Mission Engineer - Autonomy Test Focused

Summary
Position Title: Mission Engineer - Autonomy Test Focused 
Position ID: TA283
Location(s): Hybrid; Aurora, CO; Chantilly, VA; Herndon, VA 
Application Deadline: November 30, 2026 
Security Clearance Requirement: TS/SCI Security Clearance 

Job Description
Trusted Space is seeking a Mission Engineer with a strong focus on testing, integration, and quality assurance of space mission autonomy. In this role, you will be a key contributor to our hybrid test environment—spanning software-in-the-loop (SIL), hardware-in-the-loop (HIL), and digital mission simulation—ensuring highly reliable autonomous behaviors are designed, validated, and delivered to mission‑critical space programs. You will help mature and verify autonomous capabilities such as onboard decision making, fault detection/isolation/recovery (FDIR), distributed constellation coordination, and ground-to-space autonomy—building confidence through rigorous scenario-based testing, simulation, and data-driven evaluation.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead integration and validation of complex autonomous systems across flight and ground segments.
• Define and execute test strategies for mission autonomy (SIL/HIL/digital twin), including scenario generation, Monte Carlo campaigns, safety envelopes, and regression suites.
• Evaluate autonomy software and mission systems for compliance with government and commercial safety and quality standards; author test plans, procedures, and verification reports.
• Collaborate closely with software, systems, mission operations, and test engineering teams to ensure requirements traceability and effective verification/validation (V&V).
• Design, implement, and maintain automated test scripts and pipelines (Python-first) for repeatable, high‑fidelity autonomy testing.
• Translate integration steps into robust automated regression tests; stand up and maintain test data sets, metrics, and dashboards for mission performance and reliability.
• Use model-based systems engineering (MBSE) artifacts (e.g., SysML/UAF in Cameo) to align autonomy behaviors with mission requirements, interfaces, and constraints.
• Support simulation and mission analysis for autonomy evaluation (e.g., scenario modeling, timing/performance assessments, and interface validation).

Qualifications

• An Active Top Secret/SCI clearance.
• Bachelor's degree in engineering, computer science, or related field (Mechanical/Electrical/Systems or equivalent experience welcome).
• 8+ years in systems engineering, controls/automation, software test, integration, or verification roles on complex, safety-critical systems.
• 3+ years testing embedded or real‑time C++ applications (space or aerospace/industrial controls preferred).
• Strong proficiency with Python 3 for test automation, data analysis, and tooling.
• Comfortable working in Linux and Windows environments (primarily Linux).
• Experience applying MBSE (e.g., SysML/UAF, Cameo) for requirements traceability, interface definition, and design verification.
• Familiarity with SIL/HIL test environments, digital twins, or closed-loop control/autonomy validation.

Desired Skills and Experience

• Experience with mission autonomy test and evaluation (FDIR, autonomy safety cases, scenario-based testing, Monte Carlo methods).
• Tools/frameworks for ML/AI or autonomy (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow, RLlib) and safe-autonomy testing concepts.
• Experience with STK/GMAT or similar mission simulation tools for scenario generation and analysis.
• Familiarity with Agile development practices and CI/CD (e.g., Jenkins, GitLab).
• Experience with Java or Scala for tooling or services.
• Background in database programming (MongoDB preferred).
• Containerization experience (Docker).
• Experience with C++20 or newer.
• Scripting/automation within modeling environments (e.g., VTL, Jython in Cameo).

Compensation
The salary range for this role is $150,000 - $200,000. Please note that this range is a general guideline and can vary. Trusted Space, LLC considers several factors when extending an offer including, but not limited to: scope, location, position responsibilities, education/training, key skills and business considerations.

Benefits
Trusted Space seeks to create an environment where Employees are empowered and supported to achieve their full potential. We encourage life-long learning within our agile and innovative work environment. We offer competitive compensation and benefits including medical, dental, and vision plans; life and accidental death & dismemberment insurance; 401(k) plan; paid holidays and generous paid time off; short-term and long-term disability insurance; and other benefits to promote health, wellness, and a positive work-life balance.

About Trusted Space
Trusted Space is the premier provider of trusted autonomy and battlespace management software solutions enabling machine speed sensing, sense making, decision making, and acting for critical space and intelligence missions. Our portfolio includes trusted autonomy software products, real-time image processing capabilities, advanced space mission engineering services, and space operations & training solutions. We empower government and commercial customers to achieve mission superiority in space reconnaissance & surveillance, dynamic space operations, space-based ISR, and ground/command & control (C2) systems.

Rooted in our adherence to the Golden Rule – to treat others as we want to be treated – Trusted Space fosters a culture of innovation, mission-focus, agility, and technical excellence. We offer a collaborative and supportive work environment, world-class benefits, and work-life balance. We encourage life-long learning and continuous improvement in all we do. We consider it a privilege to work with our customers to provide solutions to their most difficult national security and intelligence challenges.

Trusted Space, LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, national origin, veteran status, disability status or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law. All aspects of employment are decided based on qualifications, merit, competence, performance, and business need.

DISCLAIMER: Trusted Space, LLC only uses the respective domains of trustedspace.com and trustedspace.us for official contact and any other domains are likely a scam and do not originate from our company. Trusted Space will never ask a candidate for access or pass codes to personal accounts including e-mails, bank accounts, CashApp, Paypal, Venmo, etc.