Ground Architecture Senior Project Leader

aero; Chantilly (VA); On-site; USD 171,400 - 257,100; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive health care and wellness plans

401(k) Plan with company-paid benefits

Professional growth and development programs

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Aerospace Corporation seeks a Senior Project Leader in Chantilly, Virginia. You will guide efforts in applying signals data to warfighter needs. Responsibilities include leading teams, developing architecture, and enhancing capabilities for the National Reconnaissance Office.

This full-time role requires 100% on-site presence and offers a competitive compensation package, including comprehensive health plans and professional development programs.

Qualifications

• 10 or more years of ground or space systems acquisition engineering experience.
• Experience building and leading high-performing teams.
• Willingness to travel approximately 20%.

Responsibilities

• Lead Aerospace efforts in applying optical and signals data.
• Integrate Aerospace contributions to U.S. Government leadership.
• Develop subject matter expert teams for data fusion technologies.

Skills

Systems engineering

Cloud technologies

Signals intelligence

AI/ML

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor's or advanced degree in a relevant field

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 National Systems Group serves as the technical advisor to the Intelligence Community and its mission partners involved in the collection and distribution of national and tactical intelligence, including electronics and imagery programs, advanced technologies, ground and communications, and systems engineering.

We are seeking a Senior Project Leader to guide Aerospace efforts in applying national systems optical and signals data to warfighter needs as part of the National Reconnaissance Office’s Ground Enterprise Directorate (GED) Chief Architect (CA) office. GED/CA is responsible for evolving, developing, and delivering a fully integrated and resilient ground architecture in support of Intelligence Community and Department of War requirements, and support to critical warfighting mission threads. You will lead approximately three Professional Technical Service personnel to guide the development of GED’s Future Ground Architecture. Key efforts will include requirements development, assessing current and potential future architecture options, improving ground capabilities to meet new mission needs, evolving mission processing and fusion systems to cloud-based solutions, implementing a data‑centric approach, and enhancing architecture resiliency.

This is a full‑time position based in Chantilly, Virginia that requires 100% on‑site work.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Integrating and representing Aerospace contributions to U.S. Government leadership to build acquisition strategies to realize industry solutions
• Coordinating across ground and mission enterprise segments to ensure user needs are understood and satisfied for multi-phase acquisition efforts
• Developing and leading Aerospace subject matter expert teams to mature collection orchestration, signals and imagery processing, and data fusion technologies and systems to meet user community needs
• Proactively identifying technologies, such as AI/ML and automation, for development and integration to enhance existing processing and exploitation capabilities
• Budgeting and prioritizing Aerospace activities to maximize impact aligned with strategic customer efforts
• Identifying opportunities for Aerospace to lead or contribute to achieving customer strategic priorities

What You Need to be Successful

Minimum Requirements for Senior Project Leader – Signal and Image Process Engr.

• Bachelor's or advanced degree in computer science, engineering, mathematics, physical sciences or a related technical field
• 10 or more years of ground or space systems acquisition engineering experience
• Experience building and leading high‑performing teams of engineering professionals
• Experience in one or more of the following domains: mission orchestration, optimization, tasking, and processing to provide geospatial and signals intelligence to data users, U.S. Government acquisitions and/or systems engineering, agile software development, or AI/ML and cloud technologies
• Expertise in intelligence support to warfighting, & the unique mission needs and architectures for OTH-T/LRKC
• Willingness to travel up to approximately 20% to support customer activities and foster collaboration
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• This position requires a current and active TS/SCI security clearance and CI polygraph, which is issued by the U.S. government. U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance

How You Can Stand Out

• Advanced degree in image or signals processing, computer science/engineering, systems engineering, electrical engineering, or a related engineering or scientific field
• Experience and service with United States Combatant Commands (COCOMs)
• Experience with space constellation orchestration strategies, tasking, and optimization
• Experience with NRO GED, or related customer programs or agencies, particularly I2SPO tools
• Experience leading cross‑functional, matrixed teams with diverse skill sets
• Experience in requirements development and analysis, advanced systems architecture development, and new imagery and signal processing technologies
• Models Based Systems Engineering in support of architecture development
• Experience with DevSecOps pipeline execution at scale and commercial cloud environments

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.

$171,400.00 - $257,100.00 Pay Basis: Annual

Leadership Competencies

• Operate Strategically
• Lead Change
• Engage with Impact
• Foster Innovation
• Deliver Results

Ways We Reward Our Employees

• 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

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.