Flight Dynamics Engineer

The Aerospace Corporation•El Segundo, CA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Aerospace Corporation is hiring an Engineering Specialist or Senior Engineering Specialist to join a Flight Dynamics team within its Enterprise Effects Division. The selected candidate will provide flight mechanics expertise for a wide range of customer analysis and research and development needs, delivering deep technical solutions and collaborating with engineering partners on complex problems for defense, intelligence, civil, and commercial customers. Work may involve trajectory design and optimization, astrodynamics and orbital mechanics, launch and spacecraft operations, rendezvous and proximity operations, contested space applications, dynamic space operations, cislunar and exploration missions, hypersonic vehicles, and missile or interceptor trajectories. The role also supports development of algorithms, simulation capabilities, and flight dynamics tools, including applications of AI, machine learning, reinforcement learning, and optimization methods. 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%.

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 for the Engineering Specialist position.
Proficiency in one or more of C, C++, Fortran, Python, Linux, and MATLAB.
Ability to operate independently, including 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; a TS clearance (SSBI) with SCI access is required. U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance.
For the Senior Engineering Specialist position, at least 12 years of relevant technical work experience.
For the Senior Engineering Specialist position, ability to lead and execute large, sustained technical efforts and 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 is 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 reentry vehicles.
Experience with nonlinear programming, direct methods, gradient-based optimization, parameter optimization, genetic algorithms, evolutionary algorithms, heuristic optimization methods, 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 transfer, stationkeeping, graveyard, disposal, and reentry events.
Analyze vehicles using chemical and/or electric propulsion.
Evaluate contested-mission applications for space systems to assess threat performance and vulnerabilities and improve system resiliency.
Explore and define the Dynamic Space Operations mission area.
Design, select, and optimize maneuvers and orbits for missions supporting rendezvous and proximity operations objectives under complex operational constraints.
Develop onboard sensor and state-estimation algorithms for proximity guidance and navigation.
Develop concepts of operations and tactics, techniques, and procedures, and incorporate operational constraints into space-system design and maturation.
Provide operational support for nominal launch and spacecraft deployment and transfer sequences, anomaly resolution, and emerging events.
Apply optimal control, flight mechanics, and computer science or algorithm-development skills to create capabilities for customer requests as stand-alone services or integrable submodules.
Combine AI, machine learning, reinforcement learning, and metaheuristic techniques with flight mechanics models for complex analysis and multi-objective decision-making.
Conduct research and development and build flight dynamics tools to maintain a modern internal tool base.
Use external analysis tools 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.
Analyze time-dependent Traveling Salesman Problems and Facility Location Problems for servicers.
Conduct integrated, multidisciplinary rendezvous and proximity operations system simulations.
For the Senior Engineering Specialist level, lead and execute large, sustained technical efforts and propose, scope, and coordinate them 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 a total company-paid benefit 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.