Spacecraft Mission Systems Engineer

The role

This person will define, architect, analyze, and integrate mission capabilities for next-generation spacecraft platforms. They will translate customer objectives into mission architectures, operational concepts, and technical requirements.

What you will do

• Translate customer mission objectives and constraints into spacecraft mission architectures and technical requirements.
• Develop and evaluate mission architectures, operational scenarios, and spacecraft employment concepts.
• Perform mission analysis and trade studies evaluating orbital mechanics, propulsion performance, and delta-V budgets.
• Assess spacecraft capabilities against mission objectives including orbit transfer and rendezvous and proximity operations.
• Develop and maintain mission-level requirements, operational requirements, and technical interfaces.
• Collaborate with GNC and propulsion engineers to evaluate trajectory design and maneuver planning.
• Work with flight software, avionics, and systems engineering teams to translate mission scenarios into functional requirements.
• Evaluate mission feasibility through analytical modeling and simulation.
• Support major engineering reviews including SRR, PDR, CDR, and TRR.
• Support mission simulations, operational rehearsals, spacecraft integration, and launch campaign activities.

Required qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Astronautical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, or a related technical field.
• 10+ years of experience in spacecraft systems engineering, mission engineering, mission analysis, spacecraft design, or space operations.
• Experience translating mission objectives and customer requirements into spacecraft architectures and technical specifications.
• Strong understanding of orbital mechanics, spacecraft dynamics, mission design, and spacecraft operational concepts.
• Experience performing or supporting mission analysis, including orbital trajectory analysis and maneuver planning.
• Understanding of spacecraft subsystems including propulsion, GNC, avionics, flight software, power, communications, payloads, and ground systems.
• Experience developing concepts of operations (CONOPS), mission scenarios, and mission-level technical documentation.
• Ability to evaluate mission feasibility and assess spacecraft performance against mission requirements.
• Experience coordinating technical requirements and interfaces across multidisciplinary spacecraft engineering teams.
• Familiarity with mission-level requirements development, requirements traceability, verification planning, and technical reviews.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, technical writing, and communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple technical activities and work independently.

Nice to have

• Master's degree
• Experience supporting national security, civil, or commercial space mission development and execution.
• Experience developing mission architectures for highly maneuverable spacecraft, orbital mobility platforms, or responsive space missions.
• Experience with high-delta-V mission design, orbital transfers, rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO), and advanced orbital maneuvering concepts.
• Experience with spacecraft mission planning, constellation architectures, orbital servicing, or multi-spacecraft mission operations.
• Proficiency with mission analysis and simulation tools such as STK, FreeFlyer, GMAT, MATLAB, Python, or equivalent software.
• Experience developing mission simulations, trajectory optimization models, orbital propagation tools, or performance analysis scripts.
• Familiarity with spacecraft propulsion systems, propellant budgets, maneuver execution, and GNC performance constraints.
• Experience supporting mission operations, operational rehearsals, ground systems integration, launch campaigns, or on-orbit spacecraft operations.
• Familiarity with systems engineering and requirements management tools such as Jama, DOORS, JIRA, and Confluence.

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Equity
• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Generous leave
• HSA
• 401(k) matching
• Equity sharing

Before you apply

• Applicants must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, protected individual per 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

About the company

Quantum Space is redefining mobility and maneuverability in space. Their high-mobility spacecraft platforms support national security, civil, and commercial missions.