Trajectory Design Engineer

Intuitive Machines LLC • Glen Burnie, MD

23d • Onsite

About The Position

At IM, the Mission Design Group are the Flight Dynamics experts who focus on designing our trajectories, analyzing our vehicle’s performance along those trajectories, and supporting mission operations as mission design and analysis specialists. As a Trajectory Design Engineer in the Mission Design Group, you will be responsible for developing optimal trajectories and mission plans for various space missions, including lunar landings, interplanetary missions, and satellite deployments. You will work closely with multi-disciplinary teams to define mission objectives, model and simulate spacecraft dynamics, and develop robust trajectory solutions to ensure mission success.

Requirements

• Bachelor's or Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field; Ph.D. is a plus.
• 3+ years of experience in mission design, trajectory optimization, or space systems engineering, ideally with experience in lunar or interplanetary missions.
• Spacecraft trajectory design using industry-standard software, e.g. Copernicus, GMAT, or STK/Astrogator
• Use Python to create custom trajectory analysis and operations tools
• Experience in developing and analyzing high-fidelity trajectory simulations.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a multi-disciplinary team environment.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with mission operations and real-time trajectory correction is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Design and analyze trajectories and constellations for IM missions in Earth-orbiting and Cislunar space, and assist with the operations of those missions in a senior trajectory design capacity.
• Develop internal tools and techniques to analyze high- and low-thrust performance of spacecraft via stochastic methods
• Simulate and optimize mission trajectories, accounting for constraints such as fuel efficiency, time, mission duration, safety margins, and navigation/control capabilities.
• Conduct failure analyses and develop contingency trajectories in response to potential mission anomalies.
• Work with operations teams develop mission plans and to ensure accurate execution of mission plans and support real-time trajectory corrections during mission operations.
• Develop internal tools and techniques for operational maneuver planning, and perform that role during IM missions
• Contribute to technical proposals and presentations for future missions and contract bids.
• Develop onboard maneuver planning algorithms for RPO and formation flight

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior