Senior Controls, Modeling, Simulation & Analysis Engineer

Are you passionate about human space exploration, understanding the origins of the universe, and working with a passionate and diverse team to make a difference? If you are, we need you!

We need your talent, teamwork, and energy to help us achieve great things that inspire people all over the globe. We need you to bring creative ideas and diverse backgrounds to help us envision, shape, and deliver systems that will enable the exploration of space while benefiting people here on Earth. We are excited about what we do, and we need you on our team as we take on exciting challenges for NASA's pursuits in deep space exploration.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Senior Controls, Modeling, Simulation & Analysis Engineer to join our ESSCA contract team at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL.

If selected you will:

• Model, develop, simulate, and analyze launch vehicle and spacecraft dynamics (including aerodynamics, flexible body, slosh, actuators, etc.), control systems, performance, and stability in both the frequency and time domains with varying levels of fidelity
• Resolve complex problems pertaining to the design, development, analysis, integration, evaluation, testing, and verification of control systems and 6-DoF models and simulations.
• Conduct verification and validation of launch vehicle and/or spacecraft.
• Develop, modify, maintain, and improve software simulations, tools, and scripts.
• Configure, conduct, and analyze 6-DoF Monte Carlo simulations.
• Conduct trades studies and/or sensitivity analyses related to launch vehicles and spacecraft.
• Create, edit, and debug software written in MATLAB, Simulink, and C/C++.
• Prepare and present technical reports and/or briefings including visualization of results.
• Create and review engineering and software documentation.

Qualifications:

This position has been posted at multiple levels. Depending on the candidate's experience, requirements, and business needs, we reserve the right to consider candidates at any level for which this position has been advertised.

• A degree in Aerospace, Mechanical or Electrical Engineering or related field from an ABET accredited institution is required. Typical experience requirements are the equivalent of a PhD with at least 4 years of experience, a master's with at least 8 years of experience, or BS with at least 10 years of experience.

Required skills/experience:

• Proficiency modeling, simulating, and analyzing the performance of launch vehicles and spacecraft in the time including using parametric, Monte Carlo, and statistical techniques.
• Experience analyzing control stability in the frequency domain (Nichols, Bode, Nyquist, Root Locus, etc.).
• Experience designing and developing flight control systems (PID, state space, etc.) and actuator allocation (manual jet selection, pseudo inverse, etc.) including Thrust Vector Control (TVC) and/or Reaction Control System (RCS)/Phase plane.
• Experience modeling one or more spacecraft components/subsystems including actuators, TVC, RCS thrusters, slosh, pogo, rigid and/or flexible body dynamics, and/or sensors.
• Proficiency programming in MATLAB, Simulink, and C/C++. This includes debugging and improving the efficiency of simulation tools.
• Experience performing trade studies, sensitivity, and/or Monte Carlo simulation and analyses related to the control of launch vehicles and/or spacecraft.
• Must be detail oriented and self-motivated that can work independently taking projects from start to finish without much oversight.
• Must also be able to work collaboratively with other team members both locally and remote at other facilities or vendors.
• Strong written and oral communication, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills.

Desired skills/experience:

• Ability to derive multi-body spacecraft dynamics equations of motion, including both nonlinear equations and linear state equations and integrate subsystem models into larger simulations.
• Experience modeling and simulating manual control of spacecraft including but not limited to controllability, transfer function models, Cooper Harper ratings, and paper pilot modeling.
• Experience in performing software development, verification, and validation.
• Programming in other languages such as Python.
• Familiarity with and an understanding of trajectory and orbital dynamics.
• Experience with creating animations/visualization from results of 3-DoF/6-DoF simulations using tools such as Unreal Engine, Satellite Tool Kit (STK), etc.
• Model based design.

Benefits

• Competitive pay
• Positive work-life balance
• 100% Employer paid insurance including: Medical, dental, vision, life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment, short-term disability, and long-term disability
• 11 paid holidays annually
• Generous PTO
• 401k after 12 months of service with employer match
• Education assistance
• Relocation assistance (if applicable)

Mclaurin is a unique organization with a special focus on combining the best features of research and industry in order to foster innovation. Our organization strongly supports research, publication, and engagement with the academic community. We encourage our employees to remain on the cutting edge of new developments in their respective disciplines.

US Citizenship and the ability to pass a comprehensive security background investigation is required.

Mclaurin is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.