Principal Director - Space C2

About this role

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.

The Defense Systems Group (DSG) provides analysis-based decision support to senior leaders on space architectures, policy and strategy, technology development, warfighter capability enablers, systems integration, defense industrial base, and threat reduction to help shape existing and future space missions across the national security space (NSS) enterprise. DSG is unique at Aerospace as it not only directly supports major customers, including the U.S. Space Force, U.S. Space Command, Air Force Material Command, and senior leadership at the Pentagon, but also provides a broad range of technical support across the national space enterprise, maintaining vertical responsibilities with customers’ portfolios as well as horizontal, matrixed responsibilities across the corporation. Additionally, DSG provides deep technical expertise to the Space Force Space Systems Command (SSC) in the conception, design, acquisition, launch and operations of satellite, launch vehicle, ground control, and range systems.

Battle Management, Command, Control, Communications, and Space Intelligence (BMC3I) is responsible for advancing operational and tactical capabilities in the space domain while leading the modernization and sustainment of the Satellite Control Network (SCN). Their mission is to deliver advanced, resilient, and integrated systems that strengthen space operations and enhance decision-making across the enterprise. This includes modernizing infrastructure and networks to support tactical operations and equipping leaders with the tools to employ space effects with greater precision, agility, and speed.

This requisition seeks an experienced and highly motivated candidate to provide technical and programmatic leadership as a Principal Director in the Enterprise Ground Division in support of the Space C2 elements of the BMC3I portfolio.  The Principal Director is responsible for leading the Aerospace efforts to support BMC3I, including systems engineering, architecture planning, developing capability delivery roadmaps, engagements with various customers and users, and acquisition planning and execution.  The selected candidate will apply leadership and acquisition expertise to ensure needed capabilities are translated and applied to acquisition and development efforts, promoting integration of pioneering technology and rapid acquisition efficiencies. 

The selected candidate will be required to work full-time, on-site at our facility in El Segundo, CA.  

What You’ll Be Doing • Lead Aerospace efforts in alignment with BMC3I customer needs in software and hardware development & transition to operations, including mission processing, command and control, and TT&C.  Direct organization resources and operation to respond effectively to those needs. • Lead a team driving multiple levels integration across the whole portfolio of BMC3I by influencing the design of data feeds, software integration patterns, platforms, and networks to bring integrated solutions to the warfighters.  • Provide technical advisement to government officials and Aerospace leaders through the development of courses of action, developing potential plans and strategies, and facilitating technical discussions across government, FFRDC/UARCs, and contractor teams.   • Lead organization in setting strategy, goals, and expectations; developing, mentoring, and driving engagement of staff, identification and retention of talent. • Conduct budget planning and allocation of resources, including identifying and hiring to fill needed positions and coordinating ETG support. • Maintain effective working relationships with customer leadership, contractors, ETG and other supporting contractors.

What You Need to be Successful Minimum Requirements for Principal Director: • Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university in a STEM field or equivalent area. • 12 or more years of experience including experience in the acquisition and development of space mission ground/software intensive systems, and/or experience in the development of modeling and simulation capabilities. • 3 or more years of people management experience and the ability to perform resource planning, staffing, coaching and mentoring, and performance and development of team. • Experience with building, leading, and maintaining integrated multidisciplinary mixed government, SE&I, SETA and FFRDC teams. • Experience solving integration challenges between programs • Experience delivering results by influencing key stakeholders • Experience working through complex engineering challenges which have both technical and political contributions. • Experience with processes associated with a government system acquisition and lifecycle. • Excellent social skills enabling effective communication with customers, direct reports, colleagues, and senior management. • Willingness to travel to customer or contractor facilities as required (approximately 20%) • Active Top Secret / SCI clearance with ability to obtain Special Access (SAP) and maintain clearance, issued by the US government . U.S citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance.

How You Can Stand Out It would be nice if you had one or more of these: • Advanced academic degree in systems engineering, electrical engineering, computer science, computer engineering, or a related engineering or scientific field • Proficiency in C2 ground systems and operations is strongly desired

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