Commercial Space Futures Office, Project Leader

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 is committed to advancing and accelerating the application of U.S. commercial space capabilities for the benefit of government customers through its Commercial Space Futures Office (CSFO). CSFO is an organization within the Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO) which supports the U.S. space enterprise to maximize U.S. government access to and incorporation of commercial space capabilities and technologies. 

The Commercial Space Futures Office (CSFO) faces three directions at once: internally, as a change agent influencing the Aerospace Corporation’s enterprise; externally, as direct and supplementary decision support to our National Security and Civil space agencies; and externally, as key influencers to the markets driving innovation in the space economy. CSFO actively engages in each direction simultaneously to help shape the future of our National space enterprise. As part of the CSFO team, the CSF Project Lead, Strategy & Analysis will actively work to bridge the gap between commercial industry and government customers, bringing cutting-edge technologies and services to the forefront of National Security and Civil space agencies. With opportunities to work on high-level national security missions and engage with innovative companies, you'll have the chance to make a significant impact on the direction of US and International Allied space ecosystems. 

Work Model

This is a full-time position based in El Segundo, CA; the Greater Washington, DC Metro Area; or Colorado Springs, CO; offering a hybrid work model that combines a minimum of 3 regular onsite workdays with remote flexibility as the business needs allow. Domestic and International travel will be required up to 30% of the time

What You’ll Be Doing

You will be responsible for executing campaigns focused on producing data-driven analyses to guide US Government efforts to identify, mature, and integrate technologies, products, and services from across commercial and the broader Space Innovation Base with clear utility against government use cases. You’ll develop executable plans to close technical gaps to integrate commercial space capabilities and accelerate delivery of useful technology to meet near-term agency needs. You’ll lead multi-disciplinary teams producing these data-driven analyses in order to vector them across the US Government space ecosystem as appropriate to their level of maturity and value to the enterprise. You will:

• Execute relevant commercial space capability/services screening and due diligence campaigns to support DoD, IC and Civil US Government customers and clients. 

• Interface with and support Government interactions with commercial space providers, space and non-space technology experts and companies (including non-traditional providers) to assess products, services, approaches, and technologies for integration into the space enterprise to outpace threats and meet ever changing customer needs. 

• Support Aerospace CSFO as required for requirements development and validation, source selection and evaluation, capability integration, as well as other relevant policy, strategy, planning, and programming tasks and processes to resource USSF’s and DoD’s commercial space capability/service’s needs. 

• Leverage partner teams across supporting functions within Aerospace to empirically assess commercial technologies that have potential DoD space architecture applications and disseminate well-supported analysis across the Aerospace enterprise at a consistent cadence. 

• Leverage strategic relationships with commercial space providers, venture and equity investors, space and non-space technology experts and companies; to include, but not limited to, other FFRDCs and UARCs, government and other representatives from multiple agencies and activities representing or supporting current and potential future commercial space acquisition and/or integration eff