Director, Mission Engineering Department

The Aerospace Corporation; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 168,000 - 252,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Relocation support

Education assistance

401(k) plan

Paid time off

Job summary

The Aerospace Corporation in El Segundo, CA is seeking a Director to lead the Mission Engineering Department onsite. You will drive mission engineering across space and ground platforms, partnering with NSS/ NASA/ NOAA programs, and guiding architecture and analysis activities.

Applicants should have a Bachelor's in engineering or related field, 10+ years leading teams, and an active TS/SCI clearance. Expect travel up to 25% and a focus on staff growth and cross-functional leadership.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, computer science, physics, operations research, mathematics, or equivalent technical experience.
• Typically 10+ years leading engineering studies and analysis teams.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams in space/ground/launch/operations.
• Experience hiring, mentoring, and developing staff.
• Ability to initiate and lead project teams, develop plans, and manage schedules.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills; ability to present results effectively.
• US citizenship and active TS/SCI clearance; ability to pass CI polygraph.
• Ability to travel ~15–25%.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the vision for the Mission Engineering Department.
• Scale capabilities through recruitment, onboarding, and staff development.
• Collaborate across Aerospace and with customer program offices.
• Lead architecture conceptualization, assessment, and mission engineering activities.
• Coordinate complex technical tasks among customers and analysts.

Skills

Leadership

Systems engineering

Project management

Staff development

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication skills

MBSE

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or related field

Graduate degree (preferred)

Tools

MBSE tools

Job description

## Director, Mission Engineering DepartmentApply: Colorado Springs, CO: El Segundo, CA: Chantilly, VA: Full time: Posted Today: End Date: December 4, 2026 (30+ days left to apply): R016810The 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 Enterprise Effects Division (EED) drives integration of Aerospace’s strategic capabilities across the national space enterprise. The division leverages a broad array of engineering disciplines against dynamic portfolio of programs, customers, and national challenges. EED spans the capability lifecycle from concept and architecture design to performance assessment to application of space and space-enabled capabilities. As part of the Enterprise Design Subdivision (EDS), the Mission Engineering Department provides technical expertise and leadership in mission engineering methods, processes, and tools to a wide range of customers, including National Security Space (NSS), defense programs, NASA, NOAA, NNSA, and others. The department evaluates customer mission-integration needs, develops end-to-end mission threads, and offers recommendations to enterprise leaders on risks, issues, and gaps, ultimately developing solutions to achieve desired mission outcomes. The Director of the Mission Engineering Department will lead these efforts, build partnerships with customers, and ensure the team is staffed with top talent to solve complex challenges. **Work Model:** This full-time position requires 100% onsite work in El Segundo CA, Chantilly, VA, or Colorado Springs, CO. **What You’ll Be Doing:** * Develop and execute the vision for the department, enhancing corporate capabilities to support customer architecture, systems-of-systems, and enterprise decisions.* Scale the department’s capabilities through recruiting, onboarding, and developing staff via performance management, mentoring, and coaching.* Ensure the Mission Engineering Department and related corporate activities fully leverage expertise from across Aerospace, incorporating best practices in enterprise systems engineering.* Manage the department, including staff performance reviews, resource allocation, and personnel management, and recommend performance improvements, career development, personnel actions, and awards.* Serve as the primary contact for program office inquiries, using mission engineering principles to define problem spaces, develop implementation plans, and identify appropriate personnel based on expertise.* Foster a culture of innovation and collaboration, maintain robust relationships with peer organizations, and lead multi-discipline analyst teams.* Identify new partnerships for future mission engineering growth in customer impact.* Coordinate and manage complex technical tasks among customers, ensuring quality and accuracy of work products.* Collaborate with subdivision leadership to cultivate an effective national organization.* Lead technical activities, organize project teams, and execute a variety of architecture conceptualization, assessment, analysis, and mission engineering activities. **What You Need to be a Successful Director, Mission Engineering Department** * Bachelor’s degree in engineering, computer science, physics, operations research, mathematics, or a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and equivalent technical experience* Typically 10 or more years demonstrated experience leading engineering studies and analysis teams, managing/coordinating complex technical tasks among team members, and translating customer needs into actionable tasks for analysts* Demonstrated leadership of multidisciplinary teams involving system design, acquisition and/or operations in one or more of the following areas: space systems, ground systems, launch systems, or operations* Experience in hiring, supervising, developing, mentoring, and inspiring staff* Proven ability to initiate and lead project teams, develop project plans, identify high-impact deliverables, and manage schedule commitments* Exceptional time-management skills with the ability to manage multiple concurrent projects and to lead cross-functional teams* Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to present methods and results effectively* Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, adapt quickly to change, manage ambiguity, and demonstrate initiative under pressure* Ability to travel approximately 15-25% of the time* This position requires a current and active TS/SCI clearance, which is issued by the U.S. government, and the ability to pass a CI Polygraph. 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:* * A graduate degree or extensive work experience relevant fields* Experience with model-based systems engineering (MBSE) and/or digital engineering* Experience collaborating with multiple Aerospace program offices and customers* Strong interpersonal networks within Aerospace and customer organizations* Military operations experience in the space, air, land, or sea domains* Experience with Intelligence Community systems engineering and programmatic processes* Experience with spacecraft, payloads, ground systems, launch systems, missile systems, nuclear weapon systems, and/or aircraft systems* A proven ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with contractors, customers, and corporate staffWe 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**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 respectWe 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 [e-mail] . You can also review Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal.