Xona · 1 week ago
Sr. Flight Dynamics Engineer
Burlingame, CA
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level
7+ years expXona is the navigational intelligence company bringing real-time, centimeter-level certainty to any device, anywhere on Earth. They are seeking a Sr. Flight Dynamics Engineer to support the design, deployment, and ongoing operations of a large LEO satellite constellation, focusing on constellation architecture, orbital analysis, and collision avoidance.
AerospaceGPSInformation ServicesNavigationSatellite CommunicationSoftware
No H1B
U.S. Citizen Only
Responsibilities
Design and analyze constellation architectures, including orbital regimes, plane spacing, phasing strategies, and deployment concepts
Perform trade studies for orbit selection (altitude, inclination, RAAN distribution, phasing) to meet coverage, lifetime, and regulatory requirements
Define station-keeping strategies and long-term orbit maintenance concepts for a large multi-satellite constellation
Generate, validate, and maintain orbital state products, including TLEs and high-fidelity ephemerides
Plan and optimize orbit insertion, phasing, station-keeping, and end-of-life disposal maneuvers while managing propellant usage and operational constraints
Perform conjunction assessment and collision risk analysis; develop collision avoidance (COLA) maneuver plans
Partner closely with mission operations, spacecraft systems, GNC, and software teams to ensure safe, efficient, and compliant orbital behavior across the constellation
Qualification
Required
7+ years of experience in the spacecraft or satellite industry supporting LEO or MEO constellation missions
Strong foundation in orbital mechanics, astrodynamics, and flight dynamics analysis
Proficiency with industry-standard tools such as STK, GMAT, FreeFlyer, or equivalent
Experience with orbit determination and estimation tools (e.g., ODTK or similar)
Solid understanding of orbital perturbations (J2, atmospheric drag, SRP, third-body effects) and their impact on long-term orbital behavior
Experience analyzing spacecraft dynamics, control authority, and propulsion performance as they relate to trajectory design and constellation geometry
Familiarity with conjunction assessment, collision avoidance workflows, and regulatory/compliance considerations (e.g., debris mitigation, SpaceTrack, SDS)
To comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the United States (i.e. Green Card holder), or other protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)
To comply with U.K. regulations, this role requires Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks, and successful candidates must be eligible to obtain UK Security Clearance (SC)
Successful candidates must obtain and hold a security clearance at the reliability status level, and pass security assessment for the Canadian Controlled Goods Program (CGP) and ITAR
Preferred
Experience supporting on-orbit operations for large, multi-plane constellations
Hands-on involvement in maneuver planning and execution during flight operations
Proficiency with scripting and analysis tools such as Python, MATLAB, or Bash
Experience working cross-functionally with GNC, mission ops, and flight software teams
Familiarity with regulatory interfaces and operational coordination with external entities
Company
Xona
Xona is launching a LEO satellite network bringing real-time, centimeter-level certainty to any device, anywhere on Earth..
51-200 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageTotal Funding
$151.42MKey Investors
Craft VenturesSpaceWERXFirst Spark Ventures
2025-06-26Series B· $92M
2025-06-26Grant· $20M
2024-05-08Series A· $19M
Leadership Team
Brian Manning
Co-Founder & CEO
Bryan Chan
Co-Founder, VP Corporate Strategy
Recent News
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