Communication & Ground Architectures Associate Department Director

The Aerospace Corporation is the trusted partner to the nation’s space programs, solving the hardest problems and providing unmatched technical expertise. As the operator of a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC), we are broadly engaged across all aspects of space— delivering innovative solutions that span satellite, launch, ground, and cyber systems for defense, civil and commercial customers. When you join our team, you’ll be part of a special collection of problem solvers, thought leaders, and innovators. Join us and take your place in space.

At Aerospace, we are committed to providing an inclusive and diverse workplace for all employees to share in our common passion and aspiration – to carry out a mission much bigger than ourselves.

The Enterprise Effects Division (EED) drives integration of Aerospace’s strategic capabilities across the national space enterprise. The division leverages a broad array of engineering disciplines against a diverse and dynamic portfolio of programs, customers, and national challenges. EED spans the capability lifecycle from concept and architecture design to performance assessment to application of space and space-enabled capabilities.

The Communication and Ground Architectures Office within the Integrated Performance Subdivision (IPS) leads an organization to conduct, direct and integrate model-based analyses, empowering teams and staff to deliver differentiated and context-informed insights. The Office supports our customers in modeling, simulation, and analysis (MS&A) for requirements definition/verification, analyses-of-alternatives (AoA), and end-to-end performance evaluations of customer communications and ground architectures supporting various mission areas. The Associate Director (Modeling and Simulation Engineering) of this office will be responsible for coordinating across customers and building the capabilities and skillsets in the department to inform timely delivery to the end users.

Work Model: 

This full-time position requires 100% onsite work in El Segundo CA, Colorado Springs, CO, or Chantilly, VA. 

What You’ll Be Doing   

• Partnering with the director to cultivate a vision for the organization, including identifying opportunities for growth, engaging with customers to facilitate that growth, and developing new areas of technical expertise to meet evolving need
• Guiding the development of MS&A capabilities and products to support recommendations for research, development, and acquisition decisions of legacy and emerging space communication and ground architectures
• Fostering the creation of a center of excellence for the assessment of complex communication, network, and ground architecture performance, scheduling and resource allocation algorithms, and mission management strategies
• Recruiting, on-boarding, and developing staff through formal and informal performance management, evaluation, mentoring, and coaching across a national organization 
• Building and maintaining a strong base of customers and collaborators for the office through effective working relationships with colleagues, government customers, and contractor teammates. 
• Creating an organizational culture that promotes innovation, diversity, and inclusion, developing and maintaining relationships with peer organizations, creating and leading diverse teams of multi-discipline analysts 
• Coordinating complex technical tasks among customers, managing resources to efficiently staff and execute projects, and ensuring quality and accuracy of work products 
• Working closely with the broader subdivision leadership team to cultivate an effective, efficient, and cohesive national organization  
• Monitoring, directing, and improving the organization’s processes, functions, compliance, and safety awareness

What You Need to be a Successful Associate Director (Modeling and Simulation Engineering)

Minimum Requirements: 

• Bachelor’s degree with demonstrated experience or Master’s degree in aerospace, astronautical, or electrical engineering, computer science, physics, operations research, mathematics, or a related field of science or engineering from an accredited institution
• 6 years demonstrated experience leading MS&A teams, coordinating complex technical tasks among team members, and translating customer needs into viable instructions for analysts/development teams
• Demonstrated strength in modeling, simulation, and analysis of communication and/or ground systems and their dependencies 
• Ability to flex communication styles for productive interactions with staff, collaborators, and customers
• This position requires a current and active TS/SCI clearance, which is issued by the U.S. government. U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance

How You Can Stand Out   

It would be impressive if you have one or more of these:  

• A graduate degree or extensive work experience in the fields of study mentioned above 
• Knowledge across Intelligence Community or U.S. Department of Defense business practices, acquisition policies, or space mission portfolios including geo-spatial intelligence, signals intelligence, space surveillance, space protection, ground systems, or communications infrastructure supporting defense or intelligence capabilities
• A history of navigating collaborations between technical experts across multiple fields
• Prior management or leadership experience in hiring, mentoring, training, or development of personnel. 
• Experience in identifying, prioritizing, and resolving technical and/or personnel issues. 

We offer a competitive compensation package where you’ll be rewarded based on your performance and recognized for the value you bring to our business.  The grade-based pay range for this job is listed below.  Individual salaries within that range are determined through a wide variety of factors including but not limited to education, experience, knowledge and skills. 

(Min - Max)

$168,200 - $252,400

Pay Basis: Annual

Leadership Competencies

Our leadership philosophy is simple: every employee, regardless of level and role, can demonstrate leadership. At Aerospace, our commitment is our people. To cultivate our talent and ensure that we have a strong pipeline of future leaders, we want individuals who:

• Operate Strategically
• Lead Change   
• Engage with Impact   
• Foster Innovation   
• Deliver Results  

Ways We Reward Our Employees

During your interview process, our team will provide details of our industry-leading benefits.

Benefits vary and are applicable based on Job Type.  A few highlights include:

• Comprehensive health care and wellness plans

• Paid holidays, sick time, and vacation

• Standard and alternate work schedules, including telework options

• 401(k) Plan — Employees receive a total company-paid benefit of 8%, 10%, or 12% of eligible compensation based on years of service and matching contributions; employees are immediately eligible and vested in the plan upon hire

• Flexible spending accounts

• Variable pay program for exceptional contributions

• Relocation assistance

• Professional growth and development programs to help advance your career

• Education assistance programs

• An inclusive work environment built on teamwork, flexibility, and respect

We are all unique, from diverse backgrounds and all walks of life, yet one thing bonds all of us to each other—the belief that we can make a difference. This core belief empowers us to do our best work at The Aerospace Corporation.

Equal Opportunity Commitment

The Aerospace Corporation is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. We believe that a diverse workforce creates an environment in which unique ideas are developed and differing perspectives are valued, producing superior customer solutions. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, color, religion, genetic information, marital status, ancestry, national origin, protected veteran status, physical disability, medical condition, mental disability, or disability status and any other characteristic protected by state or federal law. If you’re an individual with a disability or a disabled veteran who needs assistance using our online job search and application tools or need reasonable accommodation to complete the job application process, please contact us by phone at 310.336.5432 or by email at ieo.mailbox@aero.org. You can also review Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal, as well as the Pay Transparency Policy Statement.