Office of the Secretary of Defense/CAPE

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.

The Pentagon and Multi-Domain Division provides the technical analyses needed to inform and underpin decisions made by senior leaders within the Department of Defense (DoD).  We address a broad range of space-related issues to help shape current and future DoD missions, taking on challenging space-related problems on behalf of our DoD customers in areas such as emerging technologies, operational analysis, architecture, policy and strategy, developmental planning, system of systems engineering, and threat reduction.

This position will support multiple offices within the Office of the Secretary of Defense.  To include, but not limited to, the Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation (CAPE) office and the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD/R&E).  The successful candidate will provide direct technical and analytical support to senior and executive level government decision makers on space-based and multi-domain technologies, national security programs and resources.  Be prepared to go to work and know that you’re making a strategic difference. This position will individually provide and enable Aerospace delivery of complex technical and analytical expertise on multiple platforms ranging multiple domains and should have experience executing and delivering comparative capability performance assessments on multi-domain capabilities using modeling and simulation tools and/or other technologies and processes.  Possessing the ability to communicate these analyses and assessments to executive level customers in an effective, efficient and timely manner is also foundational to the position.

Work Model

This position will be located 100% onsite at the Pentagon.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Provide technical support in the development and delivery of space and multi-domain related budget and policy position papers and official requests for information from the White House, Congress, and the Office of the Secretary of Defense
• Provide execution and delivery of comparative trade-off analysis and assessments utilizing modeling and simulation tools and other relevant processes and technologies
• Direct support to the planning and implementation of space policy, acquisition, and requirements initiatives such as developing architectural alternatives, assessing system budget programmatics, rationalizing investment portfolios, and bringing to bear commercial space capabilities when directed
• Provide time-sensitive responses to senior executive questions on space and related multi-domain platforms and weapons systems analysis
• Support the development of decision memoranda related to critical technologies and warfighting related research and engineering efforts
• Provide a conduit for supported OSD offices senior and executive level leadership to access additional Aerospace corporate technical expertise and analytic resources, in other areas of interest — become the “front door” to The Aerospace Corporation and all the varied experts
• Supports critical technologies including space and multi-domain policy development, the Planning, Programming, Budgeting and Execution (PPBE) process, Department of Defense requirements processes, and program acquisition oversight

What You Need to Be Successful – Senior Project Engineer – Systems Engineering – Acquisition and Systems Engineering

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in science, technology, engineering or math, or equivalent work experience
• A Minimum of 10 years of proven experience in operational employment or architectural design and system engineering of space and space-related multi-domain technologies and capabilities are required
• 10 years background in crafting and delivering executive level communications packages in the operational, architectural and systems engineering capabilities, limitations, design and analysis related to space or space-related multi-domain systems employment, operations, or performance analysis
• Experience working directly with senior and executive level DOD, Air Force, Space Force, National Reconnaissance Office, USSPACECOM and/or other military and intelligence community departments/offices/organizations
• Experience working in/with national security space or space-related multi-domain technologies, systems or programs
• Experience working with wargaming, modeling and simulation and/or other comparative performance assessment processes, tools and technologies
• Understanding of what is a Federally Funded Research and Development Center and what makes it different from other support organizations
• 10 or more years of experience networking with uniformed services (e.g. Air Force, Space Force, etc.), the Joint Staff, contractors, other government agencies, the various program offices, to address issues and provide the senior to executive level customers with the best available technical and programmatic analyses
• Experience and ability working at a highly effective level with senior to executive government leaders in an onsite environment.
• 10 or more years building, leading and working within cross-functional, muti-disciplined matrixed and/or defined project teams
• Candidate must be exceptionally adept at oral and written communication of the most technically complex suitable to executive level government leadership.
• This position requires a current or active TS/SSBI security clearance, which is issued by the US 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:

• 10 or more years of increasingly responsible professional technical comparative performance assessment/analysis engineering and policy experience, including multi-disciplinary systems engineering and/or program oversight environment
• Experience working with Special Access programs
• 10 or more years of experience working directly with senior and executive level USSPACECOM, US Space Force, DoD and/or IC Space leadership and programs across all space-based collection and transmission platforms.
• 10 or more years of experience in Sensor-to-Shooter architectures and employment constructs
• 10 or more years of experience in the staffing process used within the Department of Defense
• Previous successful experience working in the Pentagon reservation

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.