Commercial Crew Technical Advisor

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.

Defense Systems Group (DSG) provides analysis-based decision support to senior leaders on space architectures, policy and strategy, development planning, system of systems engineering, and threat reduction to help shape the future space missions across the national security space (NSS) enterprise. DSG is unique at Aerospace as it not only directly supports major customers, including US Space Force, U.S Space Command, Air Force Materiel Command, and senior leadership at the Pentagon, but also provides a broad range of services and support across the national space enterprise, maintaining vertical responsibilities with customers but also horizontal, matrixed responsibilities across the corporation. DSG also assists the Space Force Space Systems Command (SSC) in the conception, design, acquisition, launch and operations of satellite, launch vehicle, ground control, and range systems.

The Commercial Crew Technical Advisor (Senior Member of Technical Staff/Project Engineer – Systems Engineering) falls within our Civil & Commercial Launch Projects (CCLP), which is responsible for the development, management and support of civil and commercial activities associated with space launch systems.  We bring the corporation’s launch expertise to bear for civil, commercial, and international customers.

Work Model

• This is a full-time position based onsite at SpaceX in Hawthorne California factory.

What You’ll Be Doing 

• Provide onsite coverage at the SpaceX Hawthorne facility, five days per week (M-F), and provide occasional off-shift support to customer needs when required
• Work independently to monitor SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicle and Dragon spacecraft manufacturing as the sole representative of Commercial Crew Program’s Safety and Mission Assurance organization in the NASA resident office
• Develop and deliver weekly reports to NASA Commercial Crew Program to provide status of Falcon 9 and Dragon hardware production in Hawthorne
• Provide details of production issues for the Falcon 9 fleet and Dragon that could affect Commercial Crew hardware quality and schedule risk
• Work as liaison between NASA commercial crew civil servants and contractors visiting SpaceX Hawthorne to facilitate interactions with SpaceX employees
• Perform work, such as quality audits and product assurance assessments, in the SpaceX factory to support NASA civil servants and contractors
• Evaluate hardware nonconformances and hardware design changes as requested by the Commercial Crew Program
• Work in a fast-paced, rapidly changing, open-office environment, to react quickly to changing requirements and schedules, and to provide products of consistent high quality
• Communicate effectively and be able to summarize and present analysis findings to both Aerospace and NASA Senior Staff
• Operate under the direction of Government personnel, the Aerospace Task lead, or other contractors placed in leadership positions within the team as the situation demands
• Effectively work multiple projects simultaneously

What You Need to be Successful – Senior Member of Technical Staff, Systems Engineering

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor's of Science in Engineering or Science
• 4 or more years of forward-moving related engineering/scientific experience, including multi-disciplinary systems engineering and/or program management environments
• Experience with aerospace hardware and systems (launch vehicle and/or spacecraft)
• Strong initiative, excellent oral and written communication skills
• This position requires ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance, which is issued by the US government. U.S citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance.

In addition to the above, the Project Engineer - Systems Engineering would require the following:

• 8 or more years of forward-moving related engineering/scientific experience, including multi-disciplinary systems engineering and/or program management environments
• Experience demonstrating the ability to build, organize and lead technical teams and manage their performance
• Domain expertise with launch vehicle and/or spacecraft hardware
• Extensive knowledge of aerospace hardware and systems

How You Can Stand Out

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

• MS or higher in Engineering or Science
• Domain expertise with propulsion, structures and/or manufacturing
• Experience with SpaceX IT systems (Jira, DataX and WARP Drive)
• Familiarity with the Falcon 9 launch vehicle and/or Dragon spacecraft
• Previous experience supporting NASA or government programs
• Prior experience performing program leadership tasks and working directly with government counterparts

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)

$100,300 - $175,900

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.