Lead Communications Systems Engineer

The Aerospace Corporation; Town of Westfield (NY); On-site; USD 171,000 - 257,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive health care

Paid holidays, sick time, vacations

401(k) plan with company match

Education assistance programs

Relocation assistance

Inclusive work environment

Job summary

The Aerospace Corporation in Chantilly, VA is seeking a Lead Communications Systems Engineer (RF) to guide space communications architecture and system studies as part of the National Systems Group. This senior role leads multi‑disciplinary teams, drives technical decisions, and shapes strategic space capabilities for government programs.

Your experience with satellite hardware, waveform processing, and cross‑organizational leadership will enable successful execution of complex requirements

Qualifications

• 12+ years of escalating responsibilities in professional engineering/scientific roles on government programs.
• Proven track record in space systems engineering and ability to explain complex issues to customers.
• Experience with satellite communication hardware and digital/analog waveform processing.
• Leadership of cross‑organizational technical teams with high innovation and initiative.
• Experience monitoring budgets, resources, and initiating technical support acquisitions.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to mentor team members.

Responsibilities

• Serve as technical representative to the customer, leading and evaluating communications architecture concepts.
• Lead teams evaluating acquisition system requirements, technical specs, and associated risk.
• Facilitate technical and programmatic issues across SSG.
• Contribute to on-orbit vehicle studies and enterprise impacts.
• Assess risk, schedule, and cost tradeoffs to enable timely delivery of space capabilities.
• Assist in execution of program office systems engineering and acquisition processes.

Skills

Space systems engineering

Systems architecture

Project leadership

Budgeting & resource planning

Risk assessment

Technical mentorship

Education

Bachelor's or Advanced degree in engineering or science

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 programs, advanced technologies, ground and communications, imagery programs, and systems engineering and launch.

As the Lead Communications Systems Engineer (Senior Project Leader - Communications Systems and Payload Systems Engineering - RF) for the Government's Space Systems Group (SSG) you will lead Aerospace's technical efforts in support of various high priority communication technology projects for our customer and shape the future of space communications, in the Transport Engineering Division (TED) supporting the SSG Chief Engineer. You will focus on communications architecture definition, development acquisitions, system level requirements, and various related studies and demonstrations. You will serve as leader of a high performing technical team, which includes advanced and junior level technical and project specialists.

This position is 100% on-site based in Chantilly, VA.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Serve as a technical representative to the customer, leading and evaluating communications architecture concepts with Engineering Technology Group subject matter experts
• Leading various technical teams evaluating acquisition system requirements, technical specifications, and associated risk.
• Facilitate technical and programmatic ideas, issues, concerns across the organization within SSG.
• Be a technical contributor to on orbit vehicle study and enterprise impacts
• Quickly assess risk, schedule, and cost mission assurance trades to enable responsive delivery of space capabilities, while meeting schedule and cost goals.
• Assist in the execution of program office systems engineering and acquisition processes.

What You Need to be Successful Minimum Requirements

• Sr. Project Leader - Communications Systems and Payload Systems Engineering - RF: Bachelors or Advanced degree in engineering or science from a recognized institution or a closely related STEM field.
• 12 or more years of escalating responsibilities in professional engineering/scientific experience working across government programs
• A track record demonstrating space systems engineering skills including the ability to understand, explain, and present to the customer how specific issues are connected to the broader program.
• Significant experience with satellite communication hardware and/or digital/analog waveform processing.
• Experience in leading cross-organizational technical efforts incorporating exceptionally high level of innovation, creativeness, and initiative.
• Experience monitoring and assisting in development of budgets, resource allocations, and initiating acquisition of technical support from appropriate corporate resources.
• Exhibited ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships in multi-disciplinary teams that include colleagues, government, and contractor personnel.
• Demonstration of excellent written and verbal communication skills with ability to develop technical materials and present to key stakeholders and senior leaders.
• Proven ability to act as senior mentor to team members, providing technical guidance and development insight.
• Ability to travel to contractor and vendor facilities as required.

This position requires an active Top Secret/SCI and SSBI clearance with a polygraph, which is issued by the US government.

U.S citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance.

How You Can Stand Out

• Technical experience in space systems operations and anomaly resolution.
• Demonstrated communication architecture modeling and simulation analysis experience.
• Have documented system level requirements for communication systems.
• Working knowledge of DoW/NRO acquisition processes and organizations.
• Familiarity with Aerospace culture and prior experience coordinating with Engineering & Technology Group (ETG).
• Advanced technical degree in engineering, science, physics, or related field.

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) $171,400.00 - $257,100.00 Pay 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

• 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 [e-mail] . You can also review Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal.

Right Place

The Aerospace Corporation has over 26 locations nationwide, which allows us to build a workforce that will nurture the best ideas, and generate the most novel innovations and solutions to our nation’s toughest space enterprise challenges.

Right Path

Aerospace covers all stages of the space lifecycle, from concept to operations. We believe our people are our most valuable resource and that’s why we propel our employees forward in their careers through ongoing education, training, and professional development.

Right Purpose

We can all serve a mission much greater than ourselves, and at Aerospace that is exactly what we do. By hiring the industry’s most preeminent scientists and engineers, Aerospace advances emerging technologies that protect some of the most critical missions on Earth and above it.

Aerospace employees working in organizations with technical responsibilities are required to obtain a Security Clearance. U.S. citizenship is required for those positions.