Spacecraft Parachute Lead Engineer

Spacecraft Parachute Lead Engineer 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. 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. Responsibilities Serve as a parachute lead for a spacecraft parachute system, providing oversight of the design, development, test, integration, verification, and validation for Commercial Crew Program (CCP) Develop and maintain a detailed understanding of the spacecraft parachute system design trades, tests, operational mission constraints and risks Organize and lead inter‑disciplinary independent verification and validation (IV&V) activities to ensure that the parachute behavior is adequately characterized to support impacted requirements using modeling and flight‑testing techniques Interface with key stakeholders including the Commercial Crew Program (CCP) Office, the CCP Integrated Aeroscience and Flight Mechanics System Manager, NASA JSC Safety and Mission Assurance group, and NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) Maintain a repository of key discussion points and facilitate weekly internal meetings with NASA stakeholders and biweekly discussions with spacecraft stakeholders Perform other duties as required Qualifications Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering and normally possess 5-10 years of related experience. License and certification may be required. MS degree in engineering from an accredited engineering school and fifteen (15) years of direct engineering experience, or a Ph.D. and ten (10) years of direct engineering experience. Familiarity with the details of current spacecraft capsule parachute systems. Organizing, planning, and/or managing technical activities to accomplish defined objectives within schedule and budget constraints. Knowledge of adjacent disciplines of aerodynamics, flight dynamics, and loads & dynamics. Strong oral and written communication skills to present technical data, concepts, and recommendations to personnel at all technical and managerial levels. Excellent communication skills and ability to work in a team environment consisting of NASA civil servants and various contractor employees. Preferred Qualifications MS or Ph.D. in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering. Extensive knowledge of principles and practices involved in the definition, design, development, integration, test, manufacturing, and operations of parachute recovery systems. Extensive experience with ground testing of textile components and assemblies. Expertise in interpretation of ground test and flight data. Experience with wind tunnel testing. Experience with extracting aerodynamic data from flight testing. Benefits Excellent personal and professional career growth. 9/80 work schedule (every other Friday off), when applicable. Onsite cafeteria (breakfast & lunch). Eligibility Requirements Proof of U.S. Citizenship or U.S. Permanent Residency may be a requirement for this position. Must be able to complete a U.S. government background investigation. Management has the prerogative to select at any level for which the position is advertised. Essential Functions The role requires an office environment and may involve indoor or outdoor work depending on task. Regular attendance in accordance with the established work schedule is critical. Ability to work outside normal schedule and adjust schedule to meet peak periods and surge requirements. Physical Requirements Work may involve sitting or standing for extended periods (90% of time). May require lifting and carrying up to 25 lbs. (5% of time). Equipment and Tools Standard office equipment (PC, telephone, printer, etc.). Other Essential Functions Professional behavior that enhances productivity and promotes teamwork and cooperation. Grooming and dressing must be appropriate for the position and must not impose a safety risk or hazard to the employee or others. #J-18808-Ljbffr Jacobs