Lead Ground Engineer

The Aerospace Corporation - Grand Forks Air Force Base, ND

Full-time

Grand Forks Air Force Base, ND

Transportation Equipment Manufacturing

About the position

The Lead Ground Engineer at The Aerospace Corporation plays a critical role in supporting the Ground Operations and Integration Program for the SDA Tranche-1 satellite network. This position involves providing expertise in ground systems development, systems engineering, and performance evaluation to ensure successful operations of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture. The role requires collaboration with various teams and stakeholders to manage the acquisition and integration of ground systems, ensuring alignment with mission objectives and operational readiness.

Responsibilities

• Support the SDA Tranche-1 Ground Operations and Integration Program Manager on-site at SDA's OC-North.
• Assist with the overall acquisition of the OC-North system and management of the primary contractor.
• Provide day-to-day Ground systems engineering support at OC-North for T1 orbital operations.
• Interface with Operations Center-South counterparts as part of mission planning operations.
• Assist with test planning, execution, evaluation, and implementation of new Ground systems at OC-North.
• Provide Ground systems engineering expertise to guide contract execution and performance assessments.
• Review technical documentation and lead Aerospace Independent Review Teams.
• Employ strategic planning principles across the T1 Ground functions to support planned launch dates and satellite checkouts.
• Apply lessons learned and systems engineering principles to develop the T1 ground system.

Requirements

• A Bachelor of Science degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics field.
• 12 or more years of increasingly responsible and related engineering/scientific experience with satellite Ground systems.
• Knowledge of acquisition processes and willingness to adjust them to support SDA's acquisition efforts.
• Ability to lead, work, and communicate effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated ability to build and lead cross-functional high-performance teams.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Nice-to-haves

• A Masters or PhD degree in a relevant field.
• 15 or more years of experience in Ground systems acquisition and development.
• Knowledge of DoD, IC, Civil, and Commercial missions and technologies.
• Direct experience working with SDA and knowledge of the SDA architecture.

Benefits

• Paid holidays
• Sick time
• 401(k)
• Relocation assistance