Principal GNC & Trajectory Analyst

Requisition #: TLS-26-001 | Clearance: Active DoD Secret (US citizenship required) | Level: Principal | Experience: 20+ years | Education: Bachelor's (4-yr) | Work site: Redstone Arsenal – Huntsville, AL (on-site)

What you'll do:

• Support the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) Directorate for Test (DT) Targets program office with development of missile defense target vehicles

• Support the Targets System Engineering team in all aspects of target design, analysis, and test to include requirements development and assessment, modeling and simulation, test analysis and reporting

• Utilize knowledge, skills and experience with missile characteristics (physical, kinematics, signatures) and engineering to support engineering activities and data product development

• Technical focus areas include Guidance Navigation and Control (GNC), Modeling and Simulation (M&S), and vehicle performance assessments

• Generate and analyze target vehicle 6-DoF and 3-DoF trajectory data using industry standard (e.g., TAOS) and in-house developed (e.g., MATLAB, Python, C++) tools

• Support flight test analysis and reporting to include analyzing vehicle onboard instrumentation data and generating trajectory reconstruction

• Collaborate with a dynamic team of experts in multiple technical areas to develop analysis and engineering tools

Required qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree and 20+ years working on missile defense-related or other DoD programs/projects OR a Master's degree and 12+ years working on missile defense-related or other DoD programs/projects

• Active DoD Secret security clearance, which requires US Citizenship

• Strong understanding of principles of aerodynamics; equations of motion; coordinate systems; vehicle dynamics; guidance, navigation, and control; etc.

• Experience with missile trajectory analysis to include working in different coordinate frames, endo- and exo-atmospheric behaviors, and identifying key trajectory parameters

• Knowledge of satellite orbital mechanics, ephemeris, orbit propagation, perturbations, determination, and maneuver planning

• Proficiency with MATLAB, Python, Java, C#, and other programming languages

• Skilled in use of modeling and simulation tools (e.g., TAOS, STK)

• Strong oral and written communication skills

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel and PowerPoint)

Preferred qualifications:

• Familiarity with MDA and/or DoD programs and processes

• Experience in any or all of the following disciplines: Design, CAD, Trajectory, Radar Cross Section (RCS) Signatures, Optical Signatures

• Strong attention to detail and ability to efficiently perform multiple tasks

• Ability to communicate detailed technical information to technical and non-technical personnel