RPO Operations Engineer

The Aerospace Corporation•Colorado Springs, CO

12d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Aerospace Corporation is seeking an Operations Engineer to join the Tactics and Operations Section of its RPO Analysis and Integration Department. The role provides expertise for customer flight-mechanics needs, with a focus on on-orbit operational practices, processes, and procedures that support analysis, research, development, and operations. The engineer will deliver technical solutions and collaborate with engineering partners to address challenging problems for defense, intelligence, civil, and commercial customers. The position supports space operations and rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO) missions, including development of tactics, techniques, and procedures; assessment of contested-space mission applications and system vulnerabilities; and creation of concepts of operations. It also involves developing and maintaining analysis tools, applying AI/ML/RL techniques alongside flight-mechanics modeling, and translating customer requirements into technical analysis and solutions. Occasional domestic travel is required. This is a full-time position based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, or Chantilly, Virginia. The in-person work model includes four or more regular onsite workdays per week, with remote flexibility as business needs allow. The posting describes qualifications for two potential levels: Senior Member of Technical Staff and Engineering Specialist.

Requirements

For Senior Member of Technical Staff: Bachelor's degree in engineering, mathematics, physics, computer science, or a related field, pursued or conferred within the last 12 months.
For Senior Member of Technical Staff: At least 5 years of professional technical work experience.
For Senior Member of Technical Staff: Experience with spacecraft operations, on-orbit testing, and anomaly resolution.
For Senior Member of Technical Staff: Experience in one or more of the following: space mission analysis and design, state estimation, pose estimation, orbit determination, image processing, algorithm design, software development, astrodynamics, trajectory simulation and performance optimization of spacecraft conducting RPO, or mathematical modeling.
For Senior Member of Technical Staff: Proficiency with one or more of C, C++, Python, Fortran, or MATLAB.
Effective written and verbal communication skills.
Willingness to travel domestically to customer and contractor facilities, approximately 10%.
Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government-issued security clearance; U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a clearance.
Transcripts are required for this position.
For Engineering Specialist: At least 8 years of professional technical work experience.
For Engineering Specialist: Demonstrated technical excellence in relevant job capabilities and functions.
For Engineering Specialist: Ability to operate independently, including amid ambiguity, and deliver high-quality, relevant end products to a range of customers.
For Engineering Specialist: Graduate-level coursework, research, and/or experience in space mission analysis and design, state estimation, pose estimation, relative navigation, orbit determination, computer vision, image processing, astrodynamics, trajectory simulation, or performance optimization of spacecraft conducting RPO.
For Engineering Specialist: Experience using or building analysis software that combines numerical methods, orbital or flight mechanics, and optimization approaches for spacecraft or related vehicles.
For Engineering Specialist: Advanced algorithm development skills, including parallel processing and scripting experience.
For Engineering Specialist: Experience with contested-space trajectory applications, military exercises, and wargaming events.
For Engineering Specialist: Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government-issued security clearance; U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a clearance.

Responsibilities

Provide space operations support and expertise for US Space Force, US Space Command, and Intelligence Community missions.
Explore tactics, techniques, and procedures and incorporate complex operational constraints into the design and maturation of space systems supporting RPO objectives.
Evaluate contested-space mission applications, assess system vulnerabilities, and contribute to the development of Concepts of Operations (CONOPS).
Build tools and maintain a healthy, modern internal tool base to support customer deliverables.
Combine AI/ML/RL techniques with flight-mechanics modeling to assess complex analysis and decision-making trade spaces.
Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to translate customer mission requirements into technical solutions and analysis products.
Travel occasionally to support customer efforts, including domestic travel to customer and contractor facilities.

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 contributions based on years of service and 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
An inclusive work environment built on teamwork, flexibility, and respect