Flight Dynamics Engineer

The Aerospace Corporation•Huntsville, AL

1d•$129,000 - $249,600•Hybrid

About The Position

The Aerospace Corporation is hiring an Engineering Specialist or Senior Engineering Specialist to join one of its Flight Dynamics teams within the Enterprise Effects Division. The position provides flight mechanics expertise for customer analysis, research, and development needs across defense, intelligence, civil, and commercial space programs. Work may cover launch vehicles, hypersonic vehicles, spacecraft operating in close proximity, and cislunar missions, with collaboration across engineering disciplines to develop integrated technical solutions. The role involves flight mechanics and astrodynamics analysis, trajectory and maneuver design and optimization, operational support, algorithm and tool development, and research and development. The selected candidate will work on missions and systems spanning Earth orbits, cislunar and exploration trajectories, rendezvous and proximity operations, hypersonic vehicles, missiles, interceptors, and reentry vehicles. The position may also combine AI, machine learning, reinforcement learning, and metaheuristic techniques with flight mechanics modeling to support complex analysis and multi-objective decisions. The position follows a hybrid work model based in El Segundo, California; Colorado Springs, Colorado; Chantilly, Virginia; Huntsville, Alabama; or Albuquerque, New Mexico. The selected candidate is expected to work onsite at least four days per week, as business needs allow, and travel domestically approximately 10%. A U.S. security clearance is required, and U.S. citizenship is required to obtain one.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in aeronautical or astronautical engineering, physics, applied mathematics, or a related discipline.
At least eight years of experience in flight mechanics, astrodynamics, maneuver optimization, trajectory optimization, launch vehicle trajectory design, hypersonic vehicle modeling, or general trajectory modeling and simulation.
Proficiency in one or more of C, C++, Fortran, Python, Linux, and MATLAB.
Ability to operate independently, often amid ambiguity, and deliver high-quality, innovative, specialized work to a range of customers.
Willingness to travel domestically approximately 10%.
Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance (TS clearance (SSBI) with SCI access); U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance.
For the Senior Engineering Specialist level: at least 12 years of relevant technical work experience.
For the Senior Engineering Specialist level: ability to lead and execute large, sustained technical efforts and to propose, scope, and coordinate them across organizational boundaries.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree in aeronautical or astronautical engineering, physics, applied mathematics, or a related discipline; strongly desired.
Graduate-level coursework, research, or experience in orbital mechanics, astrodynamics, ascent trajectory modeling, hypersonic flight simulation, optimal control, proximity operations, cislunar trajectory design, tree search algorithms, flight mechanics, or trajectory modeling and simulation.
Experience using or building analysis software that combines numerical methods, orbital or flight mechanics, and optimization approaches for launch vehicles, missiles, interceptors, spacecraft, or hypersonic reentry vehicles.
Experience with nonlinear programming, direct methods, gradient-based optimization, parameter optimization, genetic algorithms, evolutionary algorithms, heuristic optimization, indirect methods, or calculus of variations.
Advanced algorithm-development skills, including parallel processing and scripting experience.
Experience with contested space trajectory applications, military exercises, and wargaming events.
Current TS (SSBI), TS/SCI, and/or TS/SAP access.

Responsibilities

Design and optimize trajectories for launch vehicles and spacecraft operating in LEO, MEO, HEO, GEO, and other Earth-centric regimes.
Perform astrodynamics and orbital mechanics analyses, including orbit propagation and maneuver design and optimization for orbit transfers, stationkeeping, graveyard, disposal, and reentry events.
Analyze vehicles using chemical and/or electric propulsion.
Evaluate contested mission applications for space systems to understand threat performance, assess vulnerabilities, and improve system resiliency.
Explore and define the evolving Dynamic Space Operations mission area.
Design, select, and optimize maneuvers and orbits for Rendezvous and Proximity Operations missions with complex operational constraints.
Develop onboard sensor and state-estimation algorithms for proximity guidance and navigation.
Develop Concepts of Operations, explore Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures, and incorporate operational constraints into the design and maturation of space systems.
Provide operational support for nominal launch and spacecraft deployment and transfer sequences, anomaly resolution, and on-call emerging events.
Apply optimal control, flight mechanics, and computer science or algorithm-development skills to create capabilities for customer requests, as standalone services or ready-to-integrate submodules.
Combine AI, machine learning, reinforcement learning, and metaheuristic techniques with flight mechanics modeling for complex analysis and multi-objective decision-making.
Perform research and development and build flight dynamics tools to maintain a modern internal tool base.
Use external tools such as ASSET, GPOPS-II, SNOPT, POST, OTIS, Copernicus, GMAT, and EMTG where appropriate to augment internally developed capabilities.
Perform cislunar and exploration-class orbital mechanics analysis and trajectory optimization.
Design and optimize trajectories for hypersonics, missiles, interceptors, and reentry vehicles in support of Golden Dome or related mission areas.
Perform Time-dependent Traveling Salesman Problems and Facility Location Problem analysis for servicers.
Conduct integrated, multidisciplinary RPO system simulations.
For the Senior Engineering Specialist level, lead and execute large, sustained technical efforts and propose, scope, and coordinate work across organizational boundaries.

Benefits

Comprehensive health care and wellness plans.
Paid holidays, sick time, and vacation.
Standard and alternate work schedules, including telework options.
401(k) plan with company-paid benefits of 8%, 10%, or 12% of eligible compensation based on years of service, plus matching contributions; employees are immediately eligible and vested upon hire.
Flexible spending accounts.
Variable pay program for exceptional contributions.
Relocation assistance.
Professional growth and development programs.
Education assistance programs.
Inclusive work environment built on teamwork, flexibility, and respect.