Engineer, Aerospace

The Universities Space Research Association (USRA) is currently seeking an Aerospace Engineer to support the definition, development, and testing of future research capabilities designed to operate within the size, weight, power, and data constraints of commercial suborbital vehicles, commercial low Earth orbit destinations, commercial lunar landers, and other in-space platforms. These future research capabilities include efficiently and safely preparing and handling samples in space, developing novel diagnostic techniques, miniaturizing existing diagnostic equipment, and incorporating artificial intelligence/machine learning for real-time data analysis and refinement of test matrices and conditions.

Citizenship Requirement: U.S. Citizens and Legal Permanent Residents (Green card holders) 

Essential Duties/Responsibilities:

• Conceiving and developing concepts for capabilities on low-gravity commercial platforms.
• Developing methods for handling powders and solids, including injecting and mixing them into other media.
• Creating new imaging techniques and image processing methods.
• Defining specifications and performance parameters.
• Conducting ground-based testing.
• Integrating new research capabilities into low-gravity commercial platforms.
• Performing safety analyses required for low-gravity commercial platforms.
• Benchmarking the results of new research capabilities against comparable techniques.
• Conducting numerical and theoretical analyses.
• Participating in meetings with the NASA Flight Opportunities Office to discuss vehicle requirements, flight review schedules, and hardware delivery timelines.
• Supporting proposal development efforts.
• Reporting results.

Work will be performed in accordance with NASA-approved procedures governing the development and execution of space experiments.

Required Qualifications: 

Education: The successful candidate must hold a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering or applied science.

Experience: 

• 5+ years of experience in support of design, evaluation, and documentation of test equipment data packages for engineered systems used in space experiments, drop towers, and parabolic flight low-gravity aircraft.  
• A background in spaceflight systems engineering, along with expertise in spaceflight payload engineering and development, including hardware design, integration, and anomaly resolution, is required.

The candidate is also expected to:

• Be a team player;
• Be a self-starter;
• Demonstrate a willingness to learn and collaborate;
• Be curious and open to working on interdisciplinary subjects; and
• Possess strong verbal and written communication skills.

Working Conditions: 

This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, etc. Extensive online usage. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit and use hands. Keyboarding for large time spans each day will be a significant part of this position. 

Applicants should apply to the posting at USRA Careers and include a letter of interest, resume, or curriculum vitae. 

Additional information on USRA can be found at http://www.usra.edu  

USRA is an Equal Opportunity Employer: Minorities / Females / Protected Veterans / Disabled / Sexual Orientation / Gender Identity.

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