DIRECTOR - Space Object Risk Department

Lead the Team Ensuring Safe Operations in an Increasingly Contested Space Environment 

The space domain has never been more crowded or complex. Tens of thousands of tracked objects orbit Earth. Mega-constellations are launching at unprecedented rates. Debris events threaten critical assets. Every decision about operating safely in space depends on rigorous risk assessment and mitigation analysis. 

The Aerospace Corporation is a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC) providing technical expertise to the nation's space programs. We deliver innovative solutions across satellite, launch, ground, and cyber systems for defense, civil, and commercial customers. 

The Opportunity 

The Mission Operations Subdivision seeks a Director for our Space Object Risk Department (SORD). Lead a world-class team of orbital analysts, debris modeling experts, and space domain awareness specialists who assess and mitigate hazards across the entire space environment. 

Partner directly with DoW, Intelligence Community, NASA, FAA, FCC, and commercial space operators to develop data-driven insights, risk assessments, and mitigation strategies that enable safe, sustainable operations in an increasingly congested and contested domain. 

As Director, you'll shape the strategic vision for national space safety capabilities, drive technical innovation in risk assessment methodologies, and mentor the next generation of experts while bridging defense, intelligence, civil, commercial, and international communities. 

Work Model 

Full-time position, minimum four days per week onsite based in Chantilly, VA; Colorado Springs, CO; or El Segundo, CA. 

What You'll Be Doing 

Strategic Leadership 

• Develop and execute strategic vision for a multi-location department managing 30+ technical staff and managers 

• Position department as the technical authority in space object risk assessment and partner with customers to deliver innovative solutions 

• Formulate business strategies alongside Engineering and Technology Group partners in critical domains such as collision and electromagnetic risk assessment, debris forensics, space traffic management enterprise modeling, and cataloging process improvement 

• Advise Aerospace leadership on technical investments and organizational strategies for space safety and sustainability 

Technical Innovation 

• Drive excellence across launch and on-orbit risk assessment, debris event analysis and forensics, long-term debris environment evolution, and disposal/reentry analysis 

• Infuse AI/ML into catalog creation and prediction, risk assessment, and debris modeling techniques to transform space domain awareness and collision prediction mitigation 

• Advance space environment data aggregation through corporate data repositories 

• Collaborate across organizations to integrate space object risk assessment with flight dynamics, mission operations, and multi-disciplinary systems analysis 

Business Development & Customer Engagement 

• Cultivate relationships across defense agencies, intelligence organizations, civil space agencies, regulatory bodies, and commercial operators 

• Drive business development and capture planning for organizational growth in core department areas 

• Represent the department at customer engagements, regulatory forums, corporate events, and technical conferences 

Team Development 

• Lead workforce development including recruiting, hiring, mentoring, and retention strategies 

• Manage department resources including staffing, facilities, and classified IT infrastructure 

• Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and technical excellence 

What You Need to be Successful (Minimum Requirements) 

• Bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering, physics, mathematics, statistics, or related STEM field 

• 10+ years of progressively responsible technical experience in orbital mechanics, space traffic management, collision risk assessment, debris modeling, or space domain awareness 

• Proven leadership experience managing technical organizations, including staff development, performance evaluation, strategic planning, and R&D portfolio development 

• Demonstrated success building partnerships across organizations 

• Business development acumen with proven track record of expanding customer relationships 

• Exceptional communication skills to influence senior government officials, regulatory bodies, industry partners, and internal stakeholders 

• Experience managing distributed teams across multiple geographic locations 

• Strategic thinking to synthesize complex technical, programmatic, and customer needs into actionable vision 

• Collaborative leadership fostering excellence across organizational boundaries 

• Willingness to travel domestically based on organizational and customer needs 

• Current TS/SCI and/or TS/SAP access 

How You Can Stand Out 

Academic Excellence 

• Advanced degree (Master's or Ph.D.) in aerospace engineering, astronautics, applied mathematics, statistics, or related field 

Technical Depth 

• Deep expertise in collision probability assessment, debris breakup modeling, long-term debris environment evolution, space object catalog analysis 

• Knowledge of AI/ML applications for risk prediction, automated conjunction screening, and space traffic coordination 

• Experience with space environment databases, orbit determination, covariance modeling, or sensor performance analysis 

Mission Experience 

• Operational experience supporting conjunction assessment, debris event response, launch collision avoidance, or space traffic coordination decision-making 

• Experience with space policy development, regulatory compliance assessment, or international space sustainability initiatives