Strategic SATCOM Senior Systems Engineering and Integration Engineer Lead

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.

At Aerospace, we are committed to providing an inclusive and diverse workplace for all employees to share in our common passion and aspiration – to carry out a mission much bigger than ourselves.

The Defense Systems Group (DSG) provides analysis-based decision support to senior leaders on space architectures, policy and strategy, developmental planning, system of systems engineering, and threat reduction to help shape future space missions across the national security space enterprise. DSG is unique at Aerospace as it not only directly supports major customers, including Air Force Space Command, U.S. Strategic Command, Air Force Materiel Command, and senior leadership at the Pentagon, but also provides a broad range of services and support across the national space enterprise, maintaining vertical responsibilities with customers but also horizontal, matrixed responsibilities across the corporation.

The ESS Program Office is seeking a highly motivated Sr. Project Leader (Systems Engineering - Acquisition and Systems Engineering) to work within an integrated program office of Space Force, Aerospace, and contractor personnel in support of Evolved Strategic SATCOM (ESS) system acquisition. In the role, you’ll apply engineering expertise in support of systems engineering, integration, and test strategies for prototyping, development, and fielding phases of the program, ensuring synchronization and integration of government, ESS segment contractors, and other strategic collaborators. The candidate will be responsible for tasking, leading program office and ETG SMEs, the customer, and contractors, to ensure technical solutions proposed will meet the needs of the program.

Work Model - The position requires mostly in-office work in Classified environments in our El Segundo, CA location, with the opportunity for occasional telework.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Acts as spokesperson for working group, advising the customer including ESS program leadership in formulating, evaluating, and overseeing understanding of system requirements and system engineering practices.
• Providing insight to Aerospace leadership and the customer on risks, issues, opportunities and associated mitigation strategies and corrective actions.
• Responsible for ensuring successful execution of systems integration efforts between space, ground, and crypto segments of the ESS program.
• Applying systems engineering, requirements, and test & validation standard methodologies to assist the customer in development of acquisition documents required for execution of space, ground, and crypto acquisition efforts.
• Shaping requirements definition for the ESS System including development, coordination, and approval of system capability documents, system requirements documents, and interface control documents.
• Assessing mission trades between segments and products for system-level design reviews to help identify optimal systems architecture designs.
• Maintaining effective working relationships with customer leadership, capability-delivering contractors, ETG and other program office support organizations, including the creation of technical materials and the ability to present to key stakeholders and senior leaders.
• Leading the Aerospace team in the execution of the systems engineering, integration, and test responsibilities, to include the coordination of subject matter experts and the integration of inputs to provide corporate and customer leadership with technical advice.
• Acts as a senior mentor to team members, providing technical guidance to staff in both technical duties and program office responsibilities as well as development insights.
• Providing oversight and management of program staffing budgets, including the identification and recruitment of subject matter experts to support systems acquisition activities.

What You Need to be Successful - Sr. Project Leader (Systems Engineering - Acquisition and Systems Engineering)

• 12 or more years of increasingly responsible relevant professional engineering/scientific experience working across government programs.
• Experience in systems engineering, requirements development, and program acquisition for government programs.
• Track record of leading and communicating with interdisciplinary teams.
• Capability to balance technical detail and broader programmatic perspectives.
• Capacity to operate with agility in high intensity and fast-paced environment with rapidly changing priorities and demanding customer needs.
• Ability to lead and communicate with diverse groups.
• Experience working across government programs in systems engineering, requirements development, and program acquisition.
• Skills in performing risk and schedule assessments.
• Bachelor of Science degree in engineering or science from a recognized institution or a related STEM field.
• Travel to contractor and vendor facilities as required.
• This position requires active Secret clearance, which is issued by the US government. U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance.

How You Can Stand Out

It would be impressive if you have one or more of these:

• Advanced technical degree in engineering, science, physics, or related field.
• Specific experience in satellite communication systems, payload, ground mission planning, and/or command and control systems.
• Understanding of government space system acquisitions processes and procedures.
• Project management experience, including demonstrated ability to perform system-level optimization trades between cost, schedule, performance, and risk.
• MILSATCOM program office experience.
• Familiarity with Aerospace culture and experience coordinating with Engineering & Technology Group (ETG).
• Active TS/SCI clearance or the ability to attain.

We offer a competitive compensation package where you’ll be rewarded based on your performance and recognized for the value you bring to our business. The grade-based pay range for this job is listed below. Individual salaries within that range are determined through a wide variety of factors including but not limited to education, experience, knowledge and skills.

(Min - Max)

$155,900 - $233,000

Pay Basis: Annual

Leadership Competencies

Our leadership philosophy is simple: every employee, regardless of level and role, can demonstrate leadership. At Aerospace, our commitment is our people. To cultivate our talent and ensure that we have a strong pipeline of future leaders, we want individuals who:

• Operate Strategically
• Lead Change
• Engage with Impact
• Foster Innovation
• Deliver Results

Ways We Reward Our Employees

During your interview process, our team will provide details of our industry-leading benefits.

Benefits vary and are applicable based on Job Type. A few highlights include:

• Comprehensive health care and wellness plans
• Paid holidays, sick time, and vacation
• Standard and alternate work schedules, including telework options
• 401(k) Plan — Employees receive a total company-paid benefit of 8%, 10%, or 12% of eligible compensation based on years of service and matching contributions; employees are immediately eligible and vested in the plan upon hire
• Flexible spending accounts
• Variable pay program for exceptional contributions
• Relocation assistance
• Professional growth and development programs to help advance your career
• Education assistance programs
• An inclusive work environment built on teamwork, flexibility, and respect

We are all unique, from diverse backgrounds and all walks of life, yet one thing bonds all of us to each other—the belief that we can make a difference. This core belief empowers us to do our best work at The Aerospace Corporation.

Equal Opportunity Commitment

The Aerospace Corporation is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. We believe that a diverse workforce creates an environment in which unique ideas are developed and differing perspectives are valued, producing superior customer solutions. 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, 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. If you’re an individual with a disability or a disabled veteran who needs assistance using our online job search and application tools or need reasonable accommodation to complete the job application process, please contact us by phone at 310.336.5432 or by email at . You can also review Know Your Rights : Workplace Discrimination is Illegal, as well as the Pay Transparency Policy Statement .