Senior Dynamics and Controls Engineer

About CFD Research: Since its inception in 1987, CFD Research has delivered innovative technology solutions within the Aerospace & Defense, Biomedical & Life Sciences, Intelligence & Sensing, and Energy & Materials industries. CFD Research has earned multiple national awards for successful application and commercialization of innovative component/system technology prototypes, multi-physics simulation software, multi-disciplinary analyses, and expert support services. Based in Huntsville, Alabama where laboratory facilities and headquarters are located, CFD Research also has office and laboratory facilities in Dayton, Ohio, prototyping test and evaluation facilities in Hollywood, Alabama, and office facilities in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. CFD Research is an ISO9001:AS9100D registered company and is appraised at CMMI Level II for Services. CFD Research is a 100% ESOP (employee-owned company) recognized in Inc. Magazine's Inc5000 as a top growing company for four of the last five years. Learn more at www.cfd-research.com

CFD Research is looking to hire a Senior Dynamics and Controls Engineer to join our growing team in Huntsville, AL. Marshall Space Flight Center's Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GN&C) team is a high performing group executing challenging tasks to design and integrate GN&C systems for projects ranging from CubeSats to NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS).

We are searching for highly qualified candidates to support the design, development, and oversight of the Human Lander Systems Program in the Control Systems Design and Analysis branch at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center as a Dynamics, Controls, Modeling, Simulation, and Analysis Subject Matter Expert. This exciting work will serve as a critical step in sending humans back to the Moon, Mars and beyond!

Responsibilities Include But Are Not Limited To

• Provide technical leadership, guidance, and mentoring to project/program team members
• Develop and/or oversee the development, verification, and validation of launch vehicle, spacecraft, and lander control systems.
• Model, develop, simulate, and analyze launch vehicle, spacecraft, and lander dynamics and control system performance and stability.
• Resolve complex problems pertaining to the design, development, analysis, integration, evaluation, testing, and verification of control systems and 6-DoF models and simulations.
• Develop, modify, maintain, and improve software simulations, tools, and scripts.
• Periodically analyze HLS partner’ flight data and present findings to NASA management.
• Create, edit, and debug software written in MATLAB, Simulink, and Simscape.
• Configure, conduct, and analyze 6-DoF Monte Carlo simulations.
• Conduct trades studies and/or sensitivity analyses related to launch vehicles and spacecraft control.
• Mentor junior engineers in conducting control system modeling, simulation, and analysis.
• Prepare and present technical reports and/or briefings including visualization of results.
• Create and review engineering and software documentation.
  
  

Qualifications

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 19 years of experience, a master’s with at least 23 years of experience, or BS with at least 25 years of experience. Proof of U.S. Citizenship is required.

Required Skills/experience

• Ability to work problems from first principles, including derivation of dynamics equations of motion, including both nonlinear equations and linear state equations and integrate subsystem models into larger simulations.
• Proficiency modeling, simulating, and analyzing the performance of launch vehicles, spacecraft, and landers in the time domain using parametric, Monte Carlo, and statistical techniques.
• Experience analyzing control stability in the frequency domain (Nichols, Bode, Nyquist, Root Locus, etc.).
• Demonstrated ability to design flight control systems (PID, state space, etc.) and perform actuator allocation (manual jet selection, quadratic programming, pseudo inverse, etc.)
• Modeling of spacecraft components/subsystems such as: Thrust Vector Control (TVC) actuators, Reaction Control System (RCS) thrusters, slosh, pogo, rigid and/or flexible body dynamics.
• Programming in MATLAB, Simulink, and C/C . This includes debugging and improving the efficiency of simulation tools.
• Experience performing software development, verification, and validation.
• 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.
• Experience leading and/or mentoring junior engineers.
  
  

Desired Skills/experience

• Experience with modeling, simulation, and analysis of spacecraft rendezvous, proximity operations, and docking and/or landers
• Experience modeling and simulating manual control of spacecraft including but not limited to controllability, transfer function models, Cooper Harper ratings, and paper pilot modeling.
• Programming in other languages such as Python, Simscape Multi-body.
• 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 experience.
  
  

Benefits: CFD Research offers competitive salaries and excellent employee benefits, including an employer matching 401(k) and Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). CFD Research offers our Full-Time, permanent employee-owners a highly competitive insurance package, including medical, vision, and dental insurance. Additionally, we offer company paid leave, compensation time, parental leave, long-term and short-term disability, accidental death and dismemberment, and life insurance. Part-Time and Temporary employee-owners may receive partial or reduced benefits and leave time based on their employment status level. Performance appraisals occur twice a year and annual pay increases are based upon corporate goals, personal development, performance, and outstanding achievements. In addition, group and individual bonuses are awarded for exceptional performance.

CFD Research is an EO employer - Veterans/Disabled and other protected categories