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 Systems Engineering Division (SED) offers unparalleled expertise in systems engineering to the U.S. government and various public and private agencies, universities, nonprofit organizations, consortia, and commercial companies involved in the advanced development and application of space systems. From systems CONOPs and architecture development to system design and analysis, mission assurance, cost and schedule assessment, and economic market analysis, SED leverages a vast array of engineering and business disciplines across a diverse and dynamic portfolio of space programs and national challenges spanning the total space system lifecycle.

The Ground Systems Engineering Department (GSED) transforms innovative ground system concepts into operational realities. As trusted leaders in ground systems engineering, we deliver operationally focused solutions for space enterprise C3 systems, mission management, PNT, SATCOM, launch operations, and SIGINT missions supporting Space Systems Command, the National Reconnaissance Office, and the Intelligence Community. GSED leads ground systems and modernization efforts while leveraging deep technical experience and operational expertise to enable mission success across the space enterprise. We are seeking a Senior Ground Systems Engineer to join our team and contribute to the advancement of critical space ground infrastructure and help shape the future of space enterprise ground systems.

The selected candidate will be required to work full-time, on-site at our facility in Chantilly, VA.

What You’ll Be Doing

Analyze and recommend innovative solutions for ground system requirements, software design, acquisition strategies, operations, and sustainment

Establish and implement Agile and DevSecOps development methods and metrics for ground system software modernization

Define comprehensive space-to-ground and ground-to-ground integration plans, including requirements verification and cross-disciplinary coordination with spacecraft systems and flight software teams

Design and develop mission-critical interfaces (organizational, physical, functional, hardware/software, operational) for space ground control systems

Lead and manage engineering teams by defining technical tasking, monitoring deliverables, and ensuring quality of engineering studies, recommendations, and analyses

Develop and analyze system requirements for engineering models, simulations, test beds, special test equipment, and end-to-end integration testing

Provide expert technical guidance to government customers on complex ground system engineering challenges

Apply operational experience and technical expertise to influence future ground system architectures and capabilities

What You Need to be Successful

Minimum Requirements for the Senior Ground Systems Engineer:

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, science or mathematics

Minimum 12 years’ experience with multiple aspects of space ground systems experience such as enterprise integration, space vehicle to ground integration, ground systems development, and new technology insertion into existing systems

Demonstrated technical leadership and strong interpersonal skills required for interacting with peers, internal and external customers, and contractor representatives

Experience with requirements development, traceability, and validation methodologies

Experience with enterprise-level testing and integration of complex systems, including test planning and execution campaigns, test artifact review, and Independent Verification & Validation (IV&V) processes

Experience with ground system operations, sustainment, and integration of mission applications with processing platforms and network infrastructures

Must have demonstrated the ability to clearly define technical tasks, form and lead technical teams

Experience supporting government acquisition strategies, pre-solicitation efforts, and source selections

Ability to work across mission and program boundaries to identify common challenges and formulate recommendations

Experience with mission processing systems, constellation tasking and optimization, or space data transport (SDT)

Knowledge of modern satellite constellation architectures and distributed space systems

An active Top Secret/SCI clearance

How You Can Stand Out

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

Advanced degree in engineering, science or mathematics

Experience with SIGINT and GEOINT mission systems and processing from multiple aspects of space systems integration, such as space-ground-user integration, payloads to spacecraft bus, spacecraft bus integration, ground software to hardware development and new technology insertion into existing space applications (e.g., system requirements, system integration and testing, spacecraft subsystems, manufacturing, test, and/or spacecraft operations

Demonstrated experience of Agile and DevSecOps programs

Experience with Ground as a Service (GaaS) models, cloud-native ground architectures, or commercial ground service implementations

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)

$151,300.00 - $226,900.00
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 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 peoplemangmnt.mailbox@aero.org . You can also review Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal.

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