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, the United States Space Force, the Department of the Air Force, the Missile Defense Agency, U.S. 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.
This key leadership position is responsible for the leadership, management, technical direction and operations of the Strategic and Global Awareness Directorate also known as Project West Wing (PWW). Project West Wing is the technical intelligence center of excellence within the Aerospace Corporation responsible for providing technical intelligence research, strategic studies, operational and acquisition intelligence support to U.S. Government customers in the national defense, intelligence and civil sectors. PWW focuses predominantly on global space, counterspace, missile and other strategic weapon delivery capabilities as well as global futures and critical enabling technologies and applications.
This is an on-site position to located at the Los Angeles Air Force Base in El Segundo, California or Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio.
What You’ll Be Doing
- Provide leadership direction for effective strategic and tactical positioning of organization and its activities to ensure global technical relevance and maximum customer support across the intelligence community agencies, US government organizations, and organizations across Aerospace.
- Provide technical and strategic business guidance and direction to the overall portfolio of intelligence and threat research and support activities assigned to the directorate.
- Ensure the technical quality and rigor of technical analyses, products, and counsel.
- Manage the critical enabling relationship with the PWW anchor customer, SSC/S-2 and develop new customer relationships while ensuring sustainment of existing customer relationships, both external and internal to Aerospace.
- Manage the business activities of the directorate (budgets, facilities, security, secure data processing and secure communications, etc.).
- Ensure the recruitment, retention, and development of a diverse technical intelligence and support staff consistent and appropriate to the directorate’s mission and accountabilities.
Minimum Requirements
What You Need to be Successful
- Bachelor’s degree in science, mathematics, or engineering discipline
- 12 or more years of technical, intelligence, or engineering experience with three years or more experience as a manager
- Proven functional awareness of major global technical threats
- Demonstrated strategic business focus
- Strong verbal and written communication skills
- Organizational leadership experience leading a diverse team of technical professionals
- Willing to travel domestically approx. 2-days per month
- This position requires a current SSBI and possess (or be immediately eligible for) a Top Secret SCI clearance and access, which is issued by the US government. US citizenship is required to receive a security clearance.
How You Can Stand Out
It would be impressive if you have one or more of the following:
- Master’s degree in science, mathematics, or engineering discipline
- Experience with space-related threat intelligence matters
- Experience with technical intelligence collection, research, and analysis
- Experience with multiple Intelligence Community agencies and organizations
- Experience with business leadership and management of a business unit or organization
- Demonstrated ability to professionally engage with customers and U.S. Government personnel
- Demonstrated creative technical and managerial problem solving under stressing conditions
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 - Mid - Max)
$146,090 - $239,747 - $333,403
Pay Basis: Annual
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 ieo.mailbox@aero.org. You can also review Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal, as well as the Pay Transparency Policy Statement.