Trajectory Analysis Engineer (Starship)

About the role

As a Trajectory Analysis Engineer, you will be responsible for finding creative analysis solutions to enable the world's most advanced rockets, including our next-generation Starship vehicle, a fully reusable spacecraft capable of carrying humans to Mars and beyond. You will work with a talented team of accomplished engineers to iterate on mission objectives for upcoming and future flights to ensure flight safety objectives are met. You should thrive in fast-paced, dynamic environments where you adapt quickly and love to solve hard problems.

Responsibilities

• Analyze launch vehicle trajectories and vehicle performance in the presence of faults
• Find creative flight plan solutions to enable mission objectives, while maintaining safe vehicle operation
• Generate and submit flight safety deliverables
• Produce and present trajectory analysis products for internal and external partners
• Interface with internal operations teams, flight reliability teams, hardware teams, and external regulatory partners such as the FAA.
• Engage in multi-disciplinary vehicle systems investigations to motivate mission design, vehicle architecture, and analysis methodologies
• Develop and evaluate flight termination system mission rules
• Support launch and mission operations of vehicles that you enabled
• Conduct flight data review
• Automate mission-to-mission trajectory analysis product generation

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in physics or an engineering discipline
• 1+ years experience with orbital mechanics, classical dynamics, modeling, and simulation (via project team, research, internships, and/or professional experience)
• 1+ years experience with the software languages Python or C++ (via project team, research, internships, and/or professional experience)

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Demonstrated project or professional experience in launch vehicle and/or spacecraft systems
• Capable of solving complex problems with little to no supervision on schedule as an individual or as a member of an integrated team
• Experience with system trades and first-hand knowledge of how requirements tie hardware to larger systems
• Passion for advancing the commercial space industry and human spaceflight
• Excellent communication skills both written and verbal

Additional Requirements

• Must be willing to work extended hours and/or weekends as needed

Itar Requirements

• To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.