Senior Astrodynamics/Flight Dynamics Engineer

We are seeking a highly talented, self-motivated Senior Astrodynamics Engineer (you may also know this as mission design, trajectory design, or flight dynamics) to join our rapidly growing startup. As part of our larger Autonomous Systems team, you will have the technical leadership opportunity to create, design and implement full-cycle mission planning and orbital mechanics profiles for future reentry vehicles, unlocking the future of space factories with rapid flight and entry for next generation products.  

You will work closely with a top-notch multidisciplinary vehicle engineering team to architect the mission plan and trajectory of the world’s first commercial reentry vehicle, enabling the ability to precision land and return manufactured products to earth. You’ll own and develop modeling and simulation infrastructure and tooling to help ensure trajectory design and reentry profile are accurate, reliable, and safe. You will own the full cycle of mission planning and orbital dynamics development, from requirements definition and design to mission planning and on-orbit and reentry operations. We are looking for engineers who enjoy solving complex and open-ended problems, can work effectively in a fast-paced environment and share our passion in creating in-space industry.  

• →Perform trajectory design, optimization, and dispersion analysis for the reentry of a next generation space vehicle
• →Design spacecraft trajectories and produce orbital analyses for commercial reentry vehicles
• →Optimize trajectories based on fuel, time, and/or performance characteristics
• →Work closely with propulsion, software and flight operations teams to ensure vehicle and mission objectives are accomplished in the vehicle design
• →Design and implementation of autonomous satellite navigational solutions, collision avoidance, orbital rendezvous, and atmospheric re-entry algorithms
• →Running Monte Carlo analysis to characterize performance of new features
• →Lead the development of new vehicle capabilities
• →Support in-orbit operations as trajectory specialist, including coordination with other spacecraft operators and 3rd party entities

• Teamwork skills are necessary to solve problems in a collaborative environment
• Ability to scope projects including requirements capture and initial design trades given open-ended problems
• Develop 6 degree of freedom vehicle simulation using C++ and Python 
• Perform trajectory design, optimization, and dispersion analysis for the reentry of a space capsule
• Mission specific analysis for customer launch and in support of business development

• B.S. degree in aerospace, mechanical, electrical engineering, physics, or related field
• 5+ proven years of experience, or PhD with 3+ years of relevant experience
• Demonstrated knowledge in designing, modeling, testing, and flying orbital trajectories or aerospace guidance, navigation, and control systems
• Highly adept software and model development skills, particularly in C++/Python/Matlab
• Understanding of orbital mechanics, modeling and simulation, and software development
• Experience anchoring/fitting first principles models to test data or high-fidelity external simulations 
• Proven system engineering and configuration management skills 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

• Understanding of multi-body dynamics, flexible body dynamics, gas dynamics, fluids, and thermodynamics
• Experience developing and verifying physical models for the purpose of control design, component sizing, and system performance evaluation
• Experience supporting flight test or flying spacecraft
• Ability to continuously manage risk and provide solutions with lean software development techniques
• Experience with project management for cradle-to-grave projects
• Prior work in a technical leadership role for a launch vehicle or satellite development effort
• Prior work in a startup or agile development environment
• Capability to solve complex problems autonomy as an individual or as a member of an integrated team
• Passion for advancing the commercial space industry

• Salary range: $155,000 - $185,000/base per year
• This role is on-site in El Segundo, CA
• Leveling and base salary is determined by job-related skills, education level, experience level, and job performance
• You will be eligible for long-term incentives in the form of stock options and/or long-term cash awards
• Offer compensation also includes the ability to receive stock options under the Company's Equity Incentive Plan.

• Varda, like all employers, must ensure that its employees working in the United States are lawfully authorized to work in the U.S.  Additionally, our employees are exposed to and have access to certain export-controlled items. At present, some of our technology to which employees have access requires a license to be exported to individuals other than “U.S. Persons” as defined in U.S. export regulations. Because our employees are provided access to export-controlled items, our current policy is to only hire “U.S. persons” who are permitted to have access to our technology without an export license. 

  “US person” means: U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident, or protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) (i.e., individual admitted to the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum in the U.S.)

   Learn more about the ITAR here.  

Varda Space Industries, Inc. participates in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security E-Verify program. The E-Verify program is an Internet-based employment eligibility verification system operated by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Learn more about the E-Verify program.

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