Parachute Modeling Engineer

About the role

We are seeking a Parachute Modeling Engineer to join our JETS II contract team at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX. This role involves developing advanced multi-body parachute system models for NASA's Orion and Commercial Crew programs, as well as future space exploration initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Develop a state-of-the-art multi-body parachute system model, including parachute deployment, inflation, and full-open flight.
• Integrate the multi-body parachute system model into NASA's flight mechanics simulation (Julia) and NASA Trick-based simulations (C++).
• Collaborate with parachute analysis subject matter experts to plan and reconstruct parachute drop tests and reconstruct parachute system performance from spacecraft flights.
• Assist the GN&C team in performing parachute system analyses, including assessments of touchdown conditions.
• Assist the parachute analysis team with executing simulations on our High-Performance Computing (HPC) system.
• Perform verification and validation for flight mechanics models and simulations.
• Develop requirements documentation for flight mechanics models and simulations.
• Provide recommendations for improvements in design and software development processes.
• Perform other duties as required.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering (or related field) and a minimum of 2-5 years of experience.
• Experience with 6-DOF and multi-body flight mechanics simulations.
• Experience with software development (any language).
• Experience developing, verifying, and validating parachute simulation models.
• Experience analyzing spacecraft performance.
• Experience in product delivery utilizing source code management tools such as Git/GitLab.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Able to work in a team environment consisting of NASA civil servants and contractor employees.
• Strong interpersonal skills to enable successful performance in a collaborative engineering team.
• Ability to organize and prioritize tasks to meet deadlines and schedules with limited supervision.
• Ability to prepare written documents and verbally present at various meetings.
• Experience with Microsoft Office products.
• US Citizenship and the ability to pass a comprehensive security background investigation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering from an ABET-accredited school with five (5) years of related experience, a master's degree with four (4) years of related experience, or a Ph.D. with zero (0) years of related experience.
• PhD in Aerospace Engineering with a focus on flight mechanics.
• Proficiency in Julia, C++, and Linux.
• Experience with software design.

Benefits

• Competitive pay.
• Positive work-life balance.
• 100% Employer-paid insurance including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment, short-term disability, and long-term disability.
• 11 paid holidays annually.
• Generous PTO.
• 401k after 12 months of service with employer match.
• Education assistance.
• Relocation assistance (if applicable).