Mission Analysis and Flight Dynamics Engineer

Job Description:

For Airbus Defence & Space in Taufkirchen we are looking for a

Mission Analysis and Flight Dynamics Engineer (d/m/w)

to strengthen the System Delivery Germany team. The department develops satellite communication systems for civilian and military customers. As a Mission Analysis & Flight Dynamics Engineer, you will be responsible for the complex orbital mechanics and mission lifecycle of SATCOM satellites in GEO. You will work on everything from initial mission analysis and orbit determination to active collision avoidance and the development of specialized software packages to support satellite operations.

In this role, you will bridge the gap between theoretical orbital mechanics and practical mission operations. You will act as a key technical point of contact for subsystem designers, ensuring that mission-related requirements and constraints are integrated into the system architecture. Your expertise will directly influence the longevity, safety, and operational efficiency of our satellite constellations.

Your Location
Our location is just a stone's throw away from Munich, the beautiful state capital of Bavaria. Are you passionate about sports and other outdoor activities? The Alps and Lake Starnberg are reachable within an hour and offer a wide variety of leisure activities.

Your Benefits
* Attractive salary and special payments
* 30 days of vacation as well as special leave for special occasions
* Excellent training opportunities and great international, group-wide development perspectives
* Special social benefits: employer-funded pension scheme, employee stock options, discounted car leasing, special conditions for insurance, subsidies for public transport, employee discounts at partner companies
* On-site facilities: kindergarten near the location, company doctor for preventive examinations and other health-related services, canteen and cafeteria, gym
* Work-life balance (job sharing, part-time models, flexible working hours, individual sabbaticals)
* Working in a diverse environment with more than 140 nationalities, where every voice is heard

Your Tasks and Responsibilities

- Mission Analysis & Orbital Mechanics
* Perform comprehensive Mission Analysis for SATCOM satellites in GEO.
* Develop orbit maneuver strategies for GEO, covering both conventional and low-thrust propulsion.
* Manage orbit maintenance and reconfiguration, including station-keeping, re-location, co-location, and de-orbiting.
* Optimize maneuvers for GEO-transfer using chemical or electrical propulsion.
* Conduct attitude analysis and determine satellite life expectancy.
* Analyze orbital events such as eclipses, ground-station visibility, and sensor events.

- Orbit Determination & Flight Dynamics
* Perform orbit determination based on tracking data and calibrate orbit maneuvers.
* Provide precise orbit ephemeris data and other critical products to internal and external stakeholders.
* Generate commands to support on-board AOCS (including orbit propagators, attitude guidance profiles, and variable model parameters).
* Analyze sensor data, including observation errors and correction of mounting matrices.
* Compute attitude profiles for satellite commanding.

- Satellite Operations Support & Conjunction Assessment
* Provide orbit and attitude predictions for mission operations and planning.
* Support ground-station network procurement and operations (predicting satellite position, visibility, and sun interference).
* Analyze ground station network capacity needs and perform system performance simulations.
* Evaluate visibility conditions for optical communication (satellite-to-satellite and satellite-to-ground).
* Lead the Collision Avoidance Concept and implementation, including the analysis of critical close approaches (satellites or debris) and the planning of avoidance maneuvers.

- Systems Integration & Software Development
* Act as the primary technical point of contact for subsystem designers regarding mission-related requirements and constraints.
* Lead the conception, design, development, and validation of software packages for Mission Analysis and Flight Dynamics purposes.

Desired Skills and Qualifications

* Master's or Doctoral degree in Aerospace Engineering, Physics, Applied Mathematics, or a related field.
* Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in mission analysis and flight dynamics.
* Solid background in orbital mechanics: reference frames, propagation, constellation design, and visibility analysis.
* Deep, hands-on knowledge of orbital dynamics problems and methods.
* Proficiency with mission analysis tools (e.g., GMAT, STK/Ansys, FreeFlyer, or similar).
* Strong knowledge of satellite attitude kinematics and dynamics.
* Experience in an operational Flight Dynamics (FD) context is a significant plus.
* Familiarity with satellite communications, link budgets, or network/routing concepts.
* Exposure to operational flight dynamics or ground segment operations.
* Knowledge and experience in optimization theory is an advantage.
* Ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams alongside Systems and Subsystems Engineers.

Note: This position requires a security clearance or the prerequisite that you are eligible for screening by the recognized authorities.

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This job requires an awareness of any potential compliance risks and a commitment to act with integrity, as the foundation for the Company’s success, reputation and sustainable growth.

Company:

Airbus Defence and Space GmbH

Employment Type:

Permanent

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Experience Level:

Professional

Job Family:

Chief Engineering & Architecture <JF-EN-EA>

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