System Concepts Optimization Engineering Manager

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. 

Are you excited to lead a team applying innovative optimization techniques to spacecraft and orbit design to solve problems of national importance? If so, we would love to have you as the next System Concepts Optimization Engineering Manager within the Space Enterprise Design and Optimization Department (SEDOD) in EED’s Enterprise Design Subdivision (EDS). We bring to bear expertise in a wide variety of fields to tackle tough problems and explore novel ideas, directly impacting the future of the space enterprise. We primarily focus on the modeling, analysis, and optimization of orbits, architectures, satellite access, and space system performance. We are searching for someone to lead a team of engineers, mathematicians, and scientists and grow our department of highly skilled technical specialists. Join us today and become a part of a culture that promotes innovation, growth, and technical excellence! 

As part of SEDOD and EDS, the System Concepts Optimization Engineering Manager will provide managerial leadership and supervision to a team of approximately ten members. They will coordinate support for customers and lead teams performing optimization and constellation design for space and ground concepts, astrodynamics analyses for the Concurrent Design Center (CDC), and general trade space exploration activities. Additionally, they will contribute to technical analyses and help to guide department expansion in these areas. They will also mentor early- and mid-career staff, cultivating growth in technical expertise, project leadership, customer engagement, and communications.  

Work Model: 100% onsite in El Segundo, CA or Chantilly, VA with occasional telecommuting opportunities based on the needs and priorities of the organization.   

What You’ll Be Doing  

• Building and leading teams of multi-discipline analysts, coordinating complex technical tasks among team members, translating customer needs into instructions for analysts and developers, and reviewing work products for quality and accuracy  

• Applying concurrent engineering methods to support the design of space missions at the intersection of constellation design, orbital mechanics, ground systems, and payload development, aiding multidisciplinary teams assessing the technical feasibility of future space missions and new spacecraft concepts  

• Building and maintaining a strong base of customers and collaborators for the section through effective working relationships with colleagues, government customers, and contractor teammates  

• Developing staff through formal and informal performance management, evaluation, mentoring, and coaching  

• Recruiting and on-boarding full-time staff and student interns to maintain an impactful organization in a diverse and equitable environment  

• Cultivating a vision for the section, including identifying opportunities for growth, engaging with customers to facilitate that growth, and developing new capabilities and areas of technical expertise to meet evolving needs  

• Partnering with related ETG departments like the Vehicle and Ground Concepts Department (VGCD) to provide trade space exploration expertise for the rapid design of vehicle and ground concepts 

What You Need to be Successful  

Minimum Requirements:   

• B.S. degree in aerospace, astronautical, or mechanical engineering, physics, mathematics, or a related field of science or engineering  

• Typically six years of relevant and progressive professional experience

• Significant history of consistent contribution to multiple substantial technical, analytical, or development projects through their successful fruition 

• Demonstrated experience leading studies and analysis teams, coordinating complex technical tasks among team members, and translating customer needs into viable instructions for analysts 

• Experience with constellation design, orbital mechanics, or mathematics related to satellite access geometry  

• Knowledge of Python, C, C++, MATLAB, or another programming language  

• A current and active Top Secret/SCI 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   

• Experience with providing live analysis and optimization support during concurrent engineering studies 

• Knowledge of spacecraft or ground station conceptual design 

• Background in one or more of the following areas: space mission design, satellite constellation performance modeling, satellite orbit access analysis, payload/bus design, optimization techniques 

• Prior management or leadership experience in hiring, mentoring, training, or development of personnel