SpaceX is looking to solve the problem of ensuring the safety and optimality of flight trajectories for their Raptor engines by developing accurate predictions of future performance based on engine test data. This involves improving the accuracy of engine models, conducting detailed analysis, and automating processes for performance prediction.
Requirements
- Dynamical systems modeling
- Experience with lumped parameter modeling of physical systems
- Experience implementing physics-informed neural networks to solve real-world engineering problems
- Data driven analysis of complex systems
- Experience inferring root cause from sparse measurements
- Demonstrable proficiency in the basic principles of compressible and incompressible flow, thermodynamics, thermochemistry, mechanics, and materials
- Experience building data pipelines providing sanitization, curation, visualization, exploration to high dimensional datasets
Responsibilities
- Maintain and improve the accuracy of the lumped-parameter thermofluid physics model of the Raptor engine
- Conduce engine cycle analysis to steer future-state engine design and thrust upgrades
- Conduct anomaly resolution utilizing the engine model and sparse instrumentation
- Develop a detailed understanding of the physics underlying rocket engine performance, sources of performance variability, as well as related modeling and measurement techniques
- Maintain and improve the accuracy of the representation of the Raptor engine used in integrated vehicle simulations, control software validation and flight Monte Carlo analysis
- Develop tools and portals to understand the sources of engine performance variability and enact improvements to manufacturing and engine hardware design
- Automate processes and software tools that are used to predict test performance and generate flight performance predictions for GNC (guidance, navigation, and control) and flight software
Other
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, engineering, or a STEM discipline
- 1+ year experience writing computer software
- 1+ year experience with physics-based simulations of real dynamic systems
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, ability to make presentations to team members, internal customers and management
- To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.
