Engineering Manager – Satellite Control Analyst

Job Summary 

The Vehicle Systems Division (VSD) sits at the center of the ideas and data behind current and future systems supplying innovative research and development; technical evaluations during the acquisition process; conceptual and detailed design; assembly, integration, and test; and operational support. Comprised primarily of highly-trained mechanical and aerospace engineers, VSD provides national expertise in the areas of vehicle engineering; guidance, navigation, and controls; robotics; electro-mechanical devices; embedded systems; fluid mechanics; propulsion; thermal control; orbital mechanics; mechanisms; structures; structural dynamics; and dynamic environments. 

The Control Analysis Department (CAD) performs satellite attitude and payload pointing control system analysis support for a wide variety of space programs ranging from pathfinding CubeSats with prototype payloads and weighing a few kilograms total, all the way to the more exquisite GPS constellation upon which countless users rely every day.  In today’s rapidly evolving space environment, our department leverages both heritage and state-of-the-art knowledge, tools, and techniques in the areas of space vehicle attitude control, dynamics, and estimation and payload pointing, while also researching and applying methods from emerging and related topics such as artificial intelligence and robotics, to solve new and increasingly challenging problems. 

The Engineering Manager – Satellite Control Analyst (Guidance, Navigation & Control Engineering) in CAD will lead a small team of engineers within the department, working closely with internal and external stakeholders to support all phases of a program lifecycle: conceptual studies, prototyping, source selection, development, and operations.    

Work Model 

This is a full-time position based in El Segundo, CA, offering a hybrid work model that combines (3-4) regular onsite workdays and remote flexibility as the business needs allow.   

What You’ll Be Doing 

• Providing technical and strategic guidance and mentoring to the members of the Payload Pointing section of CAD 

• Performing spacecraft and payload control system related tasks in the following areas:  concept development, trade studies, risk assessments, design analyses, simulation development, test planning, data analysis, operations support, and anomaly resolution 

• Working with subordinate staff, management team, and customers to coordinate technical activities, report progress, resolve technical issues, and assure project success 

• Providing regular feedback to staff and conducting performance reviews 

• Promoting the creation and use of new tools to sustain and advance section and department expertise 

• Preparing written and verbal reports of the group’s activities, issues, and accomplishments for higher management, subordinates, and teaming organizations 

• Identifying opportunities for additional, expanded, and new business. Assisting higher management in the evaluation and pursuit of new opportunities 

• Recommending staffing needs and changes, implementing operating policies and practices, and recommending improvements to higher management 

What You Need to be Successful  

Minimum Requirements for Engineering Manager – Satellite Control Analyst (Guidance, Navigation & Control Engineering): 

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM field with a focus on controls, dynamics, estimation, or a related specialty is required 

• A minimum of (5) years of applicable professional experience with increasing responsibility and professional engineering experience is required 

• Expertise in one or more of the following: spacecraft control systems engineering, control system design and analysis, estimation theory, or advanced dynamics is needed for the role 

• Proficiency in MATLAB/Simulink, Python, or a related language  

• Team or project leadership experience 

• Experience delivering technical presentations and writing technical documentation  

• Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance, which is issued by the U.S. government. U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance. 

How You Can Stand Out 

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

• Experience providing guidance, navigation, and control technical support for a flight program is preferred 

• Proficiency with one or more of the following:  

- Spacecraft attitude determination and control  

- Payload pointing estimation and control   

- Advanced control techniques and applications    

- Kalman filtering and stochastic processes   

- Modeling and simulation of control systems   

- Multibody and flexible body dynamics   

- Implementation, testing, deploying, and calibration of control systems  

- Cubesat or smallsat attitude determination and control design and operations   

- Special topics including, but not limited to - mobile robotics, rendezvous and proximity operations, computer vision, image processing, artificial intelligence, machine learning 

• An active TS/SCI security clearance, which is issued by the U.S. government, is strongly preferred. U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance.