Flight Dynamics Engineer

Flight Dynamics Engineer Los Angeles, California | Full time, onsite | Relocation supportedWe are working with a spacecraft technology company in Los Angeles that designs and builds custom satellites for government and prime contractor customers. Small engineering team, funded, with hardware already flying. This is a hands on research and development role.The roleYou will build the simulation and analysis tooling that allows the platform to track, characterise manoeuvres and run high fidelity trajectory analysis on systems already in orbit.Design and implement advanced orbit determination algorithms, including extended and unscented Kalman filters and batch estimators, to process multi modal observation dataPerform orbit design, trajectory analysis and precise state propagation for operational spacecraftExtract trajectory related metadata from orbit determination and state estimation work to support wider system characterisationDevelop automated tools to detect, characterise and reconstruct the manoeuvres of on orbit systemsEnsure compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirementsDocument design processes, test results and system performanceMentor and provide technical guidance to junior engineersWhat you needBachelor’s or advanced degree in aerospace engineering or a related field with a focus on astrodynamicsFive or more years of experience in orbit determination, state estimation theory and space domain awareness applicationsProficiency in orbital mechanics and mission design softwareProgramming in Python, C++ or MATLAB for astrodynamics modelling and estimation tool developmentDemonstrated leadership, including mentoring junior engineers and driving improvements in engineering processStrong problem solving skills and attention to detail, and the ability to collaborate in a fast moving environmentUS person, willing and eligible to obtain a DoD Top Secret security clearance. You do not need to hold one already, as sponsorship is availableNice to haveMaster’s or PhD with a research focus on advanced astrodynamics, non linear estimation theory or multi target trackingDeep expertise in advanced filtering techniques such as particle filters, and data association algorithms for crowded space environmentsAdvanced proficiency with orbit determination and mission design suites such as ODTK, STK, FreeFlyer, GMAT or OrekitExperience processing, calibrating and characterising data from varied space domain awareness sensor modalities, including optical telescopes, phased array radars, RF sensors or spacecraft laser rangingExperience taking astrodynamics algorithms from R&D into production, including cloud architectures such as AWS or Azure, containerisation with Docker, or high performance and parallel computingHands on operational experience supporting live spacecraft, including conjunction assessment, collision avoidance manoeuvre planning or resolving navigation anomaliesWhat is on offerMedical, dental and vision paid by the company for the employee, flexible vacation, 401k matching, holiday pay, and pregnancy, family and military service leave. Interview travel and relocation are covered. Genuine R&D ownership in a team small enough that your work is visible at company level, with a fast, decisive interview process.Apply through this advert or contact me directly for a confidential conversation.Darwin Recruitment is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.Adam Slade