Flight Dynamics Analyst

MDA • Longueuil, QC

20d • Onsite

About The Position

Building the space between proven and possible, MDA Space (TSX:MDA) is a trusted
mission partner to the global space industry. A robotics, satellite systems and
Geointelligence pioneer with a 55-year+ story of world firsts and more than 450
missions, MDA Space is a global leader in communications satellites, Earth and
space observation, and space exploration and infrastructure. The MDA Space team
of more than 3,000 space experts in Canada, the US and the UK has the knowledge
and know-how to turn an audacious customer vision into an achievable mission –
bringing to bear a one-of-a-kind mix of experience, engineering excellence and
wide-eyed wonder that’s been in our DNA since day one. For those who dream big
and push boundaries on the ground and in the stars to change the world for the
better, we’ll take you there.

MDA Geospatial Services is adding a Flight Dynamics Analyst (FDA) to Satellite
Operations supporting multiple space missions operated at the Canadian Space
Agency, in St-Hubert, QC. The satellite operations team at MDA is responsible
for all flight operations activities with a focus on station-keeping, monitoring
and maintaining the health and safety of the satellites, as well as improving
their reliability and efficiency of the ground system.

What to Expect: 

During their first year with the team, the candidate can expect to gain exposure
to the relevant flight operation functional areas before transitioning to an
on-call role. The main functional area for this role is flight dynamics
including orbit determination and maneuvering. After training, the FDA will act
as a first responder to any system anomalies and will be responsible for leading
investigations and recoveries as well as leading conjunction analysis and
avoidance activities. The FDA will be required to implement system modifications
of both the spacecraft orbit and flight dynamics ground systems with
cross-system interdependencies to enhance or maintain performance. The FDA
should have a good understanding of spacecraft subsystems, including bus
attitude control and propulsion systems. The FDA will also require an in-depth
knowledge and understanding of ground systems including those used to task the
spacecraft as well as processing and analysis tools used for monitoring of
spacecraft telemetry. A good understanding of operational constraints and
procedures is essential. The FDA may have to review, test, and develop
operational procedures and write reports.

The candidate should have excellent organizational, leadership, and
communications skills as well as a strong sense of real-time operations
management. The candidate should have a good ability to work independently with
initiative and little supervision as well as good reporting skills to
management.

Teamwork skills and a positive attitude are essential for building productive
working relationships in a satellite operations environment.

This position is located at the MDA Control Centre, Canadian Space Agency
Headquarters, in St-Hubert, QC.

Requirements

• Degree or higher degree in numerate discipline, preferably in the areas of electrical, aerospace or mechanical engineering or physics. Post graduate degree in other Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields will also be considered
• Experience in practical orbit determination
• Good understanding of orbit mechanics
• Good understanding of satellite bus subsystems (ADCS, power, thermal, etc.) and/or radar payload systems
• Strong leadership experience
• Flexible team player, with the agility to work in a multi-disciplinary environment
• Well-organized with ability to independently manage priorities
• Keen interest and passion for innovation
• Good verbal and written communication skills; Working language is in English
• Willingness to participate in a rotating “on-call” schedule to support anomaly decision and resolution process outside regular work hours
• Ability to perform software maintenance in support of life cycle system improvement
• The work is to be performed on site at the Canadian Space Agency in St-Hubert 5 days a week.
• The candidate must be able to qualify for a Canadian Secret level clearance

Nice To Haves

• Experience in analysis tools such as STK/ODTK, Orekit, MATLAB
• Experience in programming languages such as Java and C/C++ as well as JavaScript, Python and/or Perl
• Experience with Databases

Responsibilities

• Monitor and report system performance, including performance of orbit control, against defined metrics through spacecraft telemetry analysis and other data sources
• Operate an orbit determination and control system and report on the performance and quality of the results
• Perform conjunction analysis and make recommendations for collision avoidance maneuvers when necessary
• Plan and implement orbit maneuvers as needed
• Troubleshoot system (satellite and/or ground) anomalies with on-call support on a rotational basis when non-nominal operations are detected
• Lead development projects for system software and operational enhancements
• Follow well-defined procedures and enforce application of well-defined processes
• Maintain flight operations systems, operations procedures, and other operational tools

Benefits

• MDA provides competitive compensation and benefits packages for its employees at all locations. As a team member of MDA, you and your qualified dependents are eligible to participate in a benefit plan that ensures a comprehensive level of protection through competitive health care including; extended healthcare and flexible drug plans, dental and vision benefits, disability income protection, life insurance, group retirement savings plans; and an employee and family assistance program.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees