Ground Operations Engineer – Launch & Recovery

As part of a diverse and hardworking team of experts, the candidate will:

• Develop concept of operations to facilitate efficient and safe processing of flight hardware to include identification & mitigation for all potential hazards involved.
• Certify for integrated vehicle test operations and execute command-and-control for the entire duration of testing from test setup through teardown while prioritizing safe execution and attention-to-detail throughout.
• Author, review, and iteratively revise ground operations procedures for spacecraft
• Lead and provide floor support for procedures in work. This includes procedural clarification, coordinating redlines, and being the primary liaison between the shop floor and supporting entities such as flow management, quality engineering, design engineering, resident engineers and logistics support with the primary goal of enabling safe, high-quality execution of the planned work schedule.
• Ensure full documentation and accountability of all updates to the spacecraft’s as-built bill of materials in order to validate full alignment between the approved as-designed engineering and the configuration which will fly in space.
• Closely collaborate with the technical and operational teams of the customer and launch provider to define requirements and develop processes and procedures for integrated spacecraft operations.
• Identify operational needs and translate them into custom support hardware.

Sierra Space-based in Louisville, CO with operations in Madison, WI, Durham, NC, Huntsville, AL, Houston, TX, and Kennedy Space Center, FL—designs and manufactures the Dream Chaser spaceplane and other advanced spacecraft, commercial space destinations, satellites, propulsion and environmental systems, spacecraft subsystems and components for the U.S. government (including NASA), commercial customers, and international organizations. Learn more about Sierra Space

Must-haves:

• Bachelor's of Science degree in System Engineering or related discipline and typically 10 or more years of relevant experience

• Demonstrated knowledge of engineering principles and practices

• Experience working in multi-disciplinary design and development teams

• Thorough understanding of requirements management, functional requirements parsing, derivation, and allocation; systems design, systems integration, technical risk identification and management strategies, and Verification and Validation (V&V) principles

Preferred:

• Experience developing and leading manufacturing, refurbishment, and/or integrated test operations for either system commissioning or maintenance environments for applications such as aerospace, military, energy, automotive, industrial engineering and/or construction

• Experience operating in hazardous environments and applying a safety-first mindset and strong attention-to-detail

• Experience translating design concepts into executable work steps which implement tangible results

• Experience troubleshooting complex problems particularly those for which no “how-to-guide” exists

• Strong ability to understand complex mechanical and electrical subsystems as well as how those subsystems work together to form integrated systems

• Experience coordinating across cross-functional groups (for example, technicians, tradesmen, design engineers, operations engineers, product/project managers etc)

• Experience with spacecraft/payload operations, small/cube Sats, integration, manufacturing, or test environment working on electrical, fluid and mechanical systems.

• Experience with operating one or preferably more of the following: electromechanical actuation systems, cryogenic fluids, avionics, hydraulic, environmental control systems, pneumatics, pyrotechnics, and crew interface systems.

• Experience with writing code in sequence-of-operations or closed-loop control applications.

• Background in the Aerospace and Defense Industry

• Experience with Computer Aided Engineering tools

• Experience with use or operation of heavy equipment and cranes

• Experience with spacecraft or aircraft operations

• The ability to obtain and maintain a Security Clearance may be required. Learn more about the background check process for Security Clearances

• Cleanroom operations and requirements, ESD, FOD

• Lifting handling GSE, environmental control systems operations, monitoring instrumentation

• Developing and executing processing operations procedures

• Test conductor during lift operations, vehicle powered-on internal checkouts, at test consoles during hardware in the loop tests or comprehensive system tests. To include real-time troubleshooting

• Project management/scheduling working with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, & Outlook, VISIO, MS Project), EVM, KPIs, QBDs

Physical/Mental/Emotional Requirements:

• Frequently walk, sit, stand, climb stairs and steps
• Frequently repeat same hand, arm, and finger motion many times to include finger and hand dexterity
• Rarely lifting or carrying up to 50 lbs.

Working Conditions:

• Rarely exposed to outdoor elements (high/low temperatures, sun, rain/snow, etc.)
• Rarely exposed to fumes or hazardous chemicals/materials
• Rarely exposed to loud noises

IMPORTANT NOTICE:
To conform to U.S. Government international trade regulations, applicant must be a U.S. Citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State or U.S. Department of Commerce.

With 30+ years of proven spaceflight heritage, Sierra Space has provided more than 4,000 space systems, subsystems and components to customers worldwide, and participated in more than 500 missions to space, including to Mars. The company has technology in production and in development to enable space habitats for short- and long-duration space travel, a fleet of Dream Chaser spaceplanes, and the first free-flying commercial space station. Please visit www.sierraspace.com to learn more about Sierra Space, its business areas, capabilities, programs, products and services.

Estimated Starting Salary Range: 

$109,592.82 - $164,389.23

Sierra Space offers annual incentive pay based upon performance that is commensurate with the level of the position.

Sierra Space offers a generous benefit package, including medical, dental, and vision plans, 401(k) with 150% match up to 8%, life insurance, 3 weeks paid time off, tuition reimbursement, and more.

At Sierra Space, our mission is to dream, innovate, inspire and empower the next generation to transform humanity through technology and imagination. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we welcome our employees to bring their whole selves to their work. Sierra Space is committed to fostering an inclusive, accepting, and diverse environment free of discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. Contributions to Sierra Space come in many shapes and styles, and we believe diversity in our workforce fosters new and greater ways to dream, innovate, and inspire.