Sr. Warfighting Readiness and Requirements 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.

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.

This position is for a thought leader who will directly support Space Training and Readiness Command (STARCOM) and assist in the development of a USSF exercise ecosystem aimed at building Guardian readiness across the echelons of command.  The successful candidate will be able to provide experience-based technical expertise for the development of gap analysis and requirements to support rapid prototyping and long-term acquisition of USSF Operational Test and Training Infrastructure (OTTI).  Technical analysis, technical depth, and experience with training and warfighting planning and operations required. Expertise with enterprise or system of system approaches to test and training will be extremely helpful.  The effort will include identification, development, and recommendation of capability needs for guardian training, exercises, wargames and enterprise test campaigns.  The successful candidate will work collaboratively with USSF and operational partners to complete thoughtful requirements analysis and documentation. 

The selected candidate will be required to work full-time, on-site at our facility in Colorado Springs, CO.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Leveraging your in-depth technical knowledge to translate combatant command mission requirements into meaningful training and exercise experiences to build space warfighter readiness in support of STARCOM
• Coordinate large-scale technical efforts across program/project lines, synchronizing support from space domain experts, technical specialists, system subject matter experts, and analysts across Aerospace's enterprise to meet exercise objectives and customer needs.
• Define and implement standardized Aerospace processes for exercise support, including requirements identification, resource coordination, technical support organization, and knowledge capture to ensure consistent, high-quality delivery across exercises.
• Serve as principal technical representative to customers during exercise planning conferences (CDC, IPC, MPC, FPC) and execution, coordinating Aerospace's participation in Master Scenario Event List (MSEL) development, Intelligence Scripting Working Groups, and exercise control planning.
• Support planning and execution of USSF service-level exercises and Combatant Command (CCMD) joint exercises, providing technical expertise on space capabilities, systems integration, operational concepts, and emerging technologies to enhance exercise realism and training value.
• Lead exercise evaluation and assessment activities, documenting observations, lessons learned, and technology gaps to inform Aerospace's technical planning, capability development, and future exercise support strategies.
• Coordinate appropriate space domain expertise across mission areas including space superiority, positioning/navigation/timing, missile warning, environmental monitoring, satellite communications, intelligence/surveillance/reconnaissance, and Battle Management Command and Control (BMC2).
• Identify requirements for live, virtual, constructive capabilities to enable space domain warfighting replication across all echelons of command.
• Provide detailed technical expertise to support gap analysis and identification of requirements. 
• In addition to generating requirements, the successful candidate will contribute to the USSF assessment enterprise to inform service level readiness.

What You Need to be Successful

Minimum Requirements for Senior Project Engineer - Enterprise Systems Engineering:

• Bachelor’s degree in science, mathematics, or engineering discipline
• Ten or more years of progressively responsible professional experience applicable to the position
• Deep understanding of the Joint Training System and Joint Event Life Cycle, including exercise planning processes, training objectives development, Master Scenario Event List creation, and exercise evaluation/assessment methodologies.
• Prior military experience with direct involvement in exercise planning, execution, or evaluation at the tactical, operational, or strategic level.
• Functional knowledge of USSF warfighting capabilities, space operations concepts, and the integration of space capabilities into joint all-domain operations.
• Strong understanding of space domain mission areas and the technical systems that provide space capabilities to joint warfighters.
• Proven ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with military customers, senior leaders, and technical staff across organizational boundaries.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, including ability to develop briefings and reports for senior military and civilian leadership.
• Strong initiative and ability to identify problems, recommend courses of action, and drive solutions independently.
• Experience with developing or managing joint requirements and related processes
• This position requires a current SSBI and an active Top Secret/SCI security clearance and access, issued by the US government with active CI Poly
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally approximately 25%

How You Can Stand Out

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

• Education and/or experience with Operations Research or Data Science
• Experience with digital training, wargaming capabilities
• Expertise with lessons learned and unit evaluation programs
• Deep technical experience with one or more specific USSF capability area
• Experience and understanding of the USSF approach to warfighting
• Experience as a member of a battle staff in an operations center
• Experience leading tactical or operational planning teams
• Experience and understanding of the USSF approach to warfighting
• Advanced degree in engineering, mathematics, science, computer science, or other technical discipline
• Familiarity with Air Force/Army/ National Security Space enterprise architecture 
• Experience working large, complex issues and the ability to break down problems into meaningful steps to accomplish with a team

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.