Join the Tactical Space Systems Division Mission Systems Engineering organization in a strategic role within the Civil Space Systems (CSS) business area as a deputy Chief Engineer to support an exciting NASA space flight program, the Habitation and Logistics Outpost (HALO), at our Dulles, VA campus or our Gilbert, AZ campus. As the first pressurized element for NASA's lunar Gateway, HALO will be humanity's first permanent home away from Earth. HALO's extensive capabilities will support crew activities that, in conjunction with Gateway, enable sustained operations around the moon, human exploration of the lunar surface, and extended missions beyond cislunar space. HALO will provide a comfortable, habitable living space that includes science operations, mission sortie preparations, communication with ground and lunar assets, and space for physical exercise equipment. The HALO design leverages extensive human factors testing to provide efficient usage of space, logical crew interfaces, organized cargo stowage, and readily accessible and maintainable equipment.
The candidate must have the ability and willingness to work on campus at NG's Dulles, VA or Gilbert, AZ locations. The Consulting Engineer provides technical solutions to a wide range of complex and difficult problems and contributes to the completion of mission objectives and requirements. Solutions are imaginative, thorough, practicable, and consistent with business objectives. The Senior Staff Systems Engineer also provides strong leadership to multi-disciplined technical teams.
Duties/Responsibilities
• Perform system-of-system trades, modeling, simulation and analysis to assess space mission architecture alternatives for delivering a Customer mission effect, data or capability as it fits within a broader campaign
• Perform analysis-of-alternatives and synthesizes mission elements to lead to a cohesive space mission solution. Space mission architecture trades may include orbits, launch vehicles, space vehicles, payloads, ground segment, mission planning, Concepts of Operations (CONOPS), Design Reference Missions (DRM), system security and external interfaces.
• Leads space mission system element design, capability assessment, mission threads, interfaces, verification/validation planning, and mission integration functions during system development.
• Leads demonstration and delivery of mission effects during operations and provides long term sustainment and mission augmentation support over the life of the mission.
• Provide support to all segments for the SE Integrated Team in a leadership capacity.
• Support the development of the spacecraft and mission design and analysis efforts.
• Conceive and develop solutions to complex analytical, design, and test problems.
• Support and provide value-added feedback within technical reviews.
• Understand and communicate operational mission requirements to engineering teams, business executives, customers, suppliers, and teammate organizations.
Successful Candidates Will Lead Technical Initiatives With Direct Interaction With Program And Customer Representatives And Be Part Of a Team That Demonstrates An Attitude And Approach Founded In The Following Key Characteristics
• Exhibits an exceptional degree of ingenuity, creativity, and resourcefulness. Apply and/or develop highly advanced technologies, scientific principles, theories, and concepts. Viewed as expert in field within the corporation.
• Develops information which extends knowledge in each field. Information may form the basis of newly developed concepts, theories, and products.
• Acts independently to uncover and resolve issues associated with the development and implementation of operational programs. Plans R & D programs and recommends technological application programs to accomplish long-range objectives. Work accomplished typically supports long-range strategic goals. Work is checked only to the effectiveness of results obtained, typically requiring a long-term perspective. Virtually self-supervisory.
• Designs research and develop highly advanced new applications resulting in new product/business opportunities for the company. Erroneous decisions or recommendations would have a long-term negative effect on organization reputation and business posture.
• Serves as consultant to top management in long-range company planning concerning new or projected areas of technological research and advancements. Prime spokesperson on company's technical capabilities and future directions. Often instrumental in attracting and obtaining major new company business.
Basic Qualifications:
• Must be a US citizen
• Bachelor's Degree in STEM Science, Technology, Engineering, Math or related technical field and a minimum of 20 years of applicable experience, a Master's Degree and 18 years of applicable experience, or a PhD and 15 years of applicable experience
• Full space mission life cycle experience (concept development, preliminary design phase, critical design phase, integration and test, launch and early orbit checkout, flight ops)
• Full understanding of manned spacecraft subsystems and avionics (Attitude Control, Electric Power, Command & Data Handling, Structures and Mechanisms, Communications, Propulsion, Flight Software, ECLSS and Thermal subsystems)
• Strong leadership skills, with the ability and desire to direct a technical team toward delivering Statement Of Work (SOW) deliverables and meeting program milestones
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to effectively interface with the program team, program management, internal executives, and external customers
• Strong troubleshooting skills - ability to find root cause from anomalous behavior within complex systems.
Preferred Qualifications:
• Experience interfacing and working within NASA processes and procedures
• Experience working directly with customer to develop innovative solutions to mission objectives within cost and schedule constraints
• Experience with Lunar Orbiting space missions
• Experience in requirement development and flow down from mission level to element and subsystem levels
• Experience in development and maintenance of interface control documents
• Knowledge in any of the following areas: Launch Vehicles, System Safety, System Reliability, Contamination Control, EMI, Space Environments (Radiation, Surface Charging, etc.), or Human Factors