Senior IC Acquisition Advisor

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 National Systems Group (NSG) serves as the technical adviser to the Intelligence Community (IC) and its mission partners involved in the collection and distribution of national and tactical intelligence, including electronics programs, ground and communications, imagery programs, and systems engineering and launch.

The National Intelligence Division within NSG supports the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), Policy and Capabilities (P&C) Directorate in the Acquisition, Procurement, and Facilities (APF). P&C identifies, develops, and articulates the path forward for the Intelligence Community (IC). It makes future bets through strategic initiatives that address enduring challenges and emerging issues and looks for opportunities to combine information, data, and technologies from different INTS to do the unexpected.  The APF Division provides value-added direction to IC acquisitions to fulfill national security needs through flexible, risk-managed processes that deliver innovative capabilities, data, and expertise. Aerospace is looking for a strong senior project engineer in our ODNI APF team supporting Advanced Capabilities.

This position requires 100% on site work in Tysons Corner, VA

What You’ll Be Doing

• Leverage your technical acumen and soft-people skills in working shoulder to shoulder with our Acquisition Group customer to develop trusted-partner advisory relationships to oversee several major system acquisitions for the IC.
• Apply expertise in program management, major systems acquisitions, independent program assessments, and technological assessments to improve executive decision making and enable informed decisions through program milestone transitions.
• Provide senior-level decision support on various government programs, to include, but not limited to, space system programs, experimental research demonstrations, special programs, space communications, ground and launch programs to facilitate improvements to IC missions. Conduct strategic level assessments and studies on these programs.
• Coordinate engagement and reviews with stakeholders across Aerospace and other IC elements.
• Reach-back to Aerospace space program offices, systems engineers, and other subject matter experts on technical challenges, issues, or risks.
• Form cross-functional, high-performing teams for technical studies and assessments.
• Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned as needed.

What You Need to be Successful

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in applicable STEM areas or other relevant disciplines
• 12 or more years of increasing responsibility and applicable experience in engineering or technical roles
• Familiarity with systems engineering, acquisition strategy, mission utility, test and integration, or program management to assess program maturity,
• Understand assessments of program cost, schedule, and performance to advise senior leaders on the status of IC programs.
• Experience and familiarity in IC agency overhead capabilities especially in SIGINT and Communication.
• Proven ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with all levels of contractors, government customers, Aerospace program offices, and engineering staff.
• Be able to quickly analyze technical material and clearly and concisely summarize information both verbally and orally to government executives.
• A, active TS/SSBI/SCI security clearance with polygraph, which is issued by the U.S. government.  U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance.

How You Can Stand Out

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

• Advanced degree in applicable STEM areas or other relevant discipline
• Deep technical knowledge of various collection capabilities for DoD and IC systems as well as in depth knowledge of communication systems.
• Experience on IC, DoD, and other interagency working groups, study teams, or review boards.
• Exper