Flight Dynamics Engineer

As an end-to-end space transportation company, Firefly Aerospace is on a mission to enable our world to launch, land, and operate in space anywhere, anytime. Our launch vehicles, lunar landers, and orbital vehicles provide government and commercial customers with full mission services from low Earth orbit to the surface of the Moon and beyond. Headquartered in north Austin, Texas, Firefly is looking for passionate, hardworking innovators to join our team and help fuel our successful trajectory into space.

SUMMARY

As a Flight Dynamics Engineer at Firefly, you will leverage your knowledge of astrodynamics, statistical orbit determination, and trajectory optimization to ensure the successful execution of mission objectives for operational spacecraft. You will work autonomously in a small, collaborative group to develop the software tools and procedures necessary to operate Earth-orbiting and interplanetary spacecraft, as well as communicate mission analysis to multidisciplinary groups of stakeholders.

This is an on-site role, located in Cedar Park, TX!

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Use ranging techniques to perform orbit determination of spacecraft
• Design, analyze, and execute orbital maneuvers for spacecraft
• Advance the state-of-the-art of Firefly tools and software for trajectory design, maneuver planning, and orbit determination
• Define, develop, and maintain the interfaces between a flight dynamics system and other components of ground-based operations, as well as external data providers
• Utilize Monte Carlo techniques for maneuver-planning and trajectory analysis
• Cross-train other team members in the use of operational software and procedures
• Perform occasional shift work and on-call support for launch and early orbit phase operations or collision avoidance maneuver planning

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• A Bachelors degree in engineering or physics and 5+ years of relevant work experience
• An advanced understanding of orbital mechanics
• Significant work experience in astrodynamics, orbit determination, or trajectory optimization
• Experience working in an operational environment, especially with spacecraft missions requiring real-time orbit determination and maneuver planning
• Proficiency or familiarity with Python
• Experience with version-control software
• Excellent communication and presentation skills

Desired

• Advanced degree (Masters or PhD) in engineering or physics and 10 years of relevant work experience
• Demonstrated professional experience as a Flight Dynamics Engineer on operational spacecraft missions
• Experience with pre-launch activities and launch campaigns for spacecraft
• Proficiency or familiarity with Linux
• Familiarity with Agile Software Development Processes, Git, and Git workflows
• Experience performing orbit determination in ODTK
• Experience performing trajectory design in STK or GMAT
• Familiarity with DSN tracking data interface and documentation
• Familiarity with SPICE kernels and interfacing toolkit