Parachute Systems Engineer

Building on The Aerospace Corporation's reputation as a trusted, impartial advisor with integrity and dedication to mission success, the Civil Systems Group (CSG) combines deep technical expertise with market-leading innovation to help our customers solve complex systems engineering and integration challenges. CSG is organized by core customer-facing lines of business to manage and grow programs within NASA, NOAA, and the NNSA, while extending our capabilities to other civilian federal government agencies fully integrated within Aerospace rules, regulations, processes, values, and behaviors. 

Within the CSG, the Human Exploration and Space Flight (HESF) Division supports our NASA customer in all aspects of human space flight. We are looking for a Parachute Systems Engineer (Project Engineer/Sr. Project Engineer – Technical Project Management). In this role you will support the NASA Johnson Space Center Engineering Aeroscience and Flight Mechanics Division (AFMD) as a Parachute Expert supporting human exploration programs. The AFMD provides technical leadership in the engineering disciplines of aerodynamics and aerothermodynamics; guidance, navigation, and control flight performance; mission design; and autonomous systems. The division provides engineering design, development, testing, and evaluation for all phases of space flight (ascent, entry, orbit, and interplanetary) and for all types of human spacecraft.  

Work Model 

This is a full-time position based at NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, TX., offering a hybrid work model that combines 3-4 regular onsite workdays and remote flexibility as the business and customer needs allow.   

What You’ll Be Doing  

• Serve as a highly proactive technical specialist, understanding issues and formulating options/recommendations, while working closely for the NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) Aeroscience and Flight Mechanics Division 

• Support the assessment of parachutes and parachute systems flight dynamics model correlation to flight test data 

• Support parachute development including requirements verification, drop test participation and independent post-test analysis, pre-flight packaging verification in plant, and reentry and parachute deployment modeling and post deployment assessment 

• If requested, support NASA in the architecture, research, and development of prototype next generation parachute technology 

• If requested, support NASA in initiating the parachute development and support exploration/ deep-space logistics spacecrafts 

• Support the overall development and coordinating reach back into Aerospace subject matter experts for flight dynamic predictive models for parachutes 

• Develop periodic status reports and presentations 

• Develop special reports/discussions of findings, issues, conclusions, recommendations, and risk assessments 

• Coordinate requirements, technical objectives, interfaces, standards, issues and findings with subject matter experts and stakeholders 

• Perform evaluation of operational needs and verification of mission plans 

• Serve as a highly proactive technical specialist while working closely across various engineering disciplines, flight operations, crew office, commercial providers and program teams, working groups and panels to ensure visiting vehicle success 

• Lead forums and venues to formulate and prepare technical findings and recommendations  

• Coordinate and evaluate technical objectives, requirements, interfaces, standards, issues  

• Perform other duties for the customer as required  

What You Need to be Successful  

Minimum Requirements for the Project Engineer - Technical Project Management: 

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field 

• 5 or more years of increasingly responsible and related engineering/scientific experience 

• Knowledge of the design, deployment, operation, and post utilization inspection experience of spacecraft parachute systems 

• Knowledge of human space flight preparation for flight technical processes 

• Have test experience including execution of test requirements, verification and validation processes, procedure, planning, preparing for Test Readiness Reviews, logistical coordination pre and at test site, and test execution for flight hardware and ground systems. 

• Knowledge of space flight certification processes to ensure performance and safety requirements are met 

• Ability to work within a team environment, where the team is distributed across multiple agencies, organizations, projects and programs 

• Ability to identify and communicate concerns to leadership in a diplomatic manner  

• Willing to travel occasionally to work location/domestically/internationally approx. 4-6 times a year  

In addition to the above, the minimum requirements for the Senior Project Engineer - Technical Project Management include: 

• At least 10+ years’ experience with NASA or on NASA commercial systems  

How You Can Stand Out  

It would be impressive if you have one or more of these: 

• Advanced degree (Master’s or Ph.D.) in Aerospace Engineering or closely related field desired 

• Expertise in building on NASA Human Spaceflight topics and safety matters 

• Successful track record in designing, testing, and implementing parachute systems  

• Proficiency in using advanced computer-aided engineering tools, and other simulation software relevant to our technologies. 

• Exceptional communication and presentation skills, with a demonstrated ability to articulate complex technical concepts to diverse audiences