Electromechanical Controls Engineer (Electric Motor Specialist)

The Aerospace Corporation is the trusted partner to the nation’s space programs, solving the hardest problems and providing unmatched technical expertise. As the operator of a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC), we are broadly engaged across all aspects of space— delivering innovative solutions that span satellite, launch, ground, and cyber systems for defense, civil and commercial customers. When you join our team, you’ll be part of a special collection of problem solvers, thought leaders, and innovators. Join us and take your place in space.

The Vehicle Systems Division (VSD) sits at the center of the ideas and data behind current and future systems supplying innovative research and development; technical evaluations during the acquisition process; conceptual and detailed design; assembly, integration, and test; and operational support. Comprised primarily of highly trained mechanical and aerospace engineers, VSD provides national expertise in the areas of vehicle engineering; guidance, navigation, and controls, robotics, electro-mechanical devices, embedded systems, fluid mechanics, propulsion, thermal control, orbital mechanics, mechanisms, structures, structural dynamics, and dynamic environments.

The Electromechanical Control Department (ECD) is charged with the responsibility of providing technical support in the areas of hardware used for spacecraft and launch vehicles, as well as terrestrial and aerial applications. We specialize in mission critical control sensors and actuators, including Electric Motors, Gyroscopes and IMUs, Accelerometers, Gimbals, Steering Mirrors, Encoders & Resolvers, Star Trackers, GPS Receivers, Capacitive & Inductive Sensors, Servo Mechanism, Thrust Vector Control Actuators, and Reaction Wheels.

As an Electromechanical Controls Engineer (Engineering Specialist – Guidance, Navigation & Control Engineering) in ECD, you will plan and conduct technical studies, experimental investigations, and verification activities to support customer programs, while interacting with government customers, program management, and contractors.

This position is located in El Segundo, CA., requiring at least 4 days onsite.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Conduct technical studies involving the testing, evaluation, analysis, or simulation of control hardware components

• Verify contractor designs, approaches, and overall system performance

• Supervise and support experimental investigations in the Mechatronics Research Laboratory (managed by ECD) and/or other Aerospace labs including control sensor and actuator performance evaluation, controller design and implementation, and data reduction and visualization associated with the study of key hardware components

• Interact with government customers, program management, and contractors supporting multiple programs 

• Clearly communicate the results of studies while working with both internal and external customers and stakeholders as a technical authority, consultant, primary investigator, or project leader

What You Need to be Successful

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in a STEM field or equivalent

• 6 years or more of applicable professional or educational experience

• Expertise with laboratory experimentation, test strategy development, experiment design, and integration and testing

• Strong working knowledge of electronics, mechanical design, control systems, inertial sensors, and actuators applicable to spacecraft and/or launch vehicles

• Experience performing technical support in complex environments (multi-program, multi-agency) involving customers, program offices, engineering support, and contractors 

• Proficiency with tools such as MATLAB/Simulink, dSPACE, LabVIEW, SolidWorks, C/C++, Python

• Flexibility for up to 10% travel and availability during non-standard hours to meet customer demands 

• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government-issued security clearance; U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance

How You Can Stand Out

It would be impressive if you have one or more of these:

• Advanced degree in a STEM field or equivalent is preferred

• Expertise in electric motors: electric motors and drive electronics, specifically brushless direct-current electric (BLDC) motors, servo and stepper motors, direct drive and geared, servo control; have design, modeling, simulation, and test experience with motors, actuators, and electromagnetic design/analysis software

• OR expertise in areas such as: electromechanical interface development, GPS receiver testing and associated al