Senior C2 Ground Systems Engineer

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.

Information Systems and Cyber Division (ISCD) staff couple the latest in information system technologies, such as elastic compute clouds, containerization, microservices, real-time operating systems, and visualization frameworks, with expertise in cyber security, software architecture, software engineering, data science, Artificial Intelligence,  process improvement, and software development to deliver responsive, resilient, high-performance software intensive systems to our IC, DoD, and civilian customers.

Focusing on the applications of these technologies, the Command, Control, and Communications (C3) Engineering & Operations Department (CEOD) staff provide operationally-focused engineering solutions for space enterprise C3 systems, missions, and processes in support of these We deliver systems engineering support for missions and C2 system development; lead system and software test planning and execution campaigns; support ground system and architecture improvement efforts; influence future electronic warfare, space data transport (SDT), and command and control (C2); provide operational expertise for future systems; and, provide technical and operational experience with fielded space systems and real missions. Do you want to have a positive impact on the present and future space enterprise? Join us as a Test Engineer on the C3 Engineering and Operations Department team at The Aerospace Corporation!

Work Model

Onsite:  This position will be onsite in Aurora, CO.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Serve as senior onsite technical advisor to US Government leadership in acquiring state-of-the-art software applications for radar and electro-optical missions for deployment into a commercial cloud environment
• Lead and orchestrate team of Aerospace domain experts in maturing new technologies, integrating new systems and sensors, and delivering a resilient, responsive ground architecture
• Influence the development of future mission and C2 prototypes and systems
• Support system and software test campaigns, monitor tests, review test artifacts, and provide findings and feedback
• Develop and validate requirements related to current and future ground C2 systems
• Serve as Mission Management and Command & Control Subject Matter Expert (SME) in  modernizing ground systems and architectures for the space enterprise
• Adaptable in mastering new tools and technologies
• Collaborate with an agile team of acquisition professionals and industry software developers to rapidly field new software capabilities in a dynamic mission environment
• Proactively identify new technologies and commercially available capabilities for integration into the framework
• Utilize data analytics to provide insight to current system processes and identify innovative solutions for optimizing system and enterprise performance
• Coordinate with enterprise partners to ensure that user needs are properly understood and satisfied
• Partner with the US Government in formulating acquisition strategies for achieving its architectural vision and in pre-solicitation efforts and source selections to help the government achieve best-value solutions from industry
• Work across space mission and program boundaries to ensure common program challenges and risks are identified, and appropriate teams are assembled to formulate recommendations to address challenges, risks, lessons learned, and engineering best practices
• Communicate effectively with all levels of corporate management through timely reporting of technical issues

What You Need to be Successful

Minimum Requirements for the Senior Engineering Specialist

• Bachelor’s degree in STEM ,  and/or emphasis in disciplines such as  data analytics,
• 12 or more years of increasingly responsible US government acquisition and engineering/scientific experiences with space-related programs
• Familiarity with space systems engineering, satellites, and operations/space craft systems or system data analysis background in a space environment
• Experience in one or more of the following domains:
  • mission command and control or mission processing systems for space systems
  • constellation tasking and optimization
  • geospatial intelligence (GEOINT)
  • US Government acquisitions and/or systems engineering, or software development
• Experience operating in an Agile, DevSecOps, or other modern software development environment
• Experience with data analysis tools (e.g., MATLAB, Advanced Excel, Access, Tableau, Python, SQL, etc.)
• Experience  to analyze technical data, produce innovative insights and conclusions, and effectively communicate results
• Familiar with software systems engineering processes including requirements analysis, system and software design, development, integration and testing, deployment, configuration management,  and documentation
• Demonstrated expertise in leading and coordinating team of engineering professionals
• Willing to travel occasionally to work location or customer sites/domestically approx. 25% if required.
• Active Top Secret security clearance; eligible for SCI and/or SAP/SAR
• This position requires an active Top Secret security clearance; eligible for SCI and/or SAP/SAR
• , 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 (or equivalent) in engineering, mathematics, or technical science, from a recognized institution
• Experience with agile-based software development at scale, agile testing with IV&V for federal contracts, commercial cloud environment, and DevOps pipeline implementation
• Experience or certification in commercial cloud technologies and/or Commercial Cloud Enterprise (C2E)
• Experience with frequent operational deployments to both ground and on-orbit assets
• Knowledge or experience with either proliferated or hybrid satellite architectures
• Expertise with on orbit processing for either autonomous mission management (collision avoidance, proactive scheduling, automatic anomaly recovery) or payload product processing.
• Familiarity with Test Like You Fly (TLYF) architectures with Hardware in the Development Loop (HIDL) and Hardware Out of the Development Loop (HODL) capabilities
• Knowledge or experience with enterprise level testing and integration of complex systems
• Expertise in radar and/or electro optical remote sensing payloads and systems
• Demonstrated software development proficiency in object-oriented programming languages (C++, Java, etc.)
• High level of creativity, initiative, and innovation
• Eligible for SCI and SAP/SAR accesses    

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)

$151,300 - $226,900

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.