Technical Product Lead; Project Engineer​/Sr. Project Engineer

We are seeking a Technical Product Lead to take ownership of STARS 2.0, our cloud‑based software platform that hosts mission‑critical applications for launch engineering and mission assurance work. Reporting directly to the Systems Director of the STARS Mission Operations Center, this individual‑contributor will serve as the bridge between program leadership, end users, and our technical team of approximately 10 engineers.

• Own the end‑to‑end reliability and performance of the STARS 2.0 platform.
• Monitor system health and proactively address technical debt.
• Lead release review board meetings and oversee the software release process, with authority to veto releases that threaten platform stability or fail to meet process requirements.
• Run weekly wargame sessions and actively contribute to product team meetings.
• Gather feedback from launch engineers and end users, translating it into clear requirements, epics, and technical tasks.
• Triage and prioritize incoming tasks, bugs, and feature requests on a day‑to‑day basis.
• Collaborate with the Systems Director to establish annual platform goals, strategic roadmap, and budget priorities.
• Partner with the Project Manager to ensure the team adheres to established software development processes.
• Act as the liaison between the technical team, program office, and customers, facilitating communication and alignment.
• Support live mission operations, including availability outside of normal business hours as needed.
• Identify and implement structural and process improvements for both the platform and technical team.
• Coordinate rapid response when production issues arise, working with the team to implement fixes.
• Travel occasionally to launch sites (at least annually) to meet with stakeholders and field teams.

• Bachelor’s of Science degree in an applicable STEM area or related discipline.
• 6+ years of software engineering experience, preferably with mission‑critical platforms such as STARS
  2.0.
• 2+ years in a product ownership or technical lead role managing product roadmaps and delivering on strategic goals.
• Hands‑on experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP).
• Working knowledge of data platforms and architectures.
• Experience with Dev Ops practices, CI/CD pipelines, and automated testing frameworks.
• Proficiency with test‑driven development practices.
• Understanding of microservices architecture and distributed systems.
• Experience working in a program office or cross‑functional environment.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to translate technical concepts for non‑technical stakeholders.
• Proven ability to navigate competing priorities, negotiate trade‑offs, and work autonomously while knowing when to escalated issues.
• Experience gathering user requirements and working directly with customers and end users.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance; US citizenship is required.

• 10+ years of software engineering experience, preferably with mission‑critical platforms such as STARS
  2.0.
• 3+ years in a product ownership or technical lead role.
• Deep expertise with cloud platforms, including architectural design decisions and cost optimization strategies.
• Demonstrated experience leading incident response, implementing reliability improvements, and establishing best practices for Dev Ops, CI/CD, and automated testing across teams.

Full‑time, on‑site at the Aerospace Technical Campus in ElSegundo, CA.

• Comprehensive health care and wellness plans.
• Paid holidays, sick time, and vacation.
• Standard and alternate work schedules, including telework options.
• 401(k) plan with company match.
• Flexible spending accounts.
• Variable pay program for exceptional contributions.
• Relocation assistance.
• Professional growth and development programs.
• Education assistance programs.

The Aerospace Corporation is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, color, religion, genetic information, marital status, ancestry, national origin, protected veteran status, physical disability, medical condition, mental disability, or disability status and any other characteristic protected by state or federal law.

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All content is accurate as of the date of posting and is subject to change at the discretion of the company.