Systems Director – Program Evolution 

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.

Building on The Aerospace Corporation's reputation as a trusted, impartial advisor with integrity and dedication to mission success, the Civil Systems Group (CSG) combines deep technical expertise with market-leading innovation to help our customers solve complex systems engineering and integration challenges. CSG is organized by core customer-facing lines of business to manage and grow programs within NASA, NOAA, USGS and the NNSA, while extending our capabilities to other civilian federal government agencies fully integrated within Aerospace rules, regulations, processes, values, and behaviors. 

The Operational Programs Directorate (OPD) of Civil Space Program Operations (CSPO) provides program management and systems engineering support to numerous programs at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), the US Geological Survey (USGS) and Geosciences Australia (GA). This support spans all program phases, from concept through design, development, deployment, and operations, all program sizes, from small exploratory projects through large flagship programs. 

We are looking for a Systems Director – Program Evolution (Systems Director - Engineering Program Management and Systems Engineering). In this role, you will apply your Systems Engineering skills to understand and define solutions for customers’ hard problems and your Program Management skills to organize and lead multiple Aerospace efforts to deliver results to solve these problems on schedule and within budget. 

The selected candidate will serve as the Program Evolution Systems Director for OPD, responsible for program management and systems engineering support to multiple smaller Earth-centric and Cislunar projects that are in various stages of concept design and development.  These projects demand precisely targeted programmatic and engineering support from Aerospace that delivers high impact results within tight cost and schedule limits. Additionally, the Program Evolution Systems Director will supervise a subset of OPD technical staff who support multiple projects within the OPD portfolio. 

Work Model 

This is a full-time position based at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD, offering a hybrid work model that combines 3-4 regular onsite workdays and remote flexibility as business needs allow.   

What You’ll Be Doing  

• Provide leadership, planning, and direction of Aerospace technical staff and related business operations. Assign resources, determine staffing needs, and coordinate activities and operations with other Aerospace teams 
• Engage with multiple customer project managers to ascertain their hard problems that require Aerospace support. Team with other parts of Aerospace, particularly ETG, to create innovative solution approaches to solve these problems within the customers cost and schedule constraints 
• Rapidly develop accurate labor, cost and schedule proposals for Aerospace to accomplish the required work and collaboratively negotiate those proposals with the customer to achieve authorization for work to proceed 
• Actively oversee work execution to ensure it meets customers’ technical requirements, delivers results, and stays within cost and schedule limits 
• Accomplish regular reporting to customers and Aerospace senior management on programmatic and technical elements of task execution, with focus on results and their impact on the problem(s) 

What You Need to be Successful  

Minimum Requirements: 

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university in engineering, science, or another STEM discipline
• At least 12 years of progressively responsible professional experience in one or more of the following areas: Spacecraft and/or Instrument Systems Engineering, Ground Systems Engineering for Spaceborne Missions, Mission Operations for Spaceborne Missions, Integrated Mission Systems Engineering , OR Program and/or Project Management for Spaceborne Missions 
• Demonstrated ability to identify, prioritize, and resolve high-impact technical issues for government customers  
• Demonstrated effective formation and leadership of collaborative work teams composed of contributors from diverse sources, backgrounds, and locations 
• Prior experience in a managerial role with proven ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with all levels of contractors, customers, and corporate staff 
• Proven expertise managing and delivering results on work team projects within cost and schedule constraints, to include proposal development, cost tracking, and status reporting 
• Willing to travel occasionally to work location or customer site/domestically approx. 10%  
• This position requires a Secret security 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: 

• Advanced degree(s) in engineering, physical science, or equivalent technical discipline 
• Engineering experience with NASA GSFC, USGS, and/or GA systems 
• Experience with Cislunar projects 
• Existing positive relationship(s) with project managers at NASA GSFC, USGS, and/or GA 
• Working knowledge of Aerospace Engineering and Technology Group (ETG) skills and capabilities 
• Working knowledge of Aerospace task management processes, including proposal preparation, cost forecasting, tracking of cost and schedule performance, and customer reporting

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.