{"id":760682,"url":"https://alion.io/job/quantumspace-astrodynamics-and-navigation-engineer-iii","title":"Astrodynamics and Navigation Engineer III","company":{"id":3813300,"name":"Quantum Space","domain":"quantumspaceinc.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/quantumspaceinc","size_band":"51-200","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Greenhouse","truth_index":{"grade":"A","score":95,"open_postings":19,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":0,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":119,"computed_at":"2026-11-06T05:58:05Z"}},"role":"Aerospace","role_family":"Aerospace","seniority":"middle","employment_type":null,"work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Tulsa, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":125000,"max":175000,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":175000},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":5,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":true,"technologies":[{"name":"C++","optional":false},{"name":"GMAT","optional":false},{"name":"MATLAB","optional":false},{"name":"Python","optional":false},{"name":"STK","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-05-29T15:00:13Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-13","last_verified_at":"2026-11-06T16:15:31Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":161,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":0,"flags":[],"days_open":160},"description":"Quantum Space is redefining mobility and maneuverability in space. Our high-mobility spacecraft platforms support national security, civil, and commercial missions with unmatched flexibility and propulsion capability. We build fast and iterate quickly.\nWho We’re Looking For\nWe are seeking an experienced Astrodynamics and Navigation Engineer III to lead the analysis, design, and operational support of highly maneuverable spacecraft missions. This role will lead trajectory design, orbit determination, maneuver planning, and mission analysis efforts across the mission lifecycle - from early concept development through on-orbit operations.\nYou will work closely with systems engineering, GNC, flight software, propulsion, and mission operations teams to develop and implement robust, high-fidelity flight dynamics capabilities that support trajectory design, orbit determination, maneuver planning, and mission analysis for missions across multiple regimes. \nWhere You’ll Make an Impact\nLead mission design activities for LEO, MEO, GEO, and cislunar missions, including:Trajectory and maneuver design\nDelta-v/propellant budgeting\nOrbit maintenance planning\nNavigation covariance sensitivity studies\nLaunch injection dispersion and maneuver execution Monte Carlo analyses\nDisposal planning\n\nOwn mission-level simulation and end-to-end performance analysis, including:Eclipse & payload coverage analyses\nConjunction assessment and collision avoidance analysis\nGround station visibility analysis and link budget inputs\nTracking geometry assessment and schedules\nScheduling support for mission operations\n\nArchitect navigation solutions, informing selection of spacecraft tracking measurement phenomenologies and ground networks\nDevelop and maintain internal flight dynamics and mission analysis tools (Python/MATLAB/C++-based)\nContribute to spacecraft operations, including maneuver planning, anomaly investigation and on-orbit performance evaluation\nGenerate technical documentation, trade studies, and design reports\nCollaborate with GNC, communications, systems engineering, mission operations\nWhat It Takes:\nBachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Astrodynamics, Physics, or related field\n5-10+ years of experience performing mission design tasks, general mission analysis, and flight dynamics related operations for spacecraft systems\nStrong background in orbital mechanics, spacecraft dynamics, and spacecraft navigation\nExperience with industry standard tools such as Systems Tool Kit (STK)/Orbit Determination Toolkit (ODTK), Freeflyer, GMAT, or similar\nExperience in at least one of the following languages: Python, MATLAB\nStrong analytical and problem-solving skills\nExcellent written and verbal communication skills\n Nice-to-Have Experience:\nMaster’s degree in Aerospace Engineering with a focus in Astrodynamics or Estimation\nExperience with cislunar three-body trajectory design and navigation\nExperience with Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO) mission design including relative orbit design and navigation\nExperience designing low-thrust and hybrid propulsion spacecraft missions\nExperience with alternative forms of spacecraft navigation (e.g. OpNAV, inter-satellite links)\nExposure to other spacecraft subsystems (e.g. GNC, propulsion, FSW)\nWhat You’ll Get\nOwnership - Build and validate the flight dynamics capability that defines how our spacecraft operate across LEO, GEO, and cislunar regimes.\nInnovation - Shape next-generation flight dynamics architectures, trajectory design methodologies, and mission analysis tools for high-energy, low-energy, and multi-body missions.\nImpact - Directly influence mission feasibility, Delta-V performance, navigation accuracy, and long-term success across LEO, GEO, and cislunar operations.\nGrowth - Collaborate across GNC, avionics, flight software, systems engineering, and mission operations, with opportunities to expand into advanced astrodynamics, orbit determination, mission design, or on-orbit flight operations leadership.\nCompensation -Competitive salary, equity, and comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, vision, generous leave, HSA, 401(k) matching, and equity sharing.\nLocation: Rockville, MD or, Hawthorne, CA or, Tulsa, OK\nBase Salary: $125,000 - $175,000\nThe salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors. Actual salary offer may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are included in the majority of full time offers; and are considered part of Quantum Space's total compensation package.\nAdditional Requirements\nTo comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including ITAR, 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.\nApply now. Join us in building the next generation of spacecraft.","description_format":"text","description_chars":5020,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":5,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":["Equity"],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"United States","iso":"US","kind":"country"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Space & Aerospace","Space Services","Space Defense"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-09-11T18:26:28Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":30,"band":"fade","label":"Fading","p_open":1,"p_active":0.683,"p_room":0.44,"age_days":160,"expected_fill_days":119,"reasons":["conf:2","velocity","win:tail","crowd:"],"computed_at":"2026-11-06T05:58:05Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":175000,"is_top_pay":true},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/quantumspace-astrodynamics-and-navigation-engineer-iii","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/quantumspace-astrodynamics-and-navigation-engineer-iii.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-11-06T19:38:39Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":3202,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-11-07T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":3813300},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=3813300"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fquantumspace-astrodynamics-and-navigation-engineer-iii"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fquantumspace-astrodynamics-and-navigation-engineer-iii"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fquantumspace-astrodynamics-and-navigation-engineer-iii"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/quantumspace-astrodynamics-and-navigation-engineer-iii\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fquantumspace-astrodynamics-and-navigation-engineer-iii"}],"agent":{"mcp":"https://alion.io/mcp/jobs","mcp_open":"https://alion.io/mcp/open","next":[{"tool":"get_job","arguments":{"id":760682}},{"tool":"search_jobs","arguments":{"company":"quantumspaceinc.com","detail":"compact"}},{"tool":"match_people","arguments":{"job_id":760682},"note":"people open to offers who fit this vacancy"}],"note":"The same data through MCP tools: https://alion.io/mcp/open needs no sign-in (compact searches, postings, people); https://alion.io/mcp with an Alion account has everything. Docs: https://alion.io/developers"}}