Space Mission Design Engineer

Position Title: Space Mission Design Engineer

Work Location: Albuquerque, NM or Herndon, VA

• Clearance Requirement: Active Top-Secret security clearance is required.

• Employment Type: Full-time

About Us: BlackVe, Inc. is a mission-first, dynamic, and innovative national security-focused company focused on emerging space and advanced technologies dedicated to pushing the boundaries of engineering excellence in support of our government customers.

Job Description:

BlackVe is seeking a Space Mission Design Engineer to lead the development and analysis of mission architectures for advanced satellite and space systems. This role will transform customer objectives and operational needs into executable mission concepts, orbital designs, concepts of operations, and top level mission requirements.

The ideal candidate will apply expertise in orbital mechanics, astrodynamics, mission analysis, and spacecraft systems engineering to evaluate design alternatives and guide early-phase mission development. The engineer will use Systems Tool Kit (STK) and complementary analysis tools to model mission performance, conduct architectural trade studies, and communicate technically sound recommendations to customers, engineering teams, and company leadership.

This is a fully on-site position based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, or Herndon, Virginia.

Key Responsibilities and Essential Job Functions:

• Lead the development of end-to-end space mission architectures that satisfy customer objectives, operational requirements, mission constraints, and performance goals.

• Design and optimize spacecraft orbits, mission trajectories, and satellite constellations for LEO, MEO, GEO, cislunar, and other mission environments.

• Translate mission objectives and operational concepts into mission requirements and supporting system-level technical requirements.

• Perform mission analysis, modeling, simulation, and validation using Ansys Systems Tool Kit (STK) and other mission design and orbital analysis tools.

• Conduct architecture trade studies evaluating mission effectiveness, technical feasibility, performance, cost, schedule, and risk to inform design decisions.

• Analyze orbital coverage, revisit rates, communications geometry, launch opportunities, maneuver requirements, mission lifetime, and other key mission performance metrics.

• Develop mission and constellation concepts of operations (CONOPS) spanning launch, deployment, commissioning, nominal operations, contingency operations, and end-of-life activities.

• Establish mission-level performance budgets and assess impacts on spacecraft subsystems, including propulsion, guidance, navigation and control (GNC), communications, power, payload, and attitude control systems.

• Develop integrated mission solutions and ensure technical consistency across system elements.

• Independently plan, execute, document, and present complex mission design activities, analyses, trade studies, and technical recommendations.

• Produce high-quality technical documentation, including mission concepts, requirements, analytical reports, design reviews, customer briefings, and proposal content.

• Communicate technical findings, risks, alternatives, and recommendations effectively to engineering teams, customers, executive leadership, and other stakeholders.

• Support customer engagements, technical reviews, business development efforts, and proposal activities through mission design expertise and technical leadership.

• Support engineering decisions with sound analytical evidence anchored in first principles.

• Foster a culture of collaboration, personal ownership, accountability, and self-learning.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Astronautical Engineering, Astrodynamics, Physics, or a closely related technical discipline.

• At least 3 years of relevant professional experience in space mission design, orbital analysis, astrodynamics, spacecraft systems engineering, or a related discipline.

• Demonstrated experience developing space mission architectures, orbital designs, mission concepts, and mission-level requirements.

• Proficiency with Ansys Systems Tool Kit (STK) for orbital modeling, mission analysis, and simulation.

• Strong understanding of orbital mechanics, astrodynamics, spacecraft mission design, and satellite operations.

• Experience conducting quantitative mission analyses and architecture trade studies.

• Working knowledge of major spacecraft subsystems, including propulsion, guidance, navigation and control, communications, power, payload, and attitude determination and control.

• Experience developing mission concepts of operations and translating operational objectives into clear, verifiable technical requirements.

• Proficiency with MATLAB, Python, or a comparable engineering analysis and simulation environment.

• Demonstrated analytical, problem-solving, technical-writing, and presentation skills.

• Ability to independently lead mission-design activities while collaborating effectively with multidisciplinary engineering teams.

• Active Top Secret security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in Aerospace Engineering, Astronautical Engineering, Astrodynamics, Physics, or a closely related technical discipline.

• Eight or more years of experience designing and analyzing spacecraft missions, orbital trajectories, or satellite constellations.

• Active Top Secret clearance with current SCI.

• Advanced proficiency with STK, including orbit analysis, coverage analysis, access analysis, constellation modeling, or related capabilities.

• Experience with additional mission-design or orbital-analysis tools such as FreeFlyer, GMAT, or Orekit.

• Experience developing mission architectures for national security space, defense, intelligence, civil government, or commercial satellite applications.

• Experience designing multi-satellite constellations, including coverage optimization, orbital phasing, deployment planning, and replenishment strategies.

• Knowledge of perturbation modeling, station keeping, trajectory optimization, advanced orbital maneuvers, and rendezvous and proximity operations.

• Experience with Model-Based Systems Engineering, SysML, and requirements-management tools.

• Familiarity with mission-level performance analysis, including sensor geometry, communications link budgets, and space-to-ground connectivity.

• Experience supporting early-phase mission formulation, feasibility assessments, concept development, and System Requirements Reviews.

• Experience developing technical solutions and supporting content for government proposals, competitive procurements, or customer-funded concept studies.

• Familiarity with Department of War or Intelligence Community mission-development processes.

Location and Travel Requirements:

• This position is based in Albuquerque, NM or Herndon, VA with occasional travel to other company locations or partner facilities as needed.  

Why Join Us:

• Opportunity to work at the forefront of technology and innovation to meet the most pressing needs of our national security customers.

• Small, dynamic, high performing team in a collaborative, inclusive work environment with opportunities for professional growth and development

• Competitive salary and benefits package including flexible time off; medical, dental, vision, and life insurance; 401k with non-elective company matching, stock options

ITAR / EAR Requirements:

This position may include access to technology and/or data that is subject to U.S. export controls pursuant to ITAR and EAR.  To comply with federal export controls, all persons hired must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, U.S. lawful permanent resident, refugee or asylee as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(A)(3), or must otherwise be eligible to obtain the required authorization from the U.S. Department of State and/or U.S. Department of Commerce as applicable.

How to Apply:

Please submit your resume and brief cover letter outlining your qualifications and interest on the form below. If there are any issues with applying or inquiries, please email to hiring@blackve.us.

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