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NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory · 1 day ago

Navigation Engineer II

JPL Campus

Full-time

Onsite

Mid Level

$111K/yr - $130K/yr

3+ years exp

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is focused on exploring the universe and seeking answers to big questions. The Navigation Engineer II will be part of the Solar System Dynamics Group, responsible for computing and analyzing high-precision orbits for Near-Earth Objects and supporting database systems and cloud-optimized code development.

AerospaceConstructionNational SecurityRoboticsSpace Travel

Growth Opportunities

No H1B

U.S. Citizen Only

Responsibilities

Compute and analyze high-precision orbits for all Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) in support of JPL’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), predict their close approaches to the Earth, and report their impact probabilities

Estimate, predict, and analyze SSD’s small-body ephemerides as well as maintaining SSD’s small-body database

Monitor and maintain database systems, including in-house and AWS-hosted PostgreSQL primary and replica instances

Monitor and maintain existing AWS assets using technologies such as EC2, S3, CloudFront, ALB, Lambda, and RDS

Support development, maintenance, and improvement of cloud-optimized code for SSD’s current systems, including the automatic update system, Sentry, Scout, and mission design tools

Perform navigation tasks, including collection of data and inputs, weighting and processing of these data, estimation of the spacecraft’s orbital parameters and uncertainties, and estimation of solve-for model parameters and uncertainties that describe perturbations on the spacecraft, including the gravity field of the central body

Perform orbit determination analyses in support of small-body missions and report directly to project scientists and team leads, providing analysis, simulations, and uncertainty analyses

Qualification

Orbit determinationAstrodynamicsStatistical analysisPerl programmingPythonFORTRANMATLABC/C++SQL databaseSoftware engineeringAnalytical skillsInterpersonal skillsTeam leadership

Required

Bachelors in aerospace engineering, Astronomy, or related technical discipline with 3 years of related experience; Masters in similar disciplines with 1 year of related experience; or PhD in similar disciplines with 0 years of related experience

Wide-ranging experience and knowledge in one or more of the following areas: software architecture, asteroid survey, astronomy, and/or aerospace engineering

Solid understanding and wide application of advanced principles, theories, concepts and techniques in orbit determination, software engineering, and astronomy discipline resulting in contributions to the development of new theories and methods

Demonstrated ability to present technical results to a wide audience

Available to work on site at JPL

Preferred

Broad knowledge of planetary defense, with a focus on astrodynamics, orbit determination, impact monitoring, and ground surveys

Expertise in statistics, probability, and random processes

Demonstrated publication record in the field of planetary defense, asteroid impact monitoring, and small-body orbit determination

Excellent analytical and interpersonal skills

Self‑motivated researcher who thrives in a supportive team environment and can also pursue independent studies

Ability to lead a multifunctional and/or multidisciplinary team for a project, activity, or function

Expert proficiency in the Perl programming language

Proficiency in FORTRAN, Python, MATLAB, and C/C++

Familiarity with SQL database

Familiarity with software development practices, git-based development, and unit testing

Understanding and wide application of advanced principles, theories, concepts, and techniques in small-body orbit determination resulting in contributions to the development of new theories and methods

Benefits

A variety of health, dental, vision, wellbeing, and retirement plans

Paid time off

Learning

Rideshare

Childcare

Flexible schedule

Parental leave

Company

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

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Formed in 1936, the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory is a federally funded research and development center managed for NASA by the California Institute of Technology (Caltech.) JPL joined NASA as an FFRDC when the agency was founded in 1958.

Founded in 1936

Pasadena, California, USA

5001-10000 employees