Spaceflight, Airborne, Ground Hardware Project Manager

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 Aerospace Corporation’s Experiment Lab, xLab, develops prototypes, instruments, pathfinders, and demonstration systems to address our customers’ hardest problems at the speed of need. We engage with our customers to conceptualize innovative solutions and deliver impactful products for ground and space and everything in between. We are looking for engineers with a passion for design, a commitment to teamwork and a desire to help xLab make a difference to today’s challenges.  

As the Spaceflight, Airborne, Ground Hardware Project Manager you will be responsible for the planning and execution of hardware build projects. S/he will lead and work with multi-functional, cross-organizational teams to design, build, test and operate complex space science sensors and small satellite systems. This role requires innovative problem-solving abilities to develop and shape laboratory and research strategies, enable growth of new business, manage laboratory resources and team to reflect the research strategy, and lead this premier organization in continuing technology transition of impactful solutions for the benefit of the broader space community. 

Work Model: Regular onsite work and remote flexibility as the business needs allow. 

What You’ll Be Doing 

• As part of a project leadership team, which includes the project Principal Investigator and Projects Systems Engineer, the Project Manager is responsible for the timely delivery of specific project deliverables in accordance with project requirements (technical, cost & schedule) 

• Manage multiple projects through all phases of development: Proposal, Concept, Requirements, Design, Build, Assembly, Integration and Test (AI&T), Delivery, Launch, Post Launch, Etc. 

• Work with project teams to ensure work is performed in accordance with mission/project requirements, planned budgets, schedules and program risk posture 

• Manage road-blocks, work-arounds and unexpected events on projects to maintain optimal technical, cost and schedule performance 

• Create and maintain strong working relationships and lines of communication with both internal/external customers and other team member organizations. 

• Work with assigned teams to develop project cost and schedule plans for new business proposals; work with Aerospace estimating and contracts teams to ensure compliant submission of new business proposals. 

What You Need to be Successful - Project Leader

Minimum Requirements: 

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited program in an applicable discipline is required

• Eight or more years of related increasingly responsible professional experience, including experience in a hardware engineering project management/project leadership role is required

• Experience in team leadership, project planning and project execution 

• Proficient computer skills, especially Microsoft Office Applications 

• Experience with Microsoft project or other project management tools desirable 

• Willingness to occasionally travel and to work off-business hours to support customer needs, approximately 10% (as required)

• This position requires ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance, which is issued by the U.S. government. U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance 

What You Need to be Successful - Senior Project Leader

Minimum Requirements: 

• All the above requirements

• Extensive experience in team leadership, project planning and project execution

• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with internal stakeholder and external customers 

• Twelve or more years of related increasingly responsible professional engineering/scientific experience, including multidisciplinary systems engineering and/or program management environments is required

How You Can Stand Out 

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