Granular Mechanics and Regolith Operations Engineer

LOCATION: Cape Canaveral, FL

JOB STATUS: Full-time

CLEARANCE: BI investigation

CERTIFICATION: N/A

TRAVEL: Limited; as needed

Must be US citizen

ASTRION is seeking an on-site engineer to support the Granular Mechanics and Regolith Operations lab within Swampworks at NASA-KSC.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS / SKILLS:

• Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Civil Engineering, Materials Science, Space Systems or a closely related engineering or physical science discipline.
• Experience in granular mechanics, geotechnical engineering, planetary science, or regolith/soil behavior strongly preferred.
• Experience in software and robotics.
• Experience in LabView, PACT/MEERCAT software.
• Characterizing lunar regolith simulant behavior in ambient and vacuum conditions.
• Developing granular mechanics testing apparatus. 

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS / SKILLS:

• Experience working within KSC labs
• Experience working with KSC lab procedures and regulations
• Experience working with BP-1, LHS-1E, and ICN-LHT-1G and similar simulants
• Experience with lunar regolith technologies.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

The successful applicant will perform testing of robotic equipment in a thermal, vacuum, dusty environment to meet the characterization and application testing needs of a broad range of technology development and risk reduction projects. The successful applicant shall develop test plans, provide engineering solutions for tests in high vacuum, conduct regolith other testing, data processing, and report findings to project Principal Investigators and support publication to peer reviewed journals. Applicants are expected to have significant experience in lunar surface system research including a strong understanding of granular mechanics fundaments and how characterization of lunar regolith is applied to NASA agency missions and objectives.