Radar Research and Development Scientist

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 National Systems Group serves as the technical advisor to the Intelligence Community and its mission partners involved in the collection and distribution of national and tactical intelligence, including electronics programs, advanced technologies, ground and communications, imagery programs, and systems engineering and launch.

The Imagery Programs Division (IPD) is looking for a Radar Research and Development Scientist (Senior Project Engineer – Signal & Image Process Engineering) to work on advanced RADAR programs for the Aerospace GEOINT Research and Technology Directorate. In this position, you will have an opportunity to lead Aerospace activities that assist Government customers in planning, negotiating, and executing critical technology development activities, experimental programs, and study activities.

You will communicate programmatic and technical issues and provide independent recommendations to Aerospace management, the Government customer and other contractors. As a Senior Project Engineer you must be able to work within Aerospace and across programmatic boundaries to enable Aerospace contributions to the GEOINT and Technology Development enterprise. This position requires 100% on site work in Chantilly, VA.

• Assist the Government GEOINT Research and Technology Office customers in successfully planning, negotiating and executing crucial space system technology development and acquisition decisions.
• Lead analysis and develop recommendations for the customer in support of future RADAR systems and architectures.
• Lead analysis and collaboration on development and implementation of electronic protection across the customer community.
• Communicate programmatic and technical issues and provide independent recommendations to Aerospace management, the Government customer and other contractors.
• Integrate Aerospace activities to focus the strength of the corporation on helping the customer realize future capabilities.
• Serve as advisor and mentor to SETA, Aerospace, and Customer representatives as they learn technical aspects of program execution.
• Identify Aerospace research opportunities to advance the state of art for GEOINT RADAR systems including hardware, applications, supporting methods, and tools.
• Work in a fast-paced environment with many interesting technical challenges that require strategy, critical thinking and collaboration to provide solutions.

• Bachelor’s OR Advanced degree in mathematics, physics, electrical engineering or related technical discipline
• A minimum of 6 years of experience post-bachelor degree (time spent obtaining advanced degree counts toward this)
• Experience with SAR space-based systems
• Familiarity with space system payload and/or vehicle development, from requirements specification through development, manufacturing, testing, verification, and on-orbit operations
• This position requires a current and active TS/SSBI/SCI security clearance, which is issued by the U.S. government.
• U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance.
• A minimum of 12 years of experience
• Experience with signal processing and/or system architecting in the areas of SAR space based systems
• Experience supporting advanced technology requirements development to meet emerging mission needs
• Acquisition experience with verifying and validating contractor designs and approaches

• Experience with other Radar missions such as MTI
• Experience with payload design, build and test
• Experience with Assembly, Integration, and Test (AI&T) of a space vehicle
• Strong experience with the…