GN&C Lead Engineer

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Overview:

The Space Exploration Group (JSEG) Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GN&C) team is a high performing group executing challenging tasks to design and integrate GN&C systems for projects ranging from CubeSats to NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS). We are searching for highly qualified candidates to support the design, development, and oversight of the Human Lander Systems Program in the Control Systems Design and Analysis branch at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center as a Dynamics, Controls, Modeling, Simulation, and Analysis Lead Integration Engineer. This exciting work will serve as a critical step in sending humans back to the Moon, Mars and beyond!

Responsibilities:

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Lead 6-DoF simulation software development, verification, and validation efforts, coordinating with engineers on other teams, different organizations, and other centers.

Develop and/or oversee the development, verification, and validation of multi-body spacecraft, landers, and launch vehicles dynamics equations of motion.

Assign and track tasks, guide, and mentor junior engineers in conducting dynamics derivation, modeling, simulation, and analysis.

Interface with HLS partners to seek understanding of their design/test data and potentially participate in partners’ tests.

Periodically analyze HLS partner’ flight data and present findings to NASA management.

Model, develop, simulate, and analyze launch vehicle, lander, and spacecraft performance and stability.

Resolve complex problems pertaining to the design, development, analysis, integration, evaluation, testing, and verification of control systems and 6-DoF models and simulations.

Develop, modify, maintain, and improve software simulations, tools, and scripts.

Plan and supervise the design, integration, analysis, and documentation of GN&C products.

Configure, conduct, and analyze 6-DoF Monte Carlo simulations.

Conduct trades studies and/or sensitivity analyses related to launch vehicles, landers, and spacecraft.

Create, edit, and debug software written in Matlab, Simulink, and Simscape.

Prepare and present technical reports and/or briefings including visualization of results.

Create and review engineering and software documentation.

A degree in Aerospace, Mechanical or Electrical Engineering or related field is required. A Degree from an ABET accredited institution is preferred. Typical experience requirements are the equivalent of a PhD with at least 4 years of experience, a master’s with at least 8 years of experience, or BS with at least 10 years of experience.

Required skills/experience:

Experience providing technical leadership, planning, task tracking, and mentoring junior engineers.

Ability to derive multi-body spacecraft dynamics equations of motion, including both nonlinear equations and linear state equations and integrate subsystem models into larger simulations.

Proficiency modeling, simulating, and analyzing the performance of launch vehicles, spacecraft, and/or landers.

Experience performing software development, verification, and validation.

Modeling of spacecraft components/subsystems including Thrust Vector Control (TVC) actuators, Reaction Control System (RCS) thrusters, slosh, pogo, rigid and/or flexible body dynamics, and/or sensors.

Programming in Matlab, Simulink, Simscape, and C/C.

Experience performing trade studies, sensitivity, and/or Monte Carlo simulation and analyses related to launch vehicles, landers, and/or spacecraft.

Must be detail oriented and self-motivated that can work independently taking projects from start to finish without much oversight.

Must also be able to lead and work collaboratively with other team members both locally and remote at other facilities or vendors.

Strong written and oral communication, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills.

Desired skills/experience:

Modeling of lander descent and touchdown dynamics.

Design and development of flight control systems including TVC and RCS/Phase plane.

Analyzing system performance in the time and frequency domain (Nichols, Bode, Nyquist, Root Locus, etc.) using parametric, Monte Carlo, and statistical techniques.

Programming in other languages such as Python.

Familiarity with and an understanding of trajectory and orbital dynamics.

Experience with creating animations/visualization from results of 3-DoF/6-DoF simulations using tools such as Unreal Engine, Satellite Tool Kit (STK), etc.

Model based design.

Essential Functions:

Work Environment:

Office environment. Requires ability to provide clear, concise, accurate and timely communication, both verbally and in writing (100%). Requires ability to interact professionally with co-workers, management, and client (100%). Requires travel in the domestic USA (<10%)

Physical Requirements:

Requires sitting for extended periods of time in meetings with peers, management, and with our client at NASA facilities to discuss technical issues (10%). Also, requires sitting for extended periods of time at a desk to write reports and perform engineering tasks (80%). Requires ability to use stairs or elevators for access between floors and multiple buildings at NASA and our facilities (10%).

Equipment and Machines:

Requires ability to operate a personal computer, a telephone, fax machine, copier, calculator, and other general office equipment (100%).

Attendance:

Normal workday is from 7:30 a.m. through 4:30 p.m., Monday thru Friday. Minimal overtime may be required (10%) to meet schedule milestones and to support technical demands of the job. Regular attendance is a necessity and adequate arrangements for delegating duties during absences are required.

Other Essential Functions:

The ability to work independently with minimal supervision, and to make rational decisions, and to exercise good judgment is essential (100%). Grooming and dress must be appropriate for the position and must not impose a safety risk/hazard to the employee or others.

Proof of U.S. Citizenship is required.

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