NASA Spacecraft Thermal Systems and Software Engineer

CACI International•Houston, TX

57d•Onsite

About The Position

CACI is looking for an experienced Spacecraft Thermal Systems and Software Engineer to perform thermal analysis, and to develop engineering analysis software tools for NASA’s human-rated spacecraft that will be used to return humans to the Moon, and to lay stepping-stones for Mars exploration. This position requires an experienced thermal systems engineer with software skills to support future crewed spacecraft and space vehicles. Thermal systems engineering work consists of applying domain knowledge toward the development and execution of physics-based software tools to visualize, analyze, and predict performance of thermal protection systems (TPS) on crewed entry vehicles and support the Entry Systems Modeling (ESM) Project. Support includes working with customers to drive testing plans, visualize three-dimensional flight and test data, evaluate material performance, and optimize processes and procedures. This position requires a self-motivated, capable person with strong verbal and written communication skills. In addition to outstanding technical expertise, the individual must be very people savvy, have strong customer relationship skills, possess a positive team-player attitude, be flexible and willing to take on new assignments and responsibilities as they arise, and be an articulate speaker able to communicate complex technical ideas in a convincing manner. The individual must share our passion for our Nation's Space Program and share in the excitement of developing the next human-rated space vehicles. This work takes place at NASA/Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, TX, a highly stimulating and dynamic environment that is critical in human space flight and the space exploration initiative.

Requirements

Must be a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident.
B.S. in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering, or related disciplines required.
At least two years of related experience in thermal analysis and software tool development related to human-rated spacecraft, particularly with thermal protection systems (TPS) associated with the entry mission phase.
Experience with entry systems modeling including data acquisition and analysis.
Experience in software development associated with human-rated space vehicles, e.g., Orion, Gateway, HLS, CCP spacecraft, International Space Station, or Space Shuttle.
Experience developing objected-oriented C++ code.
Experience with Python scripting.
Must be flexible, open to new challenges in a dynamic environment, and possess strong technical expertise combined with strong verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to manage multiple priorities with little supervision.
Must be a highly responsible, team-oriented individual with strong work ethic.
Must have highly developed coordination and organization skills.

Nice To Haves

M.S. in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering, or related disciplines.
Vehicle-wide knowledge of space vehicle systems, e.g., avionics, command and telemetry, command and control, systems management, crew life support, displays, power, propulsion, thermal, guidance, navigation and control, communications and tracking, etc.
Familiarity with NASA's Orion spacecraft.
Experience with software configuration management tools such as Git and Subversion.
Experience using Charring Ablator Response (CHAR) mathematical model.
Experience with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) or 3D analysis and mesh generation with tools such as Ansys Engineering Simulation Software.

Responsibilities

Develop requirements for, design, develop, and maintain TPS engineering analytical software tools.
Review and assess published literature and adaptation of techniques to materials of interest, e.g., as Avcoat, PICA, and 3DMAT.
Support ESM Project with Stochastic Parallel Rarefied-gas Time-accurate Analyzer (SPARTA) code development to enable deterministic microstructural modelling to calculate porosity and tortuosity.
Support of 3D Printed TPS analytical modeling efforts with Porous Microstructure Analysis (PuMA) code enhancements to calculate thermal conductivity.
Support TPS test planning by evaluating test cases with the Charring Ablator Response (CHAR) mathematical model.
Provide ongoing software development and feature enhancements of the Phase I and Phase II TPS sizing tools for the Artemis Program along with database development and 3D visualization of results.
Support Artemis post-flight analysis and data visualization efforts.
Conduct analyses and provide products supporting development and advancement of ESM modeling capabilities.
Develop documentation including software users guides and other publications, as needed.
Interface with NASA and prime contractor engineering teams.