Earth-Orbit Flight Dynamics Section Manager

The Aerospace Corporation; Colorado; Hybrid; USD 148,000 - 221,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Health care

401(k) plan

Telework options

Job summary

The Aerospace Corporation seeks an Earth-Orbit Flight Dynamics Section Manager in a hybrid role based in Colorado Springs, CO, Chantilly, VA, or El Segundo, CA. You will lead the Contested Operations Section, guiding analysts across mission areas and interfacing with USSF/SpOC, STARCOM, OTTI, SPACECOM and NRO to deliver resilient space systems.

Responsibilities include strategic coordination, capability development, staff recruitment and retention, and coordination with leadership to align

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM field and 8 years of relevant experience.
• Proven ability to initiate and lead teams, manage projects, and develop staff.
• Experience deploying analytical frameworks to the user community.
• Willingness to travel domestically and hold TS/SCI clearance.

Responsibilities

• Lead geographically distributed teams of analysts and direct reports.
• Develop relationships with Aerospace Program Offices and US Government customers.
• Partner with management to align vision across sections.
• Enhance warfighter training and modeling/simulation capabilities.
• Drive staffing, recruiting, and onboarding, including clearances.

Skills

Leadership

Team management

Strategic planning

Customer engagement

Staff development

Resource management

Recruiting

Education

Bachelor's degree in STEM

Job description

## Earth-Orbit Flight Dynamics Section ManagerApply: Colorado Springs, CO: El Segundo, CA: Chantilly, VA: Full time: Posted Today: End Date: October 30, 2026 (30+ days left to apply): R016543The 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 a 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 a core component of EED, the Earth-Orbit Flight Dynamics Department provides flight mechanics expertise for launch and space vehicles. This includes expertise in orbital mechanics, astrodynamics, trajectory design and optimization, and atmospheric flight modeling and simulation. The department is a critical integration partner for a wide range of engineering disciplines to facilitate the company’s mission of providing multi-disciplinary insights. We are looking for a **Section Manager**to help lead the Contested Operations Section.As a Section Manager, the selected candidate will lead a group of analysts across a variety of mission areas. Core focus areas include contested missions/resiliency tactics development and assessment, Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO) maneuver analysis, and Dynamic Space Operations (DSO). Furthermore, opportunities exist to partner on efforts with technically adjacent departments to strengthen the entire organization.The selected candidate will help lead department efforts in these areas, providing critical customer interfaces to the operational community, including USSF/SpOC, STARCOM, OTTI, SPACECOM and NRO components. The Section Manager will be expected to work with EOFFD leadership to fuse these customer needs with important equities across the corporate customer landscape, notably SSC, SpRCO, AFRL, NASA, FAA, and NOAA.**Work Model**This position will be a hybrid work model based in Colorado Springs, CO, Chantilly, VA or El Segundo, CA, with the expectation that the selected candidate works at least 4 days per week onsite, as the business needs allow.**What You’ll Be Doing*** **Leadership & Team Management** • Lead geographically distributed teams of analysts and direct reports in developing analysis capabilities, supporting operational communities, and implementing resiliency tactics, techniques, and procedures through workload management, performance assessment, mentoring, and staff development* **Customer Engagement & Business Development** • Develop relationships with Aerospace Program Offices and US Government customers to identify opportunities, deliver tactical solutions to operational challenges, and prioritize business development, capability awareness, and long-term customer engagement* **Strategic Coordination & Execution** • Partner with department management to synthesize and execute organizational strategic vision across multiple sections, coordinating cross-functional teams and subdivision partnerships to ensure bench depth and career growth opportunities* **Capability Development & Training** • Enhance warfighter training across the space enterprise and cultivate state-of-the-art modeling and simulation capabilities through strategic road mapping and resource integration* **Organizational Enablement** • Drive staff retention, recruiting, hiring, and onboarding while pursuing organizational enablers including classified IT resources and clearance portfolios to ensure long-term organizational health**What You Need to be Successful*** Bachelor’s degree in applicable STEM areas* 8 years of applicable professional or educational experience is required* Demonstrated ability to initiate and lead team efforts, manage projects, and develop staff for new collaborations with internal and external organizations* Experience with taking Aerospace analytical frameworks and deploying operational prototypes to the user community* Willingness to travel domestically as necessary* Current TS/SCI Access**How You Can Stand Out***It would be impressive if you have one or more of these:** Advanced degree in an applicable field* Previous management experience including staff recruitment and development, performance management, conflict resolution, organizational planning, and resource management* Operations-focused experience, e.g., maneuver planning for real-world missions* Experience supporting military exercises and wargaming events* Leveraging or building analysis software to combine numerical methods, flight mechanics, and optimization for launch vehicles, missiles, interceptors, spacecraft, or reentry vehicles* Experience applying optimization techniques such as nonlinear programming, indirect/direct methods, genetic algorithms, as well as others* Current TS/SCI and TS/SAP AccessWe 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)$147,600.00 - $221,400.00Pay 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.