Senior Research & Engineering Space Technology Advisor

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.

The Pentagon and Multi-Domain Division provides analysis-based decision support to senior leaders at the highest levels of government on space architectures, polity and strategy, developmental planning, system of system engineering, and threat reduction to help shape the future space missions across the national security space (NSS) enterprise.  As a Senior Research & Engineering Space Technology Advisor to OUSW(R&E)’s Principal Director for Space, you will be part of a small streamlined OSW team that addresses timely, critical analysis required by all elements under the Secretary or War – the analysis and the resulting decisions will inform funding and provide advocacy for capabilities, policies and issues across various mission areas.  You will be counted on to provide independent, deeply technical advisory services that includes evaluation of ongoing government resourcing, acquisitions, and assistance with long-term strategy development.  This is a significant opportunity and one in which the successful candidate will know that they are directly contributing to the National Security Space effort and having a positive impact at the very highest levels of the Department of War. 

The selected candidate will be required to work full-time, on-site at our facility in Crystal City VA.   Potential opportunity exists to work at a different Aerospace location if the candidate has regular, predictable access to SIPR, JWICs, SIC, classified meeting capabilities and TSVOIP

What You’ll Be Doing • Project Engineer for Commercial Space Engagements: Serves as the primary DoD interface for commercial space partnerships, technology assessments, and strategic integration initiatives. Develops frameworks for evaluating and integrating commercial space capabilities into national security architectures. • Leads technical analysis for official correspondence between military services, combat support agencies, the intelligence community, Congress, and the White House on space technology matters, including technology maturation assessments, transition strategies, and capability gap analysis. • Coordinates congressional response actions regarding space technology maturation, transfer, and transition, including preparation of technical briefings, position papers, and testimony support materials. • Develops technical strategies and roadmaps for priority space technology areas including Multi-Orbit Constellations, Beyond GPS/Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) systems, AI/ML for space systems, and emerging commercial space partnerships. • Coordinates with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) review processes and supports technology security assessments for space-related transactions and partnerships. • Conducts comprehensive technical assessments of space systems, architectures, and technology maturation efforts across the DoD space portfolio. • Performs data-driven analysis of system performance metrics, technical risk, and technology readiness levels to inform senior leader decision-making. • Develops architecture decision records (ADRs), technical strategy documents, and analytical reports on space technology trends, capability gaps, and investment priorities. • Provides expert technical translation between engineering teams and senior policy/operational leaders. • Supports technology transfer and transition analysis, identifying pathways from research through operational deployment. • Coordinating with internal/external stakeholders to complete studies, and communicate results • Conferring with engineers and analysts to provide technical advice and to assist with problem resolution as needed as part of study reach back • Providing subject matter expertise analysis of multi-orbit constellations, beyond GPS, novel PNT, OPIR, commercial augmentation, autonomy, artificial intelligence/machine learning, and how novel technology injects would impact these architectures • Provide assessments on a variety of interests from policy to capability, operational considerations to “POM after next” examinations of technology

What You Need to be Successful Minimum Requirements Sr. Project Leader - Systems Engineering: • Bachelor's degree in STEM or space-related equivalent is required • 12 or more years of progressive experience in space systems, aerospace engineering, or related technical fields • 10 or more years of progressively demons

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