Senior Software Engineer, Spacecraft Simulation
About The Position
Software is the central nervous system for True Anomaly's engineering and product thesis. Software bridges the gap between military objectives, theoretical physics, and the human and autonomous control of spacecraft and ground systems. True Anomaly is seeking a Senior Spacecraft Simulation Software Engineer to drive the development and enhancement of our spacecraft, constellation modeling, and simulation software with a focus on multi-physics, high-fidelity simulation. You will take ownership of significant technical components within our simulation infrastructure, working independently to design, implement, and deliver complex features. Working in a fast-paced, interdisciplinary team, you will develop algorithms for modeling coupled physics including 6-degree-of-freedom (6DOF) rigid body dynamics, thermal systems, attitude dynamics and control, power systems, propulsion, and their interactions. You will also mentor junior engineers and contribute to architectural decisions that shape the future of our simulation capabilities.
Requirements
- Bachelor's in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, computer science, physics, applied mathematics, or equivalent experience
- 5–8 years of professional software development with significant focus on simulation, scientific computing, or aerospace applications
- Proficiency in modern C++ (C++17 or newer), including STL, templates, and performance optimization
- Proficiency in Python for API design, scripting, and data analysis
- Demonstrated ability to take ambiguous requirements and drive a complex technical effort to delivered capability with minimal direction
- Solid understanding of at least one of: ADCS, GNC, thermal control, electric power systems, chemical/electric propulsion, orbital mechanics, or HIL/SIL systems
- Demonstrated experience defining and executing verification and validation plans for physics-based models, including uncertainty quantification and validation against test or flight data
- Ability to make sound design decisions within larger distributed systems
- Strong written and verbal skills; able to articulate complex technical concepts clearly
- U.S. Citizen eligible for DoD Secret or TS/SCI clearance
Nice To Haves
- Physics-based M&S experience in aerospace or defense
- Numerical methods: ODE/DAE solvers (Runge-Kutta, implicit, multi-step), numerical linear algebra, sparse matrix techniques, automatic differentiation
- Deep familiarity with coordinate frames (ECI, ECEF, LVLH, body frames), quaternion mathematics, and orbital mechanics
- Proficiency with Git, CI/CD, CMake or Bazel, and software testing frameworks
- Familiarity with parallel computing, Docker, and cloud platforms
- Experience with hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) or software-in-the-loop (SIL) testing environments, including simulation interfaces to flight software or embedded hardware
Responsibilities
- Design and implement multi-physics simulation software across spacecraft subsystems: 6DOF rigid body dynamics (gravity gradient, solar radiation pressure, atmospheric drag, magnetic torques, third-body effects), thermal modeling, attitude dynamics and control, propulsion (chemical/electric), power generation and storage, and high-fidelity sensor/actuator models (reaction wheels, CMGs, star trackers, gyros, magnetometers)
- Develop coupled physics algorithms capturing subsystem interactions (thermal-structural, power-thermal, propulsion-dynamics)
- Design time-stepping algorithms, solver architectures, and integration schemes for real-time and faster-than-real-time simulation
- Write production-quality C++ with emphasis on performance, maintainability, and testability
- Design and maintain robust APIs in C++ and Python serving internal customers across the organization
- Collaborate with mission planning, GNC, and systems engineering teams to ensure APIs are usable, performant, and backward-compatible
- Create comprehensive documentation, examples, and user guides
- Drive architectural decisions for simulation subsystems, including technology selection, interface design, and long-term maintainability tradeoffs; conduct thorough code reviews
- Mentor junior engineers through pair programming and technical guidance
- Contribute to sprint planning, estimation, and technical risk assessment
- Participate in hiring through technical interviews and candidate assessment
Benefits
- 100% company-paid medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your dependents, with HSA/HRA options
- Flexible Time Off (FTO) for exempt employees, accrued PTO of up to 25 days for non-exempt employees, plus 12 paid holidays
- Parental Leave
- Sick Leave
- Daily catered lunch and unlimited snacks for in-office employees
- 401(k) retirement plan
- Fitness reimbursement
- Dog Fridays
- Equity participation
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
