Senior Controls, Modeling, Simulation & Analysis Engineer

Amentum•Huntsville, AL

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Amentum Space Exploration Division is seeking a senior engineer for its Guidance, Navigation, and Control team, supporting design and development of NASA’s Space Launch System in the Control Systems Design and Analysis branch at Marshall Space Flight Center. The team designs and integrates GN&C systems for projects ranging from CubeSats to SLS. The role focuses on modeling, simulation, analysis, and verification of launch vehicle and spacecraft dynamics and control systems, contributing to missions aimed at returning humans to the Moon and advancing exploration to Mars and beyond. The position is based in an office environment and requires regular work at a computer, clear and timely communication, professional interaction with coworkers, management, and the client, and domestic travel estimated at 5%. Normal hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday; minimal overtime may be required to meet milestones and technical demands. Proof of U.S. citizenship is required.

Requirements

Degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical Engineering, or a related field from an ABET-accredited institution.
Typical experience equivalent to a Ph.D. with at least 4 years of experience, a master’s degree with at least 8 years, or a bachelor’s degree with at least 10 years.
Proficiency modeling, simulating, and analyzing launch vehicle and spacecraft performance in the time domain, including use of parametric, Monte Carlo, and statistical techniques.
Experience analyzing control stability in the frequency domain using methods such as Nichols, Bode, Nyquist, and Root Locus.
Experience designing and developing flight control systems, including PID and state-space methods, and actuator allocation, including manual jet selection and pseudoinverse approaches, with Thrust Vector Control (TVC) and/or Reaction Control System (RCS)/phase-plane systems.
Experience modeling one or more spacecraft components or subsystems, such as actuators, TVC, RCS thrusters, slosh, pogo, rigid and/or flexible body dynamics, and sensors.
Proficiency programming in MATLAB, Simulink, and C/C++, including debugging and improving the efficiency of simulation tools.
Experience performing trade studies, sensitivity analyses, and/or Monte Carlo simulations and analyses related to launch vehicle and/or spacecraft control.
Detail-oriented and self-motivated, with the ability to work independently and take projects from start to finish with minimal oversight.
Ability to collaborate with team members locally and remotely at other facilities or vendors.
Strong written and oral communication, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills.
Proof of U.S. citizenship.
Ability to work at a computer for extended periods and operate general office equipment.
Ability to travel domestically in the United States.

Nice To Haves

Ability to derive multi-body spacecraft equations of motion, including nonlinear equations and linear state equations, and integrate subsystem models into larger simulations.
Experience modeling and simulating manual spacecraft control, including controllability, transfer-function models, Cooper-Harper ratings, and paper-pilot modeling.
Experience in software development, verification, and validation.
Programming experience in other languages, such as Python.
Familiarity with trajectory and orbital dynamics.
Experience creating animations or visualizations from 3-DoF/6-DoF simulation results using tools such as Unreal Engine or Satellite Tool Kit (STK).
Experience with model-based design.

Responsibilities

Model, develop, simulate, and analyze launch vehicle and spacecraft dynamics—including aerodynamics, flexible body dynamics, slosh, and actuators—as well as control systems, performance, and stability in frequency and time domains at varying fidelity levels.
Resolve complex problems related to the design, development, analysis, integration, evaluation, testing, and verification of control systems and six-degree-of-freedom (6-DoF) models and simulations.
Conduct verification and validation of launch vehicles and/or spacecraft.
Develop, modify, maintain, and improve software simulations, tools, and scripts.
Configure, conduct, and analyze 6-DoF Monte Carlo simulations.
Conduct trade studies and/or sensitivity analyses related to launch vehicles and spacecraft.
Create, edit, and debug software written in MATLAB, Simulink, and C/C++.
Prepare and present technical reports and/or briefings, including visualization of results.
Create and review engineering and software documentation.