Spacecraft Aerospace Engineer

Responsibilities

Peraton has an opening for a Spacecraft Engineer at the White Sands Complex in Las Cruces, NM. The Spacecraft Engineer will join a team of engineers dedicated to maintaining the health and safety of the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) fleet.

Peraton is the prime contractor for NASA at the White Sands Complex (WSC) near Las Cruces, New Mexico. Operating here are two functionally identical satellite ground terminals: The White Sands Ground Terminal, and the Second TDRSS Ground Terminal. These ground terminals ensure uninterrupted communications between various ground stations, NASA’s orbiting fleet of Tracking and Data Relay Satellites (TDRS), customer spacecraft (satellites), and the computer systems that support such spacecraft. WSC serves as an interface for distributing satellite data to control centers and scientists who then use the daily influx of data to expand our ever-growing knowledge of the Earth and the universe.

This position will be responsible for the following: 

• Perform daily monitoring and trending of TDRS spacecraft state-of-health data.
• Perform mission planning on assigned spacecraft to include geosynchronous station-keeping and station relocation maneuvers, momentum wheel unloading activities, and decommissioning events such as depletion of remaining onboard fuel and component passivation.
• Develop and validate procedures used by operations personnel for execution of various mission planning activities.
• Lead spacecraft operations activities as a Test Conductor, providing engineering guidance to the Satellite Controllers as well as second-person verification for all commands transmitted to the spacecraft.
• Analyze and identify spacecraft anomaly root causes. Plan and execute anomaly recovery actions.
• Investigate and resolve any assigned spacecraft discrepancy reports.
• Provide on-the-job training to peers as experience is gained.
• Occasional work during nights or weekends is required when directing irregular activities, providing launch support, or assisting with anomaly recoveries.
• Perform short-term ephemeris propagation on assigned spacecraft and produce various predictive reports for operations reference to include eclipse and intrusion events, ground antenna look angles and RF intrusion events, and spacecraft to celestial body look angles.
• Conduct long-term ephemeris propagation on assigned spacecraft using Systems Tool Kit (STK) to ensure the integrity of various orbital characteristics such as inclination, eccentricity, and altitude as well as determine look angles and access to several ground sites.
• Become familiar with configuring flight simulation software/hardware for the purposes of training, anomaly replication, and procedure execution proficiency.

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field.
• At least 2 years of experience working in spacecraft operations.
• Security clearance - this position requires the candidate to be able to obtain a DoD Secret security clearance and to maintain the clearance thereafter.
• You must be a US Citizen and show proof of citizenship.
• Must be able to maintain ability to access government worksite.

Desired:

• Active Secret security clearance.
• MS degree in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field.
• 5+ years of experience working in spacecraft operations.
• Previous experience with spacecraft attitude control subsystems, planning or executing spacecraft maneuvers, and performing data trending/analysis.
• Previous experience with Tracking and Data Relay Satellites (TDRS) is a plus.
• Proficiency with Systems Tool Kit (STK), Python, Visual Basic, MATLAB, or LabVIEW.
• Experience using Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Learning (ML) tools for data analysis.
• Demonstrated written and oral communication skills, including ability to communicate effectively with peers and management.
• Proficient with MS Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint). 

Peraton Overview

Peraton is a next-generation national security company that drives missions of consequence spanning the globe and extending to the farthest reaches of the galaxy. As the world’s leading mission capability integrator and transformative enterprise IT provider, we deliver trusted, highly differentiated solutions and technologies to protect our nation and allies. Peraton operates at the critical nexus between traditional and nontraditional threats across all domains: land, sea, space, air, and cyberspace. The company serves as a valued partner to essential government agencies and supports every branch of the U.S. armed forces. Each day, our employees do the can’t be done by solving the most daunting challenges facing our customers. Visit peraton.com to learn how we’re keeping people around the world safe and secure.

Target Salary Range

$51,000 - $82,000. This represents the typical salary range for this position. Salary is determined by various factors, including but not limited to, the scope and responsibilities of the position, the individual’s experience, education, knowledge, skills, and competencies, as well as geographic location and business and contract considerations. Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay.

EEO

EEO: Equal opportunity employer, including disability and protected veterans, or other characteristics protected by law.