Mission Formulation Engineer (8-12 yrs)

The team at Advanced Space is leading humanity back to the Moon and pioneering innovative solutions in the space industry. Based in Westminster Colorado, this incredible team is looking for a skilled and experienced Mission Formulation Engineer with 8-12 years of experience to support a growing list of projects and missions. Advanced Space is a rapidly growing, privately held business that operates with core values that reinforce we are customer obsessed and mission focused; when we see it, we solve it; we are one team, motivated by our vision; and we bring technical excellence and inexhaustible curiosity. This role will be based in Westminster, Colorado and an ideal candidate for this role will love not just the responsibilities but will also have a passion for the exploration, development, and settlement of space. This person will play an integral role in ensuring that our fast-paced and growing team is properly aligned and equipped to support mission planning, operations, and technological development. This position is restricted to U.S. Persons only, as defined under 22 CFR §120.62 (U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, refugees, and asylees). We do not provide visa sponsorship or support work authorization for this role. Candidates must be authorized to work in the U.S. without the need for current or future sponsorship. We're defining missions before they become missions. As a Mission Formulation Engineer, you'll work at the front end of the lifecycle, where requirements are still open and the architecture is still a question. You'll translate ambiguous customer needs into credible mission concepts, lead trade studies across competing architectures, size mission designs and resource budgets, shape concepts of operations, and execute the quick-turn analysis that results in viable down-select options with confidence. This position requires a broad systems engineering purview across multiple disciplines: you'll reason across propulsion, GNC, comms, and operations well enough to know what closes and what doesn't, and comfortable working before the answers are fixed. You bring the judgment to navigate undefined problems. We bring the missions that need defining. Together, we decide what flies to meet our customers’ needs. Responsibilities: * Lead early-phase mission studies and concept development for new and upcoming missions, from initial objectives through concept maturation and down-select of viable options * Translate customer mission objectives into mission concepts, top-level system requirements, and concepts of operations (ConOps) * Define and lead trade studies across competing mission architectures, weighing feasibility, performance, cost, and risk to drive down-select decisions * Develop and balance system-level resource budgets (delta-v, mass, power, link, data) and validate candidate concepts against mission performance requirements * Own concept-level mission design, including orbit and trajectory selection, maneuver, and coverage analysis, in coordination with astrodynamics and navigation teams * Work directly with customers to shape and mature mission concepts, present technical options, and guide the transition from concept to a baselined design * Lead or handoff leadership for early system reviews (MCR, SRR, SDR) and provide technical guidance to subsystem concept development (GNC, ADCS, comms, propulsion, EPS, etc.) * Proactively identify and manage technical, maturity (TRL), and feasibility risks across the formulation phase * Assess concept viability against regulatory and operational constraints, including orbital debris, spectrum, and operability considerations * Coordinate a broad range of technical experts, spanning astrodynamics, GNC, navigation, communications, and systems engineering, to close concepts as integrated wholes * Lead the development of compelling, technically rigorous proposals for future missions Required Skills & Qualifications: * B.S./M.S./Ph.D. in Engineering or a related field, with emphasis on systems engineering or mission concept design, or deep knowledge of a specific mission critical subsystem engineering field. * 8 to 12 years of experience in mission formulation, concept development, and early-phase systems engineering, with deep-space or cislunar experience preferred * Demonstrated ability to lead architecture trade studies and translate mission objectives into requirements and ConOps * Strong mission design and astrodynamics literacy across Earth, cislunar, and deep-space regimes * Systems-level breadth across propulsion, GNC, communications, and operations, sufficient to judge concept feasibility and resource closure * Familiarity with NASA's Systems Engineering Handbook and early-lifecycle (pre-Phase A and Phase A) processes; DoD space program experience a plus

• Programming proficiency for analysis and trade tooling, Python preferred
• Experience supporting technical proposals and customer-facing concept

development * Thrives amid evolving and ambiguous technical needs: adaptable, decisive, and dependable * Strong communicator and leader, able to mentor, delegate, and drive cross-functional teams * Customer-focused, technically sharp, and forward-looking Eligibility Requirements: * Ability to work in the Westminster, CO office 5 days/week during core business hours. * Applicants must be a US Person (citizen or Green Card Holder/permanent resident, or protected individual) Compensation and Benefits:

• Base Salary Range – $134,000 - $170,000 based on role and experience
• Signing bonus
• Quarterly performance bonuses
• Company provided health insurance and 401K plan upon eligibility
• Fully stocked breakroom with free snacks, drinks, and grab-and-go options
• Flexible PTO
• Relocation Assistance

About the company: Advanced Space exists to enable the sustainable exploration, development, and settlement of space through software and services that leverage unique subject matter expertise. The company is actively supporting mission and cutting-edge capabilities spanning commercial, civil, and national security customers. Our core business is focused on three areas: (1) mission enabling services, (2) technology solutions and (3) mission solutions. Through its mission enabling services, Advanced Space provides mission and flight optimization, mission design, mission systems engineering. With its technology solutions Advanced Space provides its customers with trusted AI/ML/autonomy expertise, flight-demonstrated applications, and analysis at scale. Advanced Space offers Mission Solutions with unique turn-key missions, data and capabilities purchases and demonstrated cislunar and Martian success. Advanced Space is mission focused as the owner and operator of CAPSTONE™ for NASA and Prime contractor for Oracle for AFRL. These competencies are leveraged by a dynamic, flexible, and agile team with cross domain knowledge. We have a small but growing team that works collaboratively across projects. We provide flexibility, and an opportunity for passionate employees to contribute directly to meaningful projects. Trusted to take on the challenge, the team at Advanced Space is Delivering Innovation to Orbit™ to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Advanced Space, LLC recruits, employs, trains, compensates and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, veteran status, and other protected status as required by applicable law.