Job Description

Are you passionate about navigating spacecraft throughout the Solar System?

Would you love to apply your technical knowledge and creativity to make innovative contributions to some of the nation's spectacular space missions?

Are you searching for a collaborative, fulfilling work environment?

If so, we 're looking for someone like you to join our team.

We are seeking motivated engineers to help the Astrodynamics and Control Systems group (SAC) develop, analyze, test, and deliver spacecraft for both NASA missions and National Security Space projects. We are looking for individuals with experience in orbit determination and navigation in various environments, including multi-body dynamical regimes such as cislunar space.  Our spacecraft reach the extremes of the solar system, from Parker Solar Probe at the Sun to New Horizons at Pluto and beyond, with formation flying at Earth, as well as planetary defense with DART. Understanding the dynamic state and the state uncertainty of spacecraft is critical in the robustness of a navigation concept of operations.  We would love to have you apply your talents to our challenges. As a member of our team, you will contribute to the development of some of our nation 's most critical space missions, joining a hardworking team of engineers who strive to deliver game-changing solutions. You will have the opportunity to support both pre-launch spacecraft development and post-launch operations performance analysis and system updates. We are passionate about our work, striving to cultivate an environment of partnership and collaboration, and committed to making critical contributions to critical challenges.

As a SAC Navigation Engineer...

• Your primary responsibility will be supporting the navigation (PNT) needs of various NASA missions and National Security Space projects. 
• You will design, execute, analyze, and test navigation concept of operations, including developing error budgets and conducting end-to-end orbit determination and covariance studies.
• You will assist in the development and implementation of navigation algorithms for both ground software and/or embedded flight software.
• You will assist in the testing of software to support the integration of testbed algorithms and flight software with flight and ground support equipment hardware.

You meet our minimum qualifications for the job if you...

• Possess an MS in Aerospace Engineering or related field.
• Have at least 3 years of spacecraft mission experience in either design, analysis, development, testing, or operations of spacecraft navigation subsystems.
• Are skilled in analytical and numerical computing software, such as MATLAB, Python,  and/or C.
• Are able to obtain a Top Secret level security clearance. If selected, you will be
  subject to a government security clearance investigation and must meet the
  requirements for access to classified information. Eligibility requirements
  include U.S. citizenship.

You 'll go above and beyond our minimum requirements if you...

• Have experience collaborating with Mission Design teams and developing compatible navigation concept of operations
• Have experience implementing statistical analyses such as Monte Carlo simulations and linear covariance analyses.
• Have experience in existing navigation software, such as ODTK, FreeFlyer, GMAT, or MONTE.

Be Part of Something Innovative

Over the past 25 years, the Space Exploration Sector at APL, has pushed the boundaries of what is possible; delivering game-changing impacts to sponsors like NASA and the Department of Defense. This includes historic, science space firsts like New Horizons reaching Pluto, Parker Solar Probe being the first to “touch” the sun, and the DART mission that redirected an asteroid for planetary defense. As a not-for-profit university affiliated research center, APL also delivered solutions to our nation’s national security challenges, as proven with the recent Deep Space Advanced Radar Concept (DARC) Tech Demo, and acts as a trusted partner with the US Space Force in space domain awareness and space-integrated warfare.

APL teams are currently developing missions that will advance the search for life in the Solar System through programs such as Europa Clipper and Dragonfly, exploring the lunar and cislunar domains, and providing fundamental knowledge of our Sun’s influence on the near-Earth environment through IMAP and other research and technology endeavors.  To learn about these APL’s mission and projects, https://civspace.jhuapl.edu/ and https://www.jhuapl.edu/OurWork/NationalSecuritySpace.

Why work at APL?

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) brings world-class expertise to our nation’s most critical defense, security, space and science challenges. While we are dedicated to solving complex challenges and pioneering new technologies, what makes us truly outstanding is our culture. We offer a vibrant, welcoming atmosphere where you can bring your authentic self to work, continue to grow, and build strong connections with inspiring teammates.

At APL, we celebrate our differences and encourage creativity and bold, new ideas. Our employees enjoy generous benefits, including a robust education assistance program, unparalleled retirement contributions, and a healthy work/life balance. APL’s campus is located in the Baltimore-Washington metro area. Learn more about our career opportunities at http://www.jhuapl.edu/careers.

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APL is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, occupation, marital or familial status, political opinion, personal appearance, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

APL is committed to promoting an innovative environment that embraces diversity, encourages creativity, and supports inclusion of new ideas. In doing so, we are committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals of all abilities, including those with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in any part of the hiring process, please contact Accommodations@jhuapl.edu. Only by ensuring that everyone’s voice is heard are we empowered to be bold, do great things, and make the world a better place.

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