Human Spaceflight Systems Engineer (Hybrid) – Centaur V

ARES Corporation seeks a Human Spaceflight Systems Engineer to join an engineering team supporting United Launch Alliance (ULA) and NASA’s Artemis program. The selected candidate will support critical human spaceflight activities for the Centaur V upper stage supporting one or more task areas within ARES’s scope of responsibility.

In support of ULA’s Human Spaceflight Team, this role focuses on ensuring the Centaur V upper stage meets rigorous human-rating standards, operational readiness, reliability, and safety requirements for crewed Artemis missions.

Work location is hybrid, including support at ULA’s facility in Centennial, Colorado.

Essential Functions:

• Human Certification Support: Evaluate the Centaur V upper stage design, systems, and processes against NASA human spaceflight design and construction standards, including assessment of fault tolerance exceptions and associated rationale.
• System Safety Program Support: Support system safety activities, including development of hazard reports, coordination with NASA safety customers, and obtaining customer approvals.
• Reliability Program Support: Contribute to the reliability program by developing and maintaining Failure Modes, Effects, and Criticality Analysis (FMECA) and Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) inputs specific to the Centaur V upper stage.
• Mission Operations Support: Provide technical expertise for upper stage operations on the Artemis program. Support hardware-in-the-loop simulation tasks, integrated simulator support and simulation data post-processing tasks to support crew and mission controller training activities.

Minimum Requirements:

• Strong analytical and creative problem-solving skills with the ability to evaluate complex systems against human-rating and safety standards.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills to effectively interface with management, NASA customers, and cross-functional teams.
• Excellent time management and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple competing priorities in a dynamic program environment.
• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively within a team.
• Dedication to achieving outstanding results in support of crew safety and mission success.
• Ability to learn new systems, processes, and NASA standards quickly in order to begin supporting tasks quickly.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Direct experience with human spaceflight programs (Artemis, SLS, Orion, or similar).
• Familiarity with NASA standards or equivalent human-rating requirements.
• Experience with fault tolerance analysis, FMECA, PRA, hazard report development, and NASA safety review processes.
• Background in upper stage propulsion systems, avionics, or flight software.
• Experience developing or delivering mission controller / flight crew training materials and simulations.

Required Education/Experience:

• BS/BA degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related technical field with 6+ years of professional experience in human spaceflight, systems engineering, reliability, safety, or mission operations.

ARES Benefits:

ARES offers a competitive compensation and benefit package. Full time employees may participate in:

• Medical Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• HSA/FSA Accounts
• Life & Disability Insurance
• Critical Illness & Accident Insurance
• 401(k) Plan
• Paid Time Off & Holidays
• ARES is an EEO/AA/Disability/Vets Employer.

ARES shall abide by the requirements of 41 CFR 60-1.4(a), 60-300.5(a) and 60-741.5(a).  These regulations prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities, and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin.   Moreover, these regulations require that covered prime contractors and subcontractors take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status.