bus contractors and proposed missions, including operational modes, mission phases, state transitions, nominal and contingency operations, and command and control architecture.
Review, analyze, and simulate (in Systems Tool Kit (STK) or equivalent) in-space deployer platform trajectories, including orbital mechanics validation, orbital variation analysis of deployed assets, and evaluation of deployment sequencing and phasing strategies.
Review, analyze, and independently simulate in-space deployer pointing stability performance and detumble requirements for deployed assets, including analysis of angular rates, momentum management, disturbance torques, separation dynamics, and time-to-stabilization for deployed payloads.
Review, analyze, and independently simulate pointing accuracy and stability of multiple assets within the Golden Dome architecture, including jitter analysis, slew rate performance, target tracking capabilities, line-of-sight stability, attitude knowledge and control error budgets, and inter-satellite relative attitude coordination.
Review and assist with technology maturation efforts through the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) scale for ultimate incorporation into Golden Dome assets, including assessment of development progress, identification of technical gaps, evaluation of test and validation approaches, and recommendations for advancement criteria.
Attend offsite Technical Interchange Meetings (TIMs) with providers and subcontractors to review technical progress, assess design maturity, provide independent technical evaluation, and identify integration risks and mitigation strategies.
Attend regular status meetings with NASA management and critical stakeholders to provide technical briefings, communicate risk assessments, report on provider performance, and coordinate inter-agency technical activities.