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Senior Space Surveillance Engineer, Data Fusion and Astrodynamics

Chantilly, VA or Aurora, CO

Meet Slingshot 

At Slingshot Aerospace, we’re on a mission to make space safer and more secure for everyone. Our work directly impacts global security, disaster response, climate monitoring, and the critical infrastructure that connects our world. We’re a team of builders, thinkers, and problem-solvers who believe that the next generation of space operations will be powered by better data and smarter software. 

What You’ll Be Launching 

As a senior member of the Data Fusion and Astrodynamics team within the Space Surveillance Systems Research and Development department, you will take a lead role advancing Slingshot’s efforts to accelerate the security, safety, and sustainability of space via the detection, tracking, identification, and characterization of satellites and space debris. This work involves leading the development of multi-sensor multi-object tracking, nonlinear state estimation, statistical signal processing, and data fusion algorithms leveraging multi-phenomenology sensor technologies, including Slingshot’s own Global Sensor Network (GSN). You will also support the development of physics and AI/ML-based algorithms and software for analytics and insights. In this role you will develop solutions across the tasking, collection, processing, exploitation, and dissemination (TCPED) stages of the space surveillance and tracking mission.  

Your Mission (Should you choose to accept it) 

  • Execute all position responsibilities in alignment with Slingshot’s core values, mission, and purpose  
  • Develop algorithms and software to help automate and enhance sensor data tasking, collection, processing, exploitation, and dissemination  
  • Support ongoing and future transitions of Slingshot’s space object tracking products and services to the Slingshot Global Sensor Network (SGSN), space operations centers, and other technology testbeds  
  • Serve as a key subject matter and technical expert on space surveillance and tracking technologies (e.g., sensor fusion and multi-target tracking algorithms, conjunction analysis algorithms, astrodynamics, foundational mathematical techniques, software prototyping, etc.)  
  • Lead the successful execution of individual projects, small team projects, and/or product development activities  
  • Prepare technical reports and briefing materials for your main projects  
  • Represent your team and Slingshot to a broader audience through presentations to customers and stakeholders  
  • Share subject matter expertise through mentoring and training of other staff, and support growth of the team’s technical competencies, promoting a culture of feedback and accountability  
  • Lead technical work on larger team efforts including cross-team initiatives  
  • Take point in ideating and writing content for technical sections of proposals for winning new work  
  • Ideate and champion internal research & development activities  
  • Help the management and product teams translate business objectives into the development of new product features  
  • Collaborate effectively with Slingshot’s product managers, program managers, project managers, and engineering/science teams, to successfully execute on strategic objectives and product roadmaps  
  • Engage with Slingshot’s space surveillance customers and other stakeholders to ensure successful outcomes for their mission-critical needs  
  • Contribute your expertise and ideas to help shape our products and strategies  
  • Perform other duties as assigned (to be less than 10% of the responsibilities listed above)  

Pre-flight Checklist 

  • Undergraduate degree in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, Physics, Astronomy, or a related field and a record of academic excellence  
  • 7+ years of relevant work experience, potentially accounting for a record of academic excellence with relevant internship experience  
  • Experience developing numerical algorithms in Python and/or C++  
  • Effective written and verbal communication skills, with the demonstrated ability to convey salient details about advanced technology in a compelling manner to both experts and non-experts alike  
  • Ability to travel up to 5% of the time within and outside of the United States to support customer engagements and technical exchanges  
  • Tenacious drive to overcome challenges and deliver solutions with excellence  
  • Top Secret clearance with SCI eligibility is required for this role. 

Bonus Cargo 

  • Graduate level degree in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, Physics, Astronomy, or a related field  
  • Significant experience developing and debugging applications in Python and/or C++ with deployment experience in a Linux operating environment  
  • Training or experience in fields such as numerical analysis, numerical optimization, optimal control, image processing, algorithm optimization, software/hardware interfacing, embedded/GPU development, astrodynamics, estimation theory, statistical analysis, remote sensing, radiometry, and machine learning  
  • Early-stage startup experience  

We're building a constellation here, not looking for identical satellites. Every member of the team brings different capabilities to the same mission. If your orbit intersects with ours and you're mission-ready, send it. 

Location: Chantilly, VA or Aurora, CO. 75% onsite presence required, 25% remote.

Salary: $150,000-$250,000

Classification: Full time Exempt (learned professional exemption) 

US-based Candidates: we are currently only able to hire residents of the following U.S. states: AL, AZ, CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, HI, IL, IN, KS, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, RI, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI, WV We are unable to consider candidates residing in other U.S. states at this time.

Internationally-based Candidates: we are currently only able to hire residents of the following locations: United Kingdom. We are unable to consider candidates residing in other countries at this time.

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion are key to our success. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and our employees are people with different strengths, experiences, and backgrounds, who share a passion for creating a safer, more connected world. Diversity not only includes race and gender identity, but also national origin, citizenship, sex, color, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic that is part of one’s identity. All of our employees’ points of view are key to our success, and we embrace individuality.

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