Senior Astrodynamics Engineer at Katalyst Space Technologies

We are looking for a Senior Astrodynamics Engineer to join our team on a full-time, on-site basis. At Katalyst, we are redefining the future of space operations by building the infrastructure necessary for the upgrade economy. We specialize in rendezvous and proximity operations, creating technology that allows satellites to be refueled, inspected, and reconfigured while in orbit. Our mission extends to the cislunar domain, where we are developing critical tracking networks that utilize intelligent prediction and distributed information sharing to ensure safe and secure operations. If you are passionate about solving complex orbital challenges and want to see the direct impact of your work on the future of space exploration, we invite you to help us build the eyes and ears of the orbital environment.

Responsibilities

• Develop and test sophisticated modeling and simulation tools for cislunar architectures, including sensor modeling and performance characterization.
• Design and implement advanced algorithms for orbit determination, state estimation, and uncertainty propagation within distributed systems.
• Partner with our product lead to translate user needs into technical objectives, conducting feasibility analyses and guiding development across multidisciplinary teams.

Requirements

To be successful in this role, you should possess a strong technical background and a deep interest in the complexities of space dynamics. We look for the following qualifications:

• A technical degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Aerospace, or a related field.
• Professional experience in orbital mechanics, mission design, and state estimation.
• Proficiency in navigation filtering, Kalman filtering, and sensor modeling.
• Hands-on experience with industry-standard orbit analysis tools such as GMAT, STK, Monte, or Copernicus.
• Strong software engineering skills and a commitment to development best practices.
• An intuitive grasp of complex astrodynamics and the ability to thrive when faced with ambiguous, high-stakes problems.
• Bonus points for expertise in machine learning, data science, or a history of leading complex technical projects.

What we offer

We offer the opportunity to skip the traditional corporate ladder and forge your own path in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment. You will work alongside a team that is dedicated to reshaping the space industry by tackling the most difficult problems in the field. We foster a culture that embraces challenges and values the solutions found through both success and failure.