Senior Astrodynamics Engineer
$180,000–$270,000 year
Remote · United States or Irvine, California, United States
Job Summary
Lead development of high-fidelity orbit determination algorithms and production-quality OD pipelines for a commercial astronautics software library. Design and implement advanced estimation techniques (EKF/UKF, Batch Least Squares), build inertial propagation and perturbation models, perform maneuver planning and trajectory analysis (collision avoidance, station-keeping, orbit transfers, rendezvous), and collaborate across software, product, and operations teams to integrate navigation and OD into spacecraft architectures. Ensure rigorous testing/validation and contribute to high software quality standards. Requires extensive experience in orbital mechanics, state estimation, and trajectory optimization, plus strong C++ (modern) and Python skills. A MS or PhD in a related technical discipline and 10–20+ years of professional experience are expected.
Required Qualifications
- M.S. or Ph.D. in Astronautical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering (space-focused, Applied Mathematics, Physics Or a related technical discipline)
- Experience 10–20+ years in orbit determination, state estimation, astrodynamics, trajectory optimization
- Proven experience developing and analyzing astronautics algorithms for operational or mission environments
- Strong understanding of satellite mission lifecycle operations (launch, commissioning, on-orbit operations, end-of-life disposal)
- Knowledge of spacecraft subsystems and mission impacts (propulsion, thermal, power, communications)
- Expertise in orbital mechanics and environmental effects (atmospheric drag, radiation pressure, perturbation modeling)
- Kcal filtering and estimation methods (Kalman filtering, relative and inertial state estimation)
- Numerical methods and optimization techniques
- Experience with C or C++ programming, modeling and simulation for aerospace systems
- Knowledge of Ground station coordination and SSA concepts
- Familiarity with industry tools (GMAT, Orekit, STK Astrogator, FreeFlyer)
- Experience with machine learning applications in orbit determination, anomaly detection, state estimation
- Experience with hardware-in-the-loop simulations
- Strong covariance analysis and error propagation background
- Python development experience (Python 3+)
- Familiarity with Git workflows and CI/CD systems (GitLab CI, Jenkins)
- U.S. citizenship required; ITAR considerations
Additional Requirements
- Must be a U.S. Citizen
- Dual citizenship not permitted for this role
- U.S. export controls compliance required
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