Engineering Lead - Flight Safety

Peraton is looking for a Engineering Lead (Flight Safety) to support a national security program space warfighting mission based in Springfield, VA. 

As the Engineering Lead (Flight Safety) supporting a national security program space warfighting mission, you will be responsible for overseeing the vital task of ensuring all program and partnered space-based assets are protected and forewarned against on-orbit collision risks and ground system threats (i.e., laser, RF jamming). The Engineering Lead is a subject matter expert on system tools performing conjunction analysis (CA) that leverages their depth of knowledge in orbital mechanics & Flight Safety hazards to execute the mission. As Engineering Lead, you will unceasingly integrating new tools that build upon current capabilities to drive improved efficiencies and reduce risk. Additionally, you will function as an expert hands-on training resource for team members performing both operations and integration-focused tasks. Additionally, a successful candidate will develop solutions, lead meetings and support collaboration efforts in adherence with policy, senior leadership and in synchronization with all mission elements (i.e., Intelligence, Strategic Plans, Special Programs, Mission Protection and Current Operations), detached operations centers and partnered agencies.   

Responsibilities: 

• Drive system engineering & integration activities for system tools furnished to Flight Safety 

• Lead flight safety and integration meetings and support planning, exercise, system development collaborative efforts 

• Execute command shell (Bash) and Python scripts through GUI & command prompts, troubleshooting as needed within Linux OS in classified network environments 

• Ability to perform routine RSO asset ephemeris against terrestrial locations and secondary RSOs (i.e., SuperCombo runs) and ad hoc runs in response to non-corporative maneuvers 

• Screen satellite positions (i.e., two-line-elements (TLEs), state vector and ephemeris formatted sources) for pre & post launch assessments and hypothetical or planned burn ephemeris against known threats and on-orbit conjunction risks; disseminate results  

• Develop improved tactics, technics, and procedures (TTPs) and Course of Action (COA) procedures for flight safety operations; oversee checklist and job aid development  

• Task traditional & non-traditional sensor assets, as required, to reduce RSO covariance and increase Probability of Collison (PoC) accuracy for collision avoidance decision-making 

• Operate orbit propagating software expertly, navigate GUIs, understand required field inputs and reporting criteria to deliver products to owner/operator and customer 

• Provide advanced training to team and assist in the job training (OJT) as needed to uphold team knowledge standards and increase system competency 

• Participate in exercise planning and scenario execution for scheduled events 

• Work with engineering team to report bugs, system deficiencies and advocate for software enhancements on developing systems to improve mission success 

• Ensure all critical 24/7 flight safety mission tasks are performed; direct and implement contingency and back-up procedures during system or facility outages 

***This position is contingent upon award of contract*** 

• 12+ years of combined experience working in flight safety (conjunction assessment) and/or space operations requiring flight safety system tools (i.e., STK, ASW) with Bachelors (BS) in Engineering (i.e., Physics, Electrical, Optics, or Aerospace or related technical fields); 14 years of relevant experience in lieu of degree; 11+ years’ relevant experience with MS in related Engineering or technical fields 

• 7 Years experience demonstrating applied knowledge of orbital mechanics, conjunction assessment or related satellite operations 

• 5+ years assigned National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) or partnered IC organizations 

• 3+ years’ prior NRO systems engineering experience involving RSO vulnerability analysis 

• 2+ years’ experience with Astrodynamics Support Workstation’s (ASW) SuperCombo tool or STK Level 2 certification in lieu of SuperCombo experience 

• Advanced oral & written communication skills 

• Active TS/SCI with adjudicated CI Poly  

 PREFERRED: 

• 14+ years of combined prior experience working as a flight safety analyst, orbital analyst, battlespace awareness operator, or satellite mission planner at ground station 

• SME-level understanding of orbital mechanics, flight safety tools and mission applications 

• Advanced knowledge of foreign/domestic space & ground threat capabilities and space surveillance networks with prior experience in tasking space surveillance resources 

• Prior space launch custody and/or maneuver processing experience 

• Ability to read and understand logic of scripts written in Bash and Python languages 

• Prior experience tasking space surveillance resources, maintaining custody of foreign RSOs 

• Experience advising and collaborating with military and civilian leaders 

• Prior experience leading operational teams and managing projects