Astrodynamics Engineer

About Us

Perceptive Space is on a mission to make humanity resilient to space weather. Our space weather prediction systems leverage the latest advances in space physics and ML/AI  to provide accurate and timely actionable insights about the space environment to support today's scale, automation, and space-based operations' autonomous future. 

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About the Role

You will build the foundational technology required for satellites, launch vehicles, and human missions to operate safely and efficiently in the harsh space environment. You will lead efforts to advance spaceflight trajectory modeling and flight operations, ensuring the success and safety of satellite missions under diverse space environment conditions. 

Responsibilities

• Develop and refine modeling techniques for analyzing and simulating satellite dynamics, ensuring accuracy and robustness across diverse mission profiles.
• Work on applied research and develop algorithms pertaining to state estimation, orbit analysis, maneuver detection, error propagation, and collision probability analysis.
• Conduct data analysis from complex space and ground systems, apply knowledge of statistics, software scripting, modeling and simulation, and advanced mathematics to recognize patterns, identify opportunities, and propose solutions.
• Demonstrate a high level of autonomy and critical thinking to take full ownership of your work.

• Advanced degree in aerospace engineering or a related STEM field
• Strong understanding of orbital mechanics, state estimation, statistical orbit determination, and optimization
• 2+ years of experience in flight dynamics or astrodynamics roles
• Proficiency in Python and object-oriented programming
• Experience with astrodynamics tool development, both custom-developed and commercially developed off-the-shelf systems (STK, GMAT, OreKit)
• Experience with satellite state estimation and filtering techniques
• Experience with software development life cycle, GIT, and agile methodologies
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to work in a multidisciplinary, loosely structured, and fast-paced startup environment

Preferred Skills and Experience

• PhD in aerospace engineering or other quantitative fields 
• Experience with cloud computing technologies
• Familiarity with machine learning concepts
• Experience working with optical and radar data
• Knowledge of space weather and its impact on spacecraft.

Additional Requirements

• The role is fully remote, BUT you are expected to be available during Eastern Time working hours.

• Opportunity to work at the frontier of AI and aerospace, building first-of-its-kind products.

• Competitive stock option compensation
• Top-tier health and benefits coverage
• Fully remote team
• Opportunities to lead technical efforts as the team scales.