Flight Dynamics Engineer
About The Position
Analytical Mechanics Associates, Inc. (AMA) is seeking a motivated and experienced Engineer to support flight dynamics/mechanics, modeling and simulation, and guidance, navigation, and controls in the area of planetary and human spaceflight. This position will support projects at NASA Langley Research Center, involving simulation of aerospace vehicles through various flight phases such as launch, entry, aerobraking, aerocapture, interplanetary travel, and parachute descent. The role requires expertise in orbital mechanics, astrodynamics, trajectory design and optimization, and atmospheric flight modeling and simulation. The selected candidate will provide deep technical solutions for customer flight mechanics needs, supporting both analysis and research and development, while collaborating with engineering partners for integrated solutions. The team interacts with various NASA centers (Ames, Marshall, Johnson, Kennedy) and external organizations like JPL and APL.
Requirements
- B.S. in Aerospace/Aeronautical Engineering or equivalent (minimum)
- Experience/familiarity with flight mechanics, control systems, and dynamics simulation is critical.
- Strong background in one or more of the following areas: entry descent and landing (EDL) design and analysis, launch vehicle analysis, flight testing including post-flight data analysis, simulation development, trajectory optimization, orbital dynamics, parameter identification.
- Ability to conduct code development, debugging, unit testing, and version control.
- Background in multi-body dynamics and/or subsystem modeling is important.
- Strong written and oral communication skills.
- Ability to analyze existing components or systems and determine necessary modifications to meet requirements.
Nice To Haves
- Advanced degree in aeronautical/astronautical engineering, physics or applied mathematics, or related disciplines is strongly desired.
- Experience with Matlab/Simulink, FORTRAN, C programming, and NASA's Program to Optimize Simulated Trajectories II (POST2).
- Graduate level course work, research and/or experience in one or more of the following areas: orbital mechanics, astrodynamics, ascent trajectory modeling, hypersonic flight simulation, optimal control, flight mechanics, and/or trajectory modeling and simulation.
- Experience using or building analysis software to combine numerical methods, orbital or flight mechanics, and optimization approaches for launch vehicles, spacecraft, or reentry vehicles.
- Experience with non-linear programming, direct methods, gradient-based optimization, parameter optimization, genetic algorithms, evolutionary algorithms, heuristic optimization methods, indirect methods, and/or calculus of variations.
- Advanced algorithm development skills to include parallel processing and scripting experience.
Responsibilities
- Modeling and analysis of aerospace vehicles
- Performance evaluation (3-DOF, 6-DOF, and multi-DOF for multiple body interactions)
- Trajectory optimization
- Vehicle Stability
- Vehicle and system robustness analysis
- Guidance and control system development
- Navigation filter design
- Simulation development
- Monte Carlo and uncertainty quantification analysis
- Perform software documentation and contribute to design reviews, sprint planning, and technical reporting
Benefits
- Paid personal and federally recognized holiday leave
- Salary deferrals into a 401(k)-matching plan with immediate vesting
- Tuition reimbursement
- Short/long term disability plans
- Variety of medical, dental, and vision insurance options
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
