Baker was a lecturer and assistant professor at UCLA, in astronomy (1959–63) and the Department of Engineering and Applied Science (1963–71).
[citation needed] While on a two-year tour of active duty in the United States Air Force, he worked on a variety of classified aerospace projects.
In 1964, Baker joined Computer Sciences Corporation as associate manager for mathematical analysis.
After retiring from West Coast University in 1997, Baker became the senior consultant for Transportation Sciences Corporation and Gravwave LLC.
Baker won the UCLA Physics Prize, the Dirk Brouwer Award for outstanding contributions in astrodynamics and orbital mechanics, and the Outstanding Man of the Year Junior Chamber of Commerce award in 1965 presented to him by Ronald Reagan.