Flight Dynamics Software Engineer

Loft Orbital Solutions • Golden, CO

1d

About The Position

Loft Orbital is seeking a Flight Dynamics Software Engineer to join its Ground Platform organization. The role focuses on developing the flight dynamics software stack to support a highly automated, reliable, and safe fleet of 50+ satellites, while enabling customer missions with demanding orbit determination, stationkeeping, and attitude performance requirements. The engineer will contribute to open-source astrodynamics tooling and develop and maintain in-house backend software for flight operations and simulation. The role also works closely with systems, mission, and satellite operations engineers to turn technical requirements into operational outcomes and provide astrodynamics expertise during launch and early orbit operations (LEOP), anomalies, and conjunction response.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in physics or an engineering discipline.
• Deep technical understanding of some of the following: orbital mechanics, state estimation, spacecraft maneuver planning, conjunction assessment, and spacecraft attitude modeling.
• Understanding of numerical-method fundamentals, including solvers, optimization, and simulation techniques.
• Experience designing and developing software libraries and backend services, preferably in Python.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in physics or an engineering discipline.
• Proficiency with astrodynamics tools such as STK, Astrogator, GMAT, OreKit, Monte, Copernicus, OpenSpaceToolkit, or equivalent.
• Practical experience in spacecraft constellation flight dynamics operations.
• Practical experience building high-performance backend software applications and/or libraries.
• Ability to solve complex problems in a highly collaborative environment.

Responsibilities

• Implement and improve algorithms for orbit determination, orbit propagation, maneuver planning for stationkeeping and orbit transfers, conjunction assessment, collision avoidance, and attitude modeling.
• Contribute to open-source astrodynamics tooling used for flight operations and simulation across the company.
• Develop and maintain in-house flight dynamics ground software backend applications that compute, store, and serve fleet ephemerides, maneuvers, conjunctions, target orbits, and related data.
• Work with systems and mission engineers to translate technical mission requirements and customer demands into operational outcomes in orbit.
• Support satellite operations engineers by providing astrodynamics expertise during LEOP, anomalies, and conjunction response.
• Assist with configuring the software stack for different customer missions.

Benefits

• 100% company-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance option for employees and dependents.
• Flexible Spending (FSA) and Health Savings (HSA) accounts, with an employer contribution to the HSA.
• 100% employer-paid life, AD&D, short-term disability, and long-term disability insurance.
• Flexible Time Off policy for vacation and sick leave, and 12 paid holidays.
• 401(k) plan and equity options.
• Daily catered lunches and snacks.
• International exposure to the team in France.
• Fully paid parental leave: 14 weeks for primary caregivers and 10 weeks for secondary caregivers.
• Carrot Fertility comprehensive, inclusive fertility healthcare and family-forming benefits with financial support.
• Off-sites, social events, and celebrations.
• Relocation assistance when applicable.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level