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Proteus Space · 5 days ago

Senior Structural Dynamics Engineer - Spacecraft Stability / Jitter

Los Angeles, CA

Full-time

Onsite

Senior Level

5+ years exp

Proteus Space is revolutionizing satellite design and production to help America win the new space race. They are seeking a Senior Structural Dynamics Engineer to lead the prediction, management, and verification of Line-of-Sight (LoS) stability for next-generation satellite platforms, addressing system-level challenges related to structural dynamics and jitter.

AerospaceManufacturingNational Security

Responsibilities

Micro-Vibration Analysis: Lead the frequency-domain and time-domain analysis of spacecraft jitter, predicting Line-of-Sight (LoS) errors caused by internal disturbances (RWAs, cryos) and thermally induced structural transients (thermal snap/stick-slip)

GNC-Flex Model Generation: Generate and validate reduced-order models (Craig-Bampton superelements) for the GNC team, ensuring accurate capture of high-frequency flexible modes and residual stiffness for control loop stability

Control-Structure Interaction (CSI): Analyze the stability of the spacecraft control system in the presence of flexible structural modes, advising on filter designs and notch placements to prevent resonance during slews

Methodology Development: Architect automated workflows for Sine Vibration predictions and Coupled Loads Analysis (CLA), enabling the rapid assessment of design iterations without manual intervention

Test Correlation: Design and support modal survey testing, employing correlation techniques to statistically validate the stiffness and mass distribution of the analytical model against physical hardware

Qualification

Structural DynamicsSimcenter NastranControl-Structure InteractionPythonMATLABVibroacousticsCommunication SkillsTeam Collaboration

Required

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field

5+ years of experience in structural dynamics, loads analysis, and vibroacoustics for spaceflight systems

Deep expertise in Simcenter Nastran OR demonstrated mastery of Nastran SOL 111/112 with the ability to transition quickly to the Simcenter environment

Mathematical Rigor: Deep understanding of signal processing (FFTs, PSDs, Hanning windows) and model reduction physics (modal effective mass, residual vectors)

Computational Data Handling: Demonstrated ability to use Python, MATLAB, or DMAP to efficiently process large engineering datasets (e.g., massive .op2 files) and manage complex Coupled Loads Analysis (CLA) inputs

Preferred

Advanced degree (Master's or PhD) in Engineering with a focus on Computational Dynamics or Controls

Expertise in defining predictive damping schedules (modal damping vs. material damping) and correlating Q-factors from physical tap tests or modal surveys

Deep Expertise in Control-Structure Interaction (CSI): Experience stabilizing high-bandwidth control loops on flexible platforms, including the use of notch filters and input shaping to prevent ring-up

Custom Solver Logic: Experience coding custom simulation kernels or fixing solver logic (C/C++) to handle novel physics problems (e.g., fluid-structure interaction/slosh or complex damping models)

Previous ownership of a critical subsystem test campaign (e.g., Micro-Vibration characterization or Modal Survey)