Systems Director – Gen OPIR GEO

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 Materiel 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 Next Gen OPIR program office is seeking an experienced Systems Director to lead the Next Gen OPIR – GEO development and operations. The ideal candidate will possess deep expertise in space vehicle development, integration and test, launch operations, and early orbit checkout, along with strong understanding of space architecture system engineering, space-ground software integration, and space resiliency engineering. This leadership position will direct a multidisciplinary team responsible for the delivery of NGG satellites.

The Systems Director will play a critical role in fielding this essential infrared surveillance capability for missile warning within the national space defense architecture.

The selected candidate will manage a diverse team across multiple worksites including El Segundo, CA, Sunnyvale, CA, and Denver, CO, and will be required to work full-time, on-site at our facility in either El Segundo or Denver.

• Establishing organization objectives to achieve scope, growing and developing the Aerospace team as needed, assigning staff functional responsibilities, and participating with Aerospace management team in budget and resource planning and allocation
• Leading team in enterprise requirements trades and sell-off, program engagement in space enterprise level testing, and mission performance analyses
• Coordinating Aerospace team involvement in anomaly investigations and provide guidance to USSF customers
• Guiding team engagement in support of baseline operational mission and supporting launch and initialization of next generation mission operations

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or a related technical discipline
• Twelve or more years of space system acquisition or systems engineering experience that includes technical leadership
• Understanding of and experience working with a matrixed engineering organization
• Experience with space system engineering-related processes with in-depth knowledge of one or more technical engineering areas
• End-to-end knowledge of space system operations
• Program Office experience working directly with contractors and government customers
  
  This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance, issued by the US government. US citizenship is required to obtain a clearance.

• Proven history supporting the USSF customer
• Ability to collaborate across government and contractor teams
• Record of advising US Government customers at critical decision milestones (technical and/or schedule), including performing risk assessments
• Participati…