Job Description

Description

SAIC is seeking a Senior Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GN&C) Engineer on the OMES II contract in support of the OSAM-1 program in NASA’s Exploration and In-space Services Division (NExIS) at Goddard Space Flight Center. This position is located in Greenbelt, MD, but is temporarily remote due to Covid-19.

The OSAM-1 mission is a Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) NExIS managed mission. OSAM-1 is a robotic servicing mission designed to refuel a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite. It contains 3 elements: the Flight Element comprised of the OSAM-1 Servicing Vehicle (RSV) and development testbeds, the Ground Element comprised of the systems required to conduct RSV operations and the supporting networks and facilities, and the Launch Element comprised of the Launch Vehicle and supporting facilities and services. The NEXIS is responsible for the design, engineering, development, test and operations of the OSAM-1 Mission through an integrated team at GSFC. The Servicing Payload design, development and RSV integration will be conducted at GSFC.

JOB DESCRIPTION:

The engineer will serve as the systems engineering expert in the field of Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GN&C) systems on the OSAM-1 Mission Systems Engineering team. This person will be responsible for researching, developing, evaluating, and testing the OSAM-1 GN&C system. They will provide leadership regarding the integration of analytical, hardware, and software disciplines required for GN&C of the OSAM-1 Spacecraft, Servicing Payload and Space Infrastructure Dexterous Robot (SPIDER).  They will also serve as the Chair of the Mission GNC Working Group.

Job duties include:

• Analyzing mission errors and budgets, including effects of sensor and actuator errors, failure modes, data latency, and structural dynamics.
• Formulation of GN&C requirements.
• Planning and execution of GN&C verification and validation activities
  • Planning, directing, and conducting analysis, simulations, and performance assessments
  • Hardware/component definition and development
  • Flight software planning and development
  • Flight system design and development
  • GN&C ground system development
  • End-to-end system testing 
• Through I&T, facilitate integration and test of the flight element GNC systems and execution of the planned GN&C verification activities.
• Serve as GNC Systems engineer expert supporting planning, rehearsal, launch and execution of the entire 1-year mission, estimated launch date of January 2025 (TBD, COVID impacts).
• Serve as chair of the Mission GNC Working Group.

Qualifications

REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, or closely related field with 18+ years of related experience
• Senior Systems Engineer with focus in Guidance, Navigation and Control (GN&C). This person will provide leadership regarding the integration of analytical, hardware, and software disciplines that comprise OSAM-1 GN&C. 
• Candidate should be senior level, with space flight experience spanning all phases of the mission life cycle, from requirements derivation, design, verification planning, integration & test, pre-launch operations planning and on-orbit operations. 
• Responsibilities include Chair of the mission level GN&C working group; requires experience in managing a diverse technical team, setting technical priorities and tracking actions and issues to formal closure.
• Experience with derivation and flow-down of GN&C requirements from mission level, and decomposition of requirements to flight and ground subsystem elements supporting mission GN&C performance.
• Candidate will oversee review of GNC critical design review and support life-cycle reviews and should have prior experience with NASA mission standards, NASA systems engineering standards and review practices.
• Skills require overseeing verification of all mission GNC requirements, review of support analyses review, and planning/completion of GNC integration and test.
• Experience with space vehicle control subsystems spanning design, hardware, software and supporting analysis to verify control performance. Familiarity with GN&C analysis (time domain simulations, controller stability, precision navigation) required.  Candidate will review analysis plans and products, and identify additional work required and should have applicable experience in these areas.
• Experience with guidance and navigation techniques, encompassing flight hardware, flight and ground software and analysis necessary for to verify GN&C navigation, orbital dynamics, orbit design meets mission requirements.  
• Experience with GN&C ground systems required.  Candidate will work with the Ground element team to verify GN&C requirements are met through testing and analysis.
• As OSAM-1 will complete the GN&C verification during integration and test at GSFC, extensive experience with hardware I&T and end-to-end GN&C systems testing required.
• Operations experience required.  Candidate will support planning of on-orbit GN&C operations.  This will include reviewing or developed detailed operational procedures, constraints, contingency products in the GN&C area.
• Post-launch flight experience required as GN&C Systems will staff the on-orbit operations of OSAM-1 as the GN&C subject matter expert.
• Proficiency in exercising discretion and independent judgment in evaluating potential approaches and solutions to critical problems and determining appropriate resolutions.
• Proficiency in recommending deviations from established policies and procedures.
• Ability to attend to assignments with only limited direction.

Overview

SAIC is a premier technology integrator solving our nation's modernization and readiness challenges. Our offerings across defense, space, civilian, and intelligence markets include high-end solutions in engineering, IT, and mission outcomes. We integrate the best components from our portfolio with our partner's ecosystem to deliver innovative and effective solutions. We are 25,500 strong; driven by mission, united by purpose, and inspired by opportunities. Headquartered in Reston, VA, SAIC has annual revenues of nearly $7.1 billion. For information, visit saic.com or Working at SAIC for benefits details. SAIC is an Equal Opportunity Employer empowering people no matter their race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or veteran status. We strive to create a diverse, inclusive and respectful work culture that values all.