Flight Safety Lead

Peraton is looking for a Fight Safety Technical Lead to support a national security program space warfighting mission based in Springfield, VA. 

As the Flight Safety Lead, 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 Flight Safety (FS) Lead is a subject matter expert in conjunction analysis (CA) that leverages their depth of knowledge in orbital mechanics & FS tools to execute the mission while unceasingly integrating new tools that build upon current capabilities to drive improved efficiencies and reduce risk. As the technical lead managing highly specialized activities, 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: 

• Lead flight safety meetings, attend collaborative planning, exercise and system development & integration meetings as needed 

• 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) for flight safety operations 

• 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 

• Maintain and improve flight safety operational checklists, job aids and procedures 

• 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*** 

• Minimum of 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 BA/BS; 16 years of relevant experience in lieu of degree; 10 years relevant experience with master’s degree in related STEM field; 7 years of experience w/ PhD in related STEM (Aerospace, Mechanical, Systems or Software engineering desired) 
• 2+ years’ experience with Astrodynamics Support Workstation’s (ASW) SuperCombo tool or STK Level 2 certification in lieu of SuperCombo experience 

• 2+ years’ prior National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) experience 

• Advanced oral & written communication skills 

• Active TS/SCI with adjudicated CI Poly  
• US Citizenship

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 

• 3+ years’ working in systems engineering role or similar testing and integration experience 

• 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