Lead Trajectory Analyst - Hypersonic Systems

Job Description

Description

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Leidos’ Defense Systems is seeking a Lead Trajectory Analyst to join our team supporting the Multi-Service Advanced Capability Hypersonics Test Bed (MACH-TB) Flight Test Program as part of the Hypersonics Systems Division. With offices across the United States engaging in the defense, space, cyber and commercial fields, Leidos provides responsive, cost-effective engineering, scientific and IT solutions.

If this sounds like the kind of environment where you can thrive, keep reading!

Leidos Defense Systems Sector provides a diverse portfolio of systems, solutions, and services covering land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace for customers worldwide. Solutions for Defense include enterprise and mission IT, large-scale intelligence systems, command and control, geospatial and data analytics, cybersecurity, logistics, training, and intelligence analysis and operations support. Our team is solving the world’s toughest security challenges for customers with “can’t fail” missions. To explore and learn more, click here!

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The focus of the MACH-TB Program is to develop rapid cadence, affordable flight-testing capabilities to quickly advance the hypersonic Technology Readiness Level. As an integral member of the MACH-TB Team, the successful candidate will leverage digital engineering and systems engineering practices and tools, including CAMEO, to identify challenges and formulate candidate solutions within complex, highly interdependent hardware systems and programs. The systems engineer will coordinate MACH-TB system engineering for prototype development and as-built configurations. This includes application of the SEMP defined processes, working requirements updates and change requests, executing verification plans, and acceptance testing. The systems engineer will serve as a liaison with the customer in Crane, Indiana to answer questions and provide a local systems engineering contact. The systems engineer will work under the direction of the Lead Systems Engineer in application of systems engineering standard processes and best practices.

As part of a hardworking team of engineers and problem-solvers, The Hypersonic Systems Lead Trajectory Analyst will lead launch vehicle trajectory modeling and flight safety analysis, ensure compliance with range safety and public risk requirements, and mature the overall analysis methodology for various hypersonic test flight configurations. The person in this role will directly influence mission design. The responsibilities of this position include generating and communicating data products to inform trajectory shaping/optimization and flight system design considerations for optimization of experimental data gathering, while minimizing risks and unnecessary cost.

Primary Responsibilities

• Develop and optimize 3-DOF and/or 6-DOF trajectory simulation models
• Develop CONOPS for integration with mission operations and flight software
• Conduct engineering approximations for performance
• Performing Monte Carlo (and/or probabilistic analyses) routines and data analysis to inform mission authorities of off-nominal trajectories (incorporating range safety, circular error probability, and expected casualty)
• Provide Systems Engineering with optimizations to balance performance and safety and maintain critical system constraints

Minimum Qualifications :

• Minimum of B.S. degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering or equivalent technical field, from an ABET accredited institution
• 8+ years of applicable experience and/or equivalent education in trajectory analysis
• Strong fundamentals in flight mechanics/dynamics and simulation of aerospace vehicles
• Strong fundamentals in statistical/probabilistic analysis
• Experience developing and optimizing 3-DOF and/or 6-DOF trajectory simulation models
• Experience using trajectory analysis tools such as POST, OTIS, TTK, RRAT, TAOS, STK Astrogator, or Copernicus
• Experience developing CONOPS for integration with mission operations and flight software
• Experience performing Monte Carlo (and/or probabilistic analyses) routines and data analysis
• Ability to evaluate situations critically, assess complex systems, and navigate detailed requirements
• Demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills
• Must work well in a collaborative, team environment
• Must pay meticulous attention to detail to ensure mission safety and success
• Must be a U.S. citizen and capable of obtaining and maintaining a minimum of DoW Secret security clearance

Preferred Qualifications :

• Experience in quantitative risk assessment including debris risk modeling
• Experience in hypersonic trajectory modeling
• Familiarity with launch licensing processes and regulations (e.g. FAA Part 450)
• Familiarity with NASA and DOD Range Safety and Operational Requirements (e.g. RCC-319, 321, 323, 324, 326, etc.)
• Experience in explosive modeling and estimation
• Experience in building analysis toolchains and scripts (e.g. MATLAB, Python, etc.)

If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo — because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 — and moving faster than anyone else dares.

For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above.

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.

About Leidos

Leidos is an industry and technology leader serving government and commercial customers with smarter, more efficient digital and mission innovations. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with 47,000 global employees, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $16.7 billion for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2025. For more information, visit

Pay and Benefits

Pay and benefits are fundamental to any career decision. That's why we craft compensation packages that reflect the importance of the work we do for our customers. Employment benefits include competitive compensation, Health and Wellness programs, Income Protection, Paid Leave and Retirement. More details are available at -benefits.

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Commitment to Non-Discrimination

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, age, national origin, citizenship, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, family structure, marital status, ancestry, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Leidos will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with relevant laws.