Associate Director, Capability Transformation

Socket.dev; Alabama; On-site; USD 168,000 - 252,000; Full time

Job summary

The Aerospace Corporation is seeking an Associate Director for the Digital Innovation Division to lead digital transformation across government and space programs. The role requires navigating ambiguity, guiding M&S, data platforms, AI workflows, and cloud/HPC environments while balancing mission needs and security requirements.

You will build and mentor teams, establish governance, and maintain strong customer relationships with DOD, NNSA, and civil space programs, driving adoption of modern

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in STEM or other technical discipline.
• 10+ years of professional experience in software/systems engineering or digital transformation.
• 7+ years in leadership roles managing technical teams and programs.
• Ability to operate in high-ambiguity, dynamic environments with evolving requirements and diverse stakeholders.
• Experience with DoD, NNSA, Intelligence Community, or civil space programs in advisory or delivery capacity.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a US government security clearance; US citizenship required.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic digital transformation initiatives and define integrated roadmaps for Aerospace and government customers.
• Establish governance frameworks, standards, program management, and decision-making processes for digital initiatives.
• Build and retain high-performing teams across M&S software, data engineering, DevSecOps, cloud, and AI/ML.
• Serve as a customer liaison with senior government stakeholders across defense, intel, and civil space programs.
• Drive adoption of modern digital capabilities and measure value delivery with metrics.
• Integrate needs across M&S, data management, infrastructure, security, and mission operations.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Stakeholder engagement

Digital transformation

Education

Bachelor's degree in STEM or other technical discipline

Tools

M&S software

Data platforms

DevSecOps

Job description

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 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 Digital Innovation Division (DID) is accountable for generating and executing integrated strategies, providing governance, and managing internal investments that form the foundation of Aerospace's digital transformation.

The Digital Innovation Division DID is seeking an experienced and visionary Associate Director to lead digital transformation efforts for Aerospace Corporation and its government customers. This management role requires navigating significant ambiguity and complexity as we internally modernize enterprise capabilities across Modeling & Simulation (M&S) software, Data Management Platforms (DMP)data platforms, agentic AI workflows, cloud and high-performance computing environments, and mission-critical applications across multiple classifications and platforms environments. You will provide strategic direction to technical teams driving integration of next-generation digital capabilities, enable frameworks for digital initiatives, build relationships with senior DOD, NNSA, and civil space stakeholders, and develop integrated strategies that balance innovation with mission critical requirements for the space enterprise. This role requires the ability to operate effectively where requirements are evolving, stakeholder needs are diverse, and the path forward must be discovered through collaboration, and iterative problem-solving. Inherent in this job will be opportunities to significantly influence the future of digital capabilities for both the government and the Aerospace Corporation.

This is a fulltime position that requires 100% onsite work in Chantilly, VA; El Segundo, CA; Colorado Springs, CO; or Huntsville, AL

What You'll Be Doing

• Lead strategic digital transformation initiatives. Define and execute integrated digital transformation roadmaps for Aerospace and government customers, with focus on modernizing M&S workflows, enterprise data management, agentic AI capabilities, and software integration across cloud and HPC environments. Translate ambiguous rapidly evolving mission needs into actionable technical strategies and investment priorities. For external customers you will lead development of strategies, roadmaps, requirements and designs for organizations looking to become digital.

• Provide leadership and governance. Establish governance frameworks, technical standards, program management, financial management and decision-making processes for digital initiatives spanning multiple programs, classifications, and customer organizations. Balance innovation velocity with risk management, security, and compliance requirements appropriate to national security space missions.

• Build and lead high-performing teams. Influence, develop, and retain technical talent across capability areas including M&S software integration, data engineering, DevSecOps, cloud architecture, and AI/ML. Foster culture of technical excellence, experimentation, and collaboration. Mentor team leads and provide career development guidance.

• Serve as a customer liaison. Build trusted relationships with senior government stakeholders across defense, intel, and civil DOD, NNSA, and civil space programs. Proactively identify customer needs, coordinate across Aerospace divisions, and ensure digital transformation efforts align with mission priorities and operational timelines. Represent Aerospace digital capabilities at forums and technical working groups.

• Drive adoption and organizational change. Develop and execute strategies to accelerate adoption of modern digital capabilities across Aerospace and customer organizations. Establish communities of practice, measure value delivery through metrics and performance indicators, and manage change across large, complex organizations with established processes and cultures.

• Integrate across pillars and programs. Provide integrated perspective that incorporates needs of M&S software development, enterprise data management, infrastructure, security, and mission operations. Ensure strategies reflect consistent, balanced approaches that serve the entire space enterprise rather than individual programs or technical domains.

• Champion modern engineering practices. Promote software engineering best practices including version control, containerization, automated testing and validation, infrastructure as code, and DevSecOps principles. Drive maturity of CI/CD pipelines, software factories, and development workflows to accelerate delivery and improve credibility.

What You Need to be Successful

• Bachelor's degree in STEM or other technical discipline

• 10 or more years of increasingly responsible professional experience in software engineering, systems engineering, or digital transformation roles, especially related to digital engineering (DE), M&S, cloud, data, and AI technologies

• 7+ years in leadership roles managing technical teams and programs, with demonstrated success building and developing high-performing teams

• Proven ability to operate effectively in high-ambiguity dynamic environments with evolving requirements, diverse stakeholder needs, and competing priorities across multiple programs and organizations

• Understanding of digital transformation in complex, mission-critical environments including M&S software, data management platforms, cloud and HPC computing, DevSecOps, CI/CD pipelines, and emerging AI/ML technologies

• Effective communication skills with the ability to engage with senior leadership, technical teams, and diverse stakeholders across multiple disciplines and classification levels. Proven ability to convey complex technical concepts clearly and build consensus across organizational boundaries.

• Track record establishing technical strategies, frameworks, and standards that drive adoption across large organizations

• Experience working with Department of Defense, NNSA, Intelligence Community, or civil space programs in technical advisory or delivery capacity

• Demonstrated ability to acquire technical support from appropriate corporate resources and coordinate across organizational boundaries

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

How You Can Stand Out

• Advanced degree (Master's or PhD) in STEM or other technical discipline

• 15+ years of professional experience with deep expertise in aerospace, defense, or national security digital transformation

• Experience in space domain modeling, simulation, and analysis across mission phases (design, operations, mission planning)

• Demonstrated success leading large-scale digital transformation programs across multiple customer organizations with varying requirements and classification levels

• Expertise with cloud service providers (AWS, Azure, GCP) and platforms, data management solutions, and AI/ML service offerings in government environments

• Experience in management, innovation labs, or digital transformation practices with track record of organizational change delivery

• Knowledge of DevSecOps practices, Authority to Operate (ATO) processes, and security compliance in classified environments

• Direct experience with data governance, metadata management, ASOT principles, and enterprise data platform implementations

• Experience with software factories, platform engineering, and internal developer platform strategies

• Track record building communities of practice and driving adoption of new technologies across resistant or established organizations

• Demonstrated ability to foster collaboration and alignment across multi-organizational teams with competing priorities and timelines

• Current DoD Top Secret and SSBI/SCI Clearance

We offer a competitive compensation package where you’ll be rewarded based on your performance and recognized for the value you bring to our business. The grade-based pay range for this job is listed below. Individual salaries within that range are determined through a wide variety of factors including but not limited to education, experience, knowledge and skills.

(Min - Max)

$168,200.00 - $252,400.00Pay Basis: Annual

Leadership Competencies

• 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 equalopportunity 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,geneticinformation, 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.