Technical Advisor and Systems Engineering Lead

The Defense Systems Group (DSG) provides analysis-based decision support to senior leaders on space architectures, policy and strategy, developmental planning, system of systems engineering, and threat reduction to help shape future space missions across the national security space enterprise. DSG is unique at Aerospace as it not only directly supports major customers, including Air Force Space Command, U.S. Strategic 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.

Within DSG, the Headquarters, United States Space Force Support subdivision provides technical expertise to the United States Space Force Headquarters in support of the Chief & Vice Chief of Space Operations. We are looking for a Technical Advisor and Systems Engineering Lead (Sr. Project Engineer - Enterprise Systems Engineering) to support these efforts. In this role, you will lead systems engineering technical support to the United States Space Force Task Force Futures. You will work alongside the government and Aerospace teams to define future end-to-end architectures and to baseline and define digital engineering infrastructure and processes for the services’ future-oriented activities. This includes integrating concepts, research, prototyping and experimentation, wargaming, and force design into a coherent and consistent enterprise. You also will work with a growing futures support team and reach across Aerospace for technical support to provide valuable expertise on a number of enterprise systems engineering projects, including digital engineering tasks and processes.

Work Model

This is a full-time, on-site position located in Crystal City, VA.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Collaborate and function effectively in an onsite environment with the customer and work with senior Government leaders, the various Aerospace program offices, and the Aerospace Engineering and Technical Group (ETG) to address technical and programmatic issues and provide the customer with the best available technical analyses and recommendations

• Develop, foster, and maintain relationships with field and headquarters offices across the United States Space Force (USSF)

• Be positioned to help address the breadth and depth of Space Force systems engineering and integration challenges and issues, build end-to-end processes and models, and lead data infrastructure development activities

• Deliver results on time-sensitive staff inquiries and provide technical support and assistance with official responses to Congress, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Department of the Air Force, HQ Space Force and the Intelligence Community (IC)

What You Need to be Successful

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, mathematics, science, or other related technical discipline

• 12 years of increasingly responsible professional engineering/scientific experience, including multi-disciplinary systems engineering and/or program management environments

• Experience in systems-of-systems (SoS) engineering and enterprise architecting and model-based system engineering (MBSE) discipline (e.g. Cameo), literature, tools, and processes

• Exposure to and/or substantive knowledge of the breadth and depth of the USSF or national security space enterprise

• Willing to travel domestically on occasion when required by the customer (approx. <10%)

• This position requires a current Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) security clearance, which is issued by the US government. US 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 in engineering, mathematics, science, or other related technical discipline

• Demonstrated examples of innovative and entrepreneurial solutioning

• Demonstrated experience briefing senior Government leaders (General Officer and/or SES)

• Possess a thorough understanding of the roles played by the Office of the Secretary of Defense; the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force; the United States Space Force, U.S. Space Command; the space system program offices; the defense agencies; the Joint Staff; and other government organizations in the acquisition, management, and operation of the national security space enterprise

• Proven ability to work effectively with senior government and military personnel

• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple concurrent projects and comfort with ambiguous tasks

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.