Navigation and Communications Systems Technical Fellow

aero; El Segundo (CA); On-site; USD 204,000 - 306,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive health care and wellness

401(k) plan with employer matching

Relocation assistance

Education assistance

Professional growth programs

Telework options

Job summary

The Aerospace Corporation in El Segundo, CA seeks a Technical Fellow in Navigation and Communications Systems to lead development across DoD, IC, civil and commercial missions. You will shape nav/comm capabilities, mentor engineers, and align strategies with CTO priorities to advance secure, scalable waveforms and satellite-ground architectures.

Applicants should have 15+ years in nav/comm tech, proven leadership in multi‑disciplinary teams, and ability to obtain Top Secret/SCI clearance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in STEM, Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 15+ years’ experience in navigation and communication systems, with a track record of innovation and development of new technology solutions in these areas.
• Foundational understanding and direct experience leading technology development of navigation and communication systems, associated space and ground networks, and associated resilient solutions.
• Specific experience in designing, modeling and testing navigation and communication architectures for government applications.
• Experience leading nav and comm related R&D initiatives.
• Demonstrated multi-disciplinary skills to create impactful teams across related technologies.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to coordinate cross‑functional teams and engage with external stakeholders.
• Proven ability to engage with senior government officials, industry partners, and research communities to shape strategies.
• Demonstrated leadership in mentoring and developing technical talent across organizations.
• This position requires ability to attain Top Secret/SCI clearance and maintain a security clearance, which is issued by the U.S. government. U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance; (ability to be vetted for US Government Compartmented and Special Access Programs)

Responsibilities

• Work directly with government customers to drive the rapid development of innovative space nav and comm capabilities to meet the needs of a multitude of programs in National Security Space
• Serve as a collaborative thought‑leader and technical authority on such architectures, commercial integration strategies, and mission‑critical field tests and deployments
• With unique knowledge of customer challenges across the space enterprise, lead strategic planning to help grow Aerospace’s leadership role
• Drive the development of mission critical nav and comm capabilities by aiding the design, acquisition, and operation of secure, scalable, and resilient space and ground solutions
• Advise and influence key Aerospace leaders on IR&D investments, positioning R&D programs for broader community adoption and transition
• Collaborate across the Aerospace enterprise and engineering matrix to integrate activities for a more impactful approach across customer base
• Identify prototyping opportunities for Aerospace and help develop internal laboratory testbeds necessary to position Aerospace for leadership role with both commercial providers and government stakeholders
• Mentor and advise staff in navigation and communication architectures, methods, and principles and in the introduction of new approaches to different applications
• Provide input to management on technical succession planning and skillset requirements

Skills

Navigation systems

Communication systems

Leadership

R&D leadership

Government applications

Cross-functional

Security clearance

Education

Bachelor’s degree in STEM

Advanced degree in STEM or related 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.

At the Mission Payloads Division (MPD), we are pioneers in remote sensing systems that guide our country’s space enterprise. Our talented and dynamic people create and flourish in electronics, sensors, radar, artificial intelligence (AI), and advanced data network domains. We boldly advance technology through our research and development and then forward to demonstration and integration. With innovative laboratories and prototyping, MPD delivers groundbreaking results. We guide our Department of Defense, intelligence community, and civil clients to enhance national productivity and security and tackle the most critical missions. Bring your intelligence and creative spirit and join us at MPD!

We are seeking a Technical Fellow in Navigation and Communications Systems, creating a new leadership opportunity for impact across our National Security Space customers. This role will drive strategic development across the DoD, Intelligence Community (IC), civil and commercial mission areas, creating national-level impact for secure, scalable, and resilient navigation and communication systems in dynamic and contested operating environments.

The Technical Fellow will shape the design of nav and comm capabilities, the creation of resilient and robust solutions, the utilization of commercial and alternate PNT sources and enable the development and integration of new waveforms into satellite-to-user implementations. The Technical Fellow is responsible for strategies and roadmaps to advance nav and comm capabilities, and they will mentor Aerospace staff to strengthen our technical depth in these rapidly evolving fields. They will also work with Aerospace’s Chief Technology Officer to drive corporate strategies for nav and comm and support the corporate Technical and Strategic Investment priorities.

This Technical Fellow will be a key leader for MPD, the division responsible for Aerospace’s RF and optical communications architectures, payloads, sensing, processing and related electronics solutions. As Aerospace’s largest engineering division, MPD is at the cutting edge of technology supporting customers in multiple frontiers such as AI/ML based sensing, signals and network orchestration, resilient network architectures and agile processing, prototype development of nav and comm systems and their associated waveforms which mitigate threats and ensure protectedcapabilities.

This is a full‑time position based in El Segundo, CA.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Work directly with government customers to drive the rapid development of innovative space nav and comm capabilities to meet the needs of a multitude of programs in National Security Space
• Serve as a collaborative thought‑leader and technical authority on such architectures, commercial integration strategies, and mission‑critical field tests and deployments
• With unique knowledge of customer challenges across the space enterprise, lead strategic planning to help grow Aerospace’s leadership role
• Drive the development of mission critical nav and comm capabilities by aiding the design, acquisition, and operation of secure, scalable, and resilient space and ground solutions
• Advise and influence key Aerospace leaders on IR&D investments, positioning R&D programs for broader community adoption and transition
• Collaborate across the Aerospace enterprise and engineering matrix to integrate activities for a more impactful approach across customer base
• Identify prototyping opportunities for Aerospace and help develop internal laboratory testbeds necessary to position Aerospace for leadership role with both commercial providers and government stakeholders
• Mentor and advise staff in navigation and communication architectures, methods, and principles and in the introduction of new approaches to different applications
• Provide input to management on technical succession planning and skillset requirements

What You Need to be Successful

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in STEM, Engineering, or a related technical field
• 15+ years’ experience in navigation and communication systems, with a track record of innovation and development of new technology solutions in these areas
• Foundational understanding and direct experience leading technology development of navigation and communication systems, associated space and ground networks, and associated resilient solutions
• Specific experience in designing, modeling and testing navigation and communication architectures for government applications
• Experience leading nav and comm related R&D initiatives
• Demonstrated multi-disciplinary skills to create impactful teams across related technologies
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to coordinate cross‑functional teams and engage with external stakeholders
• Proven ability to engage with senior government officials, industry partners, and research communities to shape strategies
• Demonstrated leadership in mentoring and developing technical talent across organizations
• This position requires ability to attain Top Secret/SCI clearance and maintain a security clearance, which is issued by the U.S. government. U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance; (ability to be vetted for US Government Compartmented and Special Access Programs)

What You Can Stand Out

It would be impressive if you have one or more of these:

• An advanced degree in STEM, or degree in Computer Science, or a related technical field
• Proven ability to bridge commercial, defense, and civil space sectors, aligning government needs with industry‑leading capabilities
• Demonstrated expertise with problem‑solving and independent analysis, and a commitment to delivering resilient, future‑ready solutions that empower mission success in the rapidly evolving aerospace landscape
• Extensive examples of applying technical rigor and delivering actionable insights, while utilizing risk mitigation processes (across cost, schedule and technical risks), to save time and resources on critical national security and commercial space programs
• Successful track record of prototyping early solutions that were successfully transitioned to the broader community
• Experience establishing joint partnerships across the navigation and communications community to drive innovation
• Knowledge of AI/ML for nav and comm applications, advanced waveforms, and/or signal processing.
• Direct experience designing and developing applications for space systems and/or satellite ground systems
• Experience working across sensitive and compartmented DoD and Intelligence community missions

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)

$203,800.00 - $305,600.00 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 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. 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.