Principal Director - SBSD Missile Warning and Tracking (MWT) Ground, Exploitation & Operations

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.

Job Summary

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 Air Force 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.

The Aerospace Corporation Defense Systems Acquisition (DSA) organization serves as the technical and programmatic advisor to the United States Space Force Space Systems Command (SSC) for acquiring, developing, and fielding capabilities for the United States Space Command and joint warfighter as well as to maintain America’s comprehensive military advantage in space. The Space Based Sensing Division (SBSD) within DSA helps our customers develop space and ground systems for missile warning and tracking, environmental monitoring, and tactical surveillance and reconnaissance.

As the Principal Director for the SBSD Missile Warning and Tracking (MWT) Ground, Exploitation & Operations sub-division, you will lead Aerospace’s support to development of next generation ground software and hardware for Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) missile warning, including mission data processing, command and control, data exploitation, and missile warning operations.

You will work closely with senior USSF customers, Aerospace staff and management, and subject matter experts to identify and address mission needs and follow through on opportunities to maintain cost, schedule, and performance.

Work Model:

This is a full-time position based at the Los Angeles AFB in El Segundo, CA, which requires 100% onsite work to support critical issues on behalf of the staff and customer needs.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Lead support to OPIR Future Operationally Resilient Ground Evolution (FORGE) software and hardware development and transition to operations, including mission processing and command and control

• Lead support to instantiation of a FORGE cloud development environment.

• Lead support OPIR data exploitation using Artificial Intelligence and data science techniques at the SSC Tools, Applications and Processing Lab in Boulder CO and at Buckley SFB

• Lead missile warning and tracking operations support at Buckley SFB

• Establish organization structure and staffing, recommend budgets, allocate resources, and establish priorities. Maintain and strengthen close teaming relationships across organizations

What You Need to be Successful

Minimum Requirements for the Principal Director (Software Architecture Engineering and Cloud Computing Architecture):

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM field or equivalent is required

• (12) or more years of proven, related experience in engineering and/or software development, with (3) or more years experience as a manager is required

• Strong background in leading teams in ground systems and software development

• Clear and effective communicator with the ability to translate complex technical concepts into actionable insights for diverse audiences

• Organizational leadership experience leading a broad team of technical professionals

• Willingness to travel to customer or contractor facilities based in Colorado, approximately (1- 2 weeks per month) is required

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