Astrodynamics Engineer, Principal

Job ID: 2616995

Location: Chantilly, VA, US

Date Posted: 2026-09-18

Category: Engineering and Sciences

Subcategory: Modeling/Sim Engr

Schedule: Full-Time

Shift: Day Job

Travel: No

Minimum Clearance Required: TS.SCI

Clearance Level Must Be Able to Obtain: TS/SCI with Poly

Potential for Remote Work: ORA_ON_SITE


Description


Join a mission-driven analysis team supporting multiple satellite programs at the forefront of national innovation. Our team is driving development of novel satellite missions that directly support national priorities. Operating within a supportive Government environment, we benefit from frequent direct access to senior Government decision-makers.

SAIC is seeking Astrodynamics Engineers to skillfully solve complex modeling and simulation challenges to deliver critical analyses. Our multi-discipline team collaborates to deliver comprehensive actionable insights to our customers. Success requires expertise in astrodynamics and/or orbit determination , as well as the ability to use programming languages such as Python or C++.

At SAIC's location in Chantilly, Virginia , our Astrodynamics Engineers work side-by-side with experts in propulsion, radars, optics, AI/ML, cloud computing, GPUs and more. Astrodynamics Engineers with experience including orbit maneuver design, Rendezvous and Proximity Operations, maneuver detection, conjunction assessment, and High Performance Computing, will be especially well-prepared to excel.

The team's responsibilities include:

• Independent trade studies and technical assessments
• Evaluating results provided by external teams
• Identifying new concepts
• Presenting actionable technical briefings to customers
• Additionally, our astrodynamics analysts may routinely support other prime contracts as necessary

Qualifications


Education:

• In the field(s) of Aerospace Engineering, Applied Math, Physics, or a related technical area -Bachelors and nine (9) years or more experience; Masters and seven (7) years or more experience ; PhD or JD and four (4) years or more experience

Responsibilities:

• Ability to program in Python or C++, or to very quickly learn by transferring skills from a different language
• Must be able to collaborate well with other engineers in a mutually supportive environment
• Must be able to refine analyses if necessary in response to formal internal and external peer reviews

Clearance:

• TS/SCI, should have current or be able to pass polygraph test

Target salary range: $160,001 - $200,000. The estimate displayed represents the typical salary range for this position based on experience and other factors.

SAIC is a premier technology integrator providing full life cycle services and solutions in the technical, engineering, intelligence, and enterprise information technology markets. SAIC is Redefining Ingenuity through its deep customer and domain knowledge to enable the delivery of systems engineering and integration offerings for large, complex projects. SAIC's approximately 15,000 employees are driven by integrity and mission focus to serve customers in the U.S. federal government. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, SAIC has annual revenues of approximately $4.5 billion. For more information, visit saic.com. For information on the benefits SAIC offers, see .