Senior Principal SpaceOps Tool Developer

Core Responsibilities & Expertise

• Tooling vs. Infrastructure: Building tools to optimize the software layer on top of satellite ground system hardware and core software.
• Development and Maintenance of Operational Tools: Supporting the maintenance and development of current satellite operations tools (flight dynamics, data trending and analysis).
• Automation of Real-time Ops: Designing software to automate routine commanding, telemetry monitoring, fault detection, and isolation/recovery (FDIR) sequences.
• Streamlining Offline Engineering: Developing tools to streamline data processing, trend analysis, and performance assessment.
• Subsystem Intelligence: Understanding satellite subsystems including power, communication, thermal regulation, and flight dynamics.
• Modern Software Practices: Proficient in multiple programming languages and environments, implementing automated test procedures and integrating AI/LLMs.
• Aerospace Context vs. General Coding: Applying knowledge of satellite operations to develop effective control algorithms and interpret telemetry data.
• LLM Integration: Utilizing LLMs to translate natural language queries into database queries for instant answers.

Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

• Bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering or related field, with 10-12 years of experience, or Master’s degree in relevant discipline equivalent to two years’ experience.
• Writing and presentation skills for a diverse audience.
• Contingency real-time troubleshooting and analysis during anomalies.
• Propose and execute improvements to tools for increased reliability, monitoring, and anomaly detection capability.
• Direct experience with flight dynamics and mission analysis software, such as GLADOS and SOLAR-1.
• Experience with configuration management, document management, and integration of AI/ML, data platforms, and cloud infrastructure.

Work Environment and Physical Demands

Work in a typical office building during a standard 40-hour week. Occasional deadlines or operational conditions may require non-standard hours and longer hours. Travel for a few days to a couple of weeks per year. Work is at the NOAA Satellite Operations Facility (NSOF) located on the Suitland Federal Center, MD. Benefits include competitive pay and benefits packages, including health care, dental, vision, life insurance, 401(k), education assistance, and paid time off.