Mission Assurance Project Engineer

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 serves as the technical adviser to the National Reconnaissance Office 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.

We are looking for a Mission Assurance Engineer (Project Engineer/Sr. Project Engineer) to provide Mission Assurance, Space Industrial Base and Supply Chain Engineering expertise for the Enterprise Engineering department within the Systems Engineering & Launch Division.

This position is located 100% on site in Chantilly, VA

What You’ll Be Doing

• You will provide direct support to the customer's Systems Engineering Directorate's Mission Assurance Executive (MAE)
• Lead the development, collection of information, and authored agency guidance regarding mission assurance policies for the agency and acquisition programs
• Perform independent assessments to support enterprise and program mission success by reviewing proposed vendor command media’s compliance with required mission assurance standards in accordance to the program’s risk level
• Identify and mitigate emerging mission assurance risks and technical challenges with coordination between enterprise team members
• Develop and coordinate internal as well as external mitigation projects to address furthering verification maturities, critical technology needs impacting technology availability and supply chain policy program plans

What You Need to be Successful

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, sciences, mathematics, or other field of study coupled with equivalent experience in technical operations and/or management of sophisticated technology
• Minimum 8 or more years relevant experience
• Experience with space-related mission assurance specifications and standards
• Experience implementing ground and space supply chain policy and artifact development for government programs
• Experience with systems engineering approaches to provide sound and objective technical solutions for customer mission systems.
• Familiarity with current and planned national security space and ground systems
• This position requires the ability to have and maintain a current and active TS/SSBI/SCI security clearance and polygraph, which is issued by the U.S. government. U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance
• Travel will be required.

In addition to the above, the Senior Project Engineer must have:

• 12 or more years of increasingly responsible professional system engineering and/or mission assurance experience
• Understand cybersecurity, counterfeit policies, threats and vulnerabilities in various SW and HW designs
• Experience with developing Program Protection Plans for government programs

How You Can Stand Out

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

• Experience with U.S. space industrial base
• Experience with identifying space critical technologies which ranges from technologies with diminishing suppliers to new technologies that have not been qualified for space use

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