Sr. Systems Engineer – Enterprise Systems Engineering and Integration Advisor

About the position

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. Aerospace serves as the technical and programmatic advisor to the Director of Program Assessment & Evaluation (SAF/AE) responsible for advising the Department of the Air Force (DAF) Senior Leadership Team (top 6 to include Secretary and Under Secretary of the Air Force, the Chief of Space Operations (CSO) and Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force (CSAF) and the Vice Chief of Space Operations (VCSO) and the Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force (VSCAF)) to assess program and plan funding across three future years defense plans (FYDP), 15 years, while evaluating the readiness and risk across air, space and cyber. The Directorate works synchronously with the Office of Secretary of Defense (OSD) and DAF processes, and asynchronously to support decision making ensure quality information flows under constraints of time, budget and threat while maintaining focus on the priorities of the Senior Leadership Team. PA&E also assesses trends and overall health of the DAF now and in the future with the overall end state to provide year over year consistent messaging with OSD Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation (CAPE) and Congress with defendable resource allocation decisions across the air, space and cyber. In addition to directly supporting senior leadership at the Pentagon, Aerospace also provides a broad range of services and support across the national space enterprise, maintaining vertical responsibilities with government customers but also horizontal, matrixed responsibilities across the corporation. This position is for a Senior Project Leader providing systems engineering technical support to the Program Assessment and Evaluation Director in the Directorate of Program Assessment & Evaluation (SAF/AE). The selected candidate needs to have flexibility serving temporarily off-site and then transition to on-site in the Summer 2025 timeframe and act as a resource for the Government to explore and assess various strategically focused mission concepts.

Responsibilities

• Serve as integrator leader and/or coordinator on a customer’s federated CRA team (government, FFRDCs, SETAs).
• Shape and evolve customer’s CRA framework to maximize impact for Top 6.
• Represent customer’s organization during all levels of product development, and coordination.
• Lead turn synthesis efforts for red (adversary) and blue (US) risk assessments for focus areas identified by the customer.
• Form risk mitigation responses and recommendations using analytic tasks, studies, and other solution-oriented activities.
• Collaborate and function effectively (either on-site or off-site per the customer’s direction) with the customer and work with senior Government leaders, contractors (FFRDCs/SETA), other government agencies, the various Aerospace program offices, and the Aerospace Engineering and Technical Group (ETG) to support CRA efforts.
• Develop, foster and maintain relationships with acquisition, analysis, intelligence, and engineering offices within the DAF.
• 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).
• Provide mentoring and guidance to technical professionals within and outside of department / across the organization.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, mathematics, science, or other discipline.
• Minimum of 12 years of increasingly responsible professional engineering/scientific experience, including multi-disciplinary systems engineering and/or program management environments.
• Proactive leader and strategic thinker.
• Familiarity with risk assessment frameworks.
• Possess excellent interpersonal skills and well adept at oral and written communication.
• Ability to engage and coordinate across multi-disciplinary engineering competencies and teams.
• Willing to travel domestically on occasion when required by the customer (approx. <10%).
• Proactive nature: self-starter; ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively collaborate across all aspects/functions/capabilities of the Aerospace Corporation through ETG and program office reach back coordination.
• Proven ability to work effectively with senior government, military personnel, co-located FFRDC, and SETA contractors.
• Exceptional time-management skills with the ability to manage multiple concurrent projects.
• Flexibility with work location and adjust to customer’s needs (on-site/off-site).
• This position requires a current Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) special access programs security clearance which is issued by the US government.
• U.S citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance.

Nice-to-haves

• Led multi-disciplinary teams.
• Conducted risk assessments.
• Offense and Defense Space Operations Experience.
• Familiarity with ABIDES.
• Advanced degree in engineering, mathematics, science, or other related technical discipline.
• Exposure to and/or substantive knowledge of the breadth and depth of ETG's technical capabilities and customer base, for example: DAF, USSF, DOD, ODNI, NGA, and/or NRO.
• 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.

Benefits

• 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.