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.
Defense Systems Group (DSG) provides analysis-based decision support to senior leaders on space architectures, policy and strategy, development planning, system of systems engineering, and threat reduction to help shape the future space missions across the national security space (NSS) enterprise. DSG is unique at Aerospace as it not only directly supports major customers, including US Space Force, U.S Space 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. DSG also assists the Space Force Space Systems Command (SSC) in the conception, design, acquisition, launch and operations of satellite, launch vehicle, ground control, and range systems.
We are seeking a Principal Director of Space Futures Integration Directorate to lead and integrate a technical portfolio of work focused on Space Futures, including advanced concept development, wargaming, and support to USSF Space Futures Command headquarters. This Principal Director will report to the General Manager of the Space Enterprise and Warfighting Division. The Principal Director will offer deep technical expertise and cutting-edge innovation to support the United States government. To do so, the Principal Director will lead and nurture a distributed technical team to solve the nation's hardest problems for the space enterprise.
Work Model
The 100% onsite role based in Crystal City, Virginia.
What You'll Be Doing
- Provide technical and program leadership to a subset of Space Futures Command customers (i.e., SFC Headquarters, Advanced Concepts, Wargaming)
- Position Aerospace in the highest value functions across the portfolio, translating customer requirements into division operating plans to ensure Aerospace support is delivering excellence to the customer base
- Set and implement a vision for the portfolio, including developing and maintaining appropriate tools, methods, data, expertise
- Ensure the delivery of superb decision support capabilities and products
- Set technical priorities, manage to budget constraints, perform workforce and succession planning, including identifying and hiring key talent for critical positions and coordinating ETG support, and assure alignment with Aerospace policies and practices
- Provide 21st century leadership for team members, setting expectations and direction, mentoring, providing feedback and coaching aimed at developing an agile, effective, empowered management team and technical staff
- Act as a role model and using Aerospace core values and leadership competency attributes
What You Need to Be Successful
Minimum Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in science or engineering or equivalent is required
- 10 years of progressively demonstrated management and technical experience related to space technology, operations, wargaming, advanced concepts, research and development, and/or concept evaluation
- Proven ability to develop/maintain rapport and work effectively with senior government officials (including presidential appointees and flag officer or SES level)
- Strong business and financial acumen with constructive and proactive methods for problem solving; ability to make time-critical mission success decisions with incomplete data
- Demonstrated experience working across organizations and leading teams of technical experts and support staff; success as a relationship builder, complex problem solver, deep critical thinker, mentor, and coach
- Strong communication skills with diverse audiences
- The position requires a Top-Secret Security Clearance with SCI Access; which is issued by the US government. US citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance.
- Willingness to engage in regular domestic travel
How You Can Stand Out
It would be impressive if you have one or more of these:
- Advanced graduate technical and/or business degree
- Experience in space technology development
- Experience in space wargaming, exercises, and/or concept evaluation
- Experience in space modeling and simulation or digital engineering
- Demonstrated ability to develop a new portfolio of work
- FFRDC management experience
Leadership Competencies
Our leadership philosophy is simple: every employee, regardless of level and role, can demonstrate leadership. At Aerospace, our commitment is our people. To cultivate our talent and ensure that we have a strong pipeline of future leaders, we want individuals who:
- Operate Strategically
- Lead Change
- Engage with Impact
- Foster Innovation
- Deliver Results
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 advance your career
- Education assistance programs
- An inclusive work environment built on teamwork, flexibility, and respect
We are all unique, from various backgrounds and all walks of life, yet one thing bonds all of us to each other-the belief that we can make a difference. This core belief empowers us to do our best work at The Aerospace Corporation.
Equal Opportunity Commitment
The Aerospace Corporation is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, color, religion, genetic information, marital status, ancestry, national origin, protected veteran status, physical disability, medical condition, mental disability, or disability status and any other characteristic protected by state or federal law. If you're an individual with a disability or a disabled veteran who needs assistance using our online job search and application tools or need reasonable accommodation to complete the job application process, please contact us by phone at 310.336.5432 or by email at [email protected] . You can also review Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal, as well as the Pay Transparency Policy Statement.
Top Skills
What the Team is Saying
What We Do
The space enterprise has been transformed by rapid change and growth. New vehicles for national security space, a more rapid launch cadence, proliferated satellite constellations, the pursuit of interplanetary exploration, and thriving commercial ventures are changing the nature of the space industry. The Aerospace Corporation (Aerospace) is a leading architect for U.S. space programs, shaping efforts to outpace threats to our national security while cultivating the technologies needed to further this new era of space commercialization and exploration.
Aerospace works across the space enterprise in service of the public interest. In addition to supporting the Department of Defense and the Intelligence Community, our customers include NASA, NOAA, numerous federal agencies, and commercial space — all of whom benefit from our deep technical knowledge. We only pursue business related to the space mission and complementary fields, operating as the nation’s trusted partner to solve the toughest challenges and develop reliable and innovative technologies.
Innovation in space occurs when people have the freedom to imagine and do. At Aerospace, we take pride in our readiness to solve some of the most complex challenges in the space enterprise.
Why Work With Us
We are a non-profit corporation chartered by the government to work on the hardest problems in space. We employ technical experts in every discipline of space-related science and engineering who touch every part of the US space program. Come join us as we make an impact bigger than ourselves.
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Hybrid Workspace
Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.
