Sr. Ground System Engineer

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 Ground Systems Engineer (
** Senior Project Engineer - Systems Engineering)
** in the Space Rapid Capabilities Directorate within the Agile Acquisition Division will support the development and integration of a critical ground system for the Space Rapid Capabilities Office (SpRCO). The SpRCO is rapidly developing and fielding highly classified critical space capabilities for the space enterprise. The Ground Systems Engineer will actively participate in all phases of the ground development to ensure operationally dominant space capabilities are delivered at the speed of war fighting relevance.

This includes technical support for vehicle to ground system integration, development of command and control services, providing engineering support and contractor oversight of the acquisition, development of evolving system architectures to support operations testing, readiness, and on-orbit operations.

The selected candidate will be required to work full-time, on-site at our facility at Kirtland AFB in Albuquerque, NM.
** What You’ll Be Doing
*** Coordinate with Government, SETA, and contractor teams to field a critical ground system
* Support program reviews, design, development, test, and transition to operations efforts
* Understand and ensure implementation of requirements for ground system design, mission concept of operations, prototype and test, initial flight checkout, flight operations, and operational transition support
* Provide mission assurance and assist with ground architecture development and integration efforts in a commercial cloud environment
* Identify risk areas and mitigation efforts to meet mission objectives
* Work closely with Program Manager (O-5)
* Solicit and oversee members of the Aerospace Engineering Technical Group (ETG) to employ their expertise on critical problems the local program office may find difficult to solve
* Routinely present status updates to Senior Material Leaders (O-6) and Space SpRCO Director (SES-2)
* Interface with multiple government agencies to provide capability to the warfighter
** What You Need to be Successful
*** Minimum Requirements - Senior Project Engineer - Systems Engineering:
** BS degree in engineering, mathematics, physical sciences, or related STEM field is required
* Space experience is required (satellite ground development and operations)
* 12 or more years of progressively responsible experience in systems engineering or program management
* Demonstrated ability to work within teams
* Demonstrated ability to work in a highly dynamic Program Office environment with a mix of government, FFRDC,…