Space Domain Awareness and Mission Analyst

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.

Join the Enterprise Effects Division (EED) at The Aerospace Corporation, where we tackle some of the nation's most critical space challenges. Our division integrates strategic capabilities across the national space enterprise, working on everything from concept design to performance assessment of space and space-enabled systems.  

We're   seeking exceptional space professionals to support mission-critical analyses, operational architecture development, and strategic decision support across  space domain awareness, space control, electronic warfare, directed energy effects, advanced sensors,   orbit determination, position, navigation and timing,   and space protection   mission areas. This role combines technical analytical excellence with operational mission   analyses   to support the future of national security space operations.  

As a  Space Domain Awareness & Mission Analyst ,   you'll   provide technical leadership and analytical support across a   wide   range of space security challenges   operating   at the intersection of operators, engineers, intelligence professionals, acquisition stakeholders, and senior government leaders.   You'll   provide technical leadership and analytical support ,   translating complex operational problems into actionable recommendations and decision-quality products   that directly   impact   national security .  

Work Model:  100% on-site in Colorado Springs, CO  

What You'll Do:

Space Domain Awareness & Threat Assessment  

• Analyze sensor systems  – Evaluate electro-optical (EO), infrared (IR), radar, and passive RF sensor concepts and architectures for space surveillance applications  

• Assess terrestrial and space-based sensor architectures supporting space domain awareness missions  

• Evaluate sensor performance, operational coverage, detection capabilities, and tracking accuracy  

• Analyze space surveillance network sensor operations and architecture integration  

• Support assessments of advanced sensor concepts for enhanced space domain awareness  

• Assess threats and build resilience  – Conduct comprehensive risk assessments covering RF interference, optical threats, and counterspace capabilities affecting satellite operations  

• Analyze kinetic threats, debris environments, and collision risks to space assets  

• Evaluate counterspace threat capabilities and their operational impacts on satellite systems  

• Support space protection mission analysis and operational resilience assessments  

• Conduct threat-informed analysis examining contested space environments and emerging threat vectors  

Modeling, Simulation & Analysis  

• Model and simulate  – Use industry-leading tools and custom frameworks to analyze complex space scenarios, including space domain awareness coverage, tracking performance, and threat engagement timelines  

• Develop algorithms and analytical methods to solve emerging space domain challenges  

• Create computer tools and simulations to support space surveillance, space control, and space protection missions  

• Collaborate with modeling and simulation teams to ensure operationally relevant outputs  

• Support mission-thread analysis and operational experimentation for future space capabilities  

Electronic Warfare & Directed Energy Effects  

• Analyze electronic warfare impacts on space systems and ground-based infrastructure  

• Evaluate directed energy effects on satellite operations and space mission capabilities  

• Model RF interference scenarios and assess mitigation strategies  

• Support passive RF collection modeling and analysis for space domain awareness applications  

Leadership & Mission Integration  

• Lead and mentor  – Support technical leads on modeling and simulation efforts while guiding early-career engineers  

• Drive independent studies  – Lead analytical teams and provide expert assessments to government stakeholders  

• Translate complex technical analysis into actionable recommendations for senior decision-makers  

• Support strategic wargames, tabletop exercises, and operational planning activities  

• Serve as technical expert bridging space domain awareness operations with analytical capabilities  

What You Need to be Successful: Engineering Specialist

• Bachelor's degree with  8+ years  of relevant experience in national security space, space operations, missile warning/defense, command and control, or related mission areas.

• Master's degree or PhD in mathematics, engineering, physics, computer science, or related field  

In additional to above for Senior Engineering Specialist:

• Bachelor's degree with  12+ years  of progressively responsible experience in space domain awareness, space control, operational analysis, mission architecture, or force design  

Technical & Mission Skills  

• Experience in Space Domain Awareness (SDA), space control,   space surveillance sensors,   missile warning, missile defense, or command-and-control mission areas  

• Knowledge of electronic warfare and/or directed energy effects  

• Background in modeling, simulation, and analysis  

• Proficiency   in at least one programming language:  Python, MATLAB, C++, Java, C, or FORTRAN  

• Experience developing computer tools, simulations, or interpreting technical analysis outputs  

• Ability to assess operational implications of technical analysis, sensor architecture assessments, and threat

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