Mid-Senior Researcher/​Developer - Open Science Orbital Dynamics

About the Role

We are seeking a Mid-Senior Researcher/Developer to join our team at TU Delft, focusing on the development of an open science orbital dynamics platform. This Researcher/Developer remote position will allow you to contribute to high-fidelity orbit propagation and estimation for planetary missions.

What You'll Do

• Develop and maintain the C++ core and Python interfaces of the TU Delft Astrodynamics Toolbox (Tudat).
• Implement and validate extensions to radio-science estimation pipelines, ensuring performance and robustness.
• Lead the application of the framework to selected missions, defining validation cases and producing reference results.
• Contribute to scientific publications that describe the platform and demonstrate results enabled by open-source workflows.
• Collaborate with platform developers and scientists across TU Delft and partner institutes.

Requirements

• A Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Astronomy, or a related field.
• Strong software engineering skills in C++ and Python, with experience in git, CI, and testing.
• Research experience in astrodynamics/orbit determination and numerical methods.
• Experience in using and developing Tudat or similar tools.
• Ability to work in a multidisciplinary, open-source environment.

Nice to Have

• Experience with radio tracking data analysis or planetary mission spacecraft dynamics.
• Familiarity with FAIR principles and open science.

What We Offer

• Salary based on Scale 10 of the CAO for Dutch Universities, between €3546 - €5538 gross per month.
• 8% holiday allowance and an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%.
• An excellent pension scheme via the ABP.
• Flexible working week with 232 leave hours annually.
• Relocation support to help you settle in the Netherlands.