Thermal Protection Systems (TPS) Engineer

Amentum•Houston, TX

29d

About The Position

Are you passionate about human space exploration, understanding the origins of the universe, and working with a passionate and diverse team to make a difference? If you are, we need you! We need your talent, teamwork, and energy to help us achieve great things that inspire people all over the globe. We need you to bring creative ideas and diverse backgrounds to help us envision, shape, and deliver systems that will enable the exploration of space while benefiting people here on Earth. We are excited about what we do, and we need you on our team as we take on exciting challenges for NASA's pursuits in deep space exploration. As NASA's largest engineering solutions provider working together with NASA at centers across the United States. We are looking for a Thermal Protection Systems (TPS) Engineer to join our team with Barrios, a teammate company supporting current and advanced spacecraft programs. The scope of this role may include materials development, testing, thermal analysis, and system management. Specific duties will depend on need and applicant experience. We are actively searching for qualified candidates for this potential opening; however, we do not have assurance at this time when the position will be finalized and opened. Because we have strong reason to believe the position will be approved soon, we are proceeding with identifying qualified candidates and conducting interviews. The Thermal Protection Systems (TPS) Engineer will: Develop new, higher capability TPS materials and coatings to advance future mission capabilities. Conduct laboratory and high-temperature testing of TPS materials in support of design, development, test and evaluation. Plan testing and analyze results from high enthalpy test facilities (arc jet, inductively coupled plasma (ICP) torch, etc.). Perform thermal analysis of spacecraft thermal protection systems using a suite of analytical tools in support of design, development, test and evaluation. Responsible for ensuring the function and safety of the TPS for NASA programs while supporting real-time mission operations and decision making on critical TPS issues.

Requirements

Typically requires a bachelor's degree in Engineering and a minimum of 2-5 years of experience in the field or in a related area
BS degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering or comparable engineering discipline from an accredited engineering school.
Experience with programming.
Experience working in laboratory environments.
Strong technical writing and presentation skills, able to articulate conclusions and defend them when challenged.
Excellent communication and teamwork skills.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of aerothermal environments, including high-temperature gas dynamics and aerodynamics.
Experience with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) interpretation/generation.
Understanding of TPS physics under high enthalpy flow (ablation, multi-phase equilibria, radiative transport).
Experience with thermal response codes such as CHAR, FIAT, or PATO.
Experience with 3D Modeling software
Familiarity with ablators, reusable TPS, and hot structure materials.
High enthalpy test experience in facilities such as arc jets or inductively coupled plasma (ICP) torches.
Experience managing complex spacecraft systems/projects.
Ability to clearly communicate robust technical positions on TPS matters affecting human spaceflight.
Willingness to serve as focal point for mission support and rapid decision-making in critical mission operational environments.

Responsibilities

Develop new, higher capability TPS materials and coatings to advance future mission capabilities.
Conduct laboratory and high-temperature testing of TPS materials in support of design, development, test and evaluation.
Plan testing and analyze results from high enthalpy test facilities (arc jet, inductively coupled plasma (ICP) torch, etc.).
Perform thermal analysis of spacecraft thermal protection systems using a suite of analytical tools in support of design, development, test and evaluation.
Responsible for ensuring the function and safety of the TPS for NASA programs while supporting real-time mission operations and decision making on critical TPS issues.