Principal Director - Cyber & Space Assurance

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 Aerospace Corporation’s Space Architectures and Integration Division (SAID) supports the Space Systems Integration Office (SSIO), providing the technical expertise needed to conduct mission engineering and integration to ensure end-to-end effectiveness of complex systems-of-systems architectures.  SAID is seeking a strategic, innovative, and driven Principal Director to lead the Cyber & Space Assurance subdivision, as the principal trusted agent to Department of Defense customers. In this role, you will lead a specialized team focused on ensuring the security, regulatory compliance, and mission resilience of critical national security systems.  The organization primarily supports the Space Systems Integration Office (SSIO) Enterprise Capabilities Division (SSC/BZZ), providing elite technical management and advisory oversight across cyber, cryptography, digital engineering, secure supply chain, and advanced aerospace domains including space debris mitigation and spectrum management.

In addition to SSIO, the organization provides technical support to the Space Systems Command CIO (SSC/S6) for Data/Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cyber needs. 

The Principal Director will manage resources and staffing while coordinating activities across multiple organizations, including Government personnel, Aerospace, SETA, SE&I, and development contractors. The selected candidate must proactively support customers and cultivate productive relationships in a fast-paced multi-organizational environment.

This position requires 100% on-site work in El Segundo, California.  

What You’ll Be Doing

• Lead and manage Aerospace support to the SSIO Enterprise Capabilities Division and other SSC/S6, including personnel from the Engineering Technology Group and other program offices
• Provide senior technical guidance within teams of Government, Aerospace, support contractors, and other FFRDC personnel to monitor program efforts, identify and resolve technical and performance integration risks/issues 
• Provide systems engineering and subject matter expert support to space system cybersecurity, defensive cyber operations, cryptographic capability integration, orbital debris and spectrum management
• Provide proactive support to customers to identify high value work for the organization, translate customer requests into technical priorities and plan and manage the team accordingly
• Drive Digital Modernization: Advise customers on the migration of systems of systems engineering (SoSE) workflows into high-performance, secure Cloud environments (IL4 to IL6/TS) and the integration of AI/ML capabilities
• Lead the organization in digital transformation initiatives, collaborating across the division in the governance and implementation of Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) for mission integration
• Lead and sponsor activities in collaboration with ETG to advance capabilities to fill gaps in space systems cybersecurity and encryption, supply chain and spectrum management and debris analysis

What You Need to be Successful

Minimum Requirements:

• Minimum 13 years of progressively demonstrated management and technical experience, including cyber systems engineering
• Bachelor's degree in engineering, science, mathematics or equivalent discipline
• Experience managing or advising on digital engineering ecosystems, including authoritative source of truth data environments, MBSE tools or AI Platforms
• Knowledge of operational mission analysis, Joint Force Doctrine on Cyberspace Operations, DoD cybersecurity policies, NSA cryptographic approval processes, and/or Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA)
• Previous people management experience and the ability to perform resource planning, staffing, coaching and mentoring, and performance and development of team.
• Demonstrated experience with building, leading, and maintaining integrated multidisciplinary mixed government, SE&I, SETA and FFRDC teams with diverse skills mix
• Demonstrated experience working across organizations and leading teams; success as a relationship builder, complex problem solver, deep critical thinker, mentor, and coach
• Demonstrated technical leadership, mature judgement and strong interpersonal skills
• Excellent social skills enabling effective communication and relationship building with customers, direct reports, colleagues, and senior management.
• Ability to travel as required (approx. 20%)
• Active Top Secret / SCI clearance with ability to obtain Special Access (SAP) and maintain clearance, 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:

• 15 or more years of progressively responsible professional engineering/scientific experience
• Advanced technical degree in engineering, science or math
• Previous Aerospace management experience
• Prior management role in direct support of a government customer in program office
• Knowledge and experience with government or commercial cybersecurity ops center operations
• Familiarity with the unique challenges of deploying workloads and Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) frameworks within defense networks
• Space & RF Spectrum: Familiarity with ITU (International Telecommunication Union) filing processes, NTIA regulations, or space domain awareness (SDA) / space debris compliance frameworks

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)

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 various 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 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, 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 [email protected] . You can also review Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal.