(Lead) Trajectory Engineer Volunteer

Associated Supervisor: Chief Deployment Demonstrator Mission (DDM) Engineer

About the Position: Ensuring that the Tumbleweed Rover and the EDV (Entry Descent Vehicle) successfully land during the DDM requires high levels of EDV & rover functionality precision and trajectory planning. As a fully-fledged Mars Mission is soon approaching, Team Tumbleweed has reached a critical point in which our cutting-edge technology is being developed and tested at a high magnitude of complexity and intensity.
As the (Lead) Trajectory Engineer, you will take charge of the trajectory planning and execution for the Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL) phase of the DDM and closely work with our EDV and rover engineers to ensure the safe and precise descent of the rover back to the Earth’s surface.

Expectations:

Strong communication and intercultural skills

Excellent written & spoken English

Willingness for continuous learning and personal development

Experience in trajectory planning for space exploration missions, with a focus on EDL phases

Familiarity with aerodynamics, guidance systems, and control strategies for atmospheric entry and descent.

Enrolled in a Bachelor’s or higher degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field

Expected commitment of at least 1.5 years and approximately 15 hours per week

(Lead) Leadership experience and the ability to lead a small team of engineers effectively

Responsibilities:

(Lead) Oversee the development of trajectory plans for the Tumbleweed Rover EDL phase.

(Lead) Regularly update the project leads on the development of mission plans.

Collaborate with EDV and rover engineers to optimize the rover’s entry and descent systems for stabile and precise trajectory execution.

Conduct detailed aerodynamic and (computational fluid dynamics) CFD modeling and simulation to predict entry forces, aerodynamic stability, descent behavior and define drag parameters.

Identify potential risks and challenges associated with the EDL phase and develop mitigation strategies.

Collaborate with ground control teams to ensure real-time monitoring and adjustment of trajectory plans during the EDL phase.

Rewards: Check out the perks of being in our team at teamtumbleweed.eu/apply!