Principal Director - Space Based Interceptor Program Office

aero; Huntsville (AL); On-site; USD 208,000 - 312,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health care and wellness plans

Paid holidays, sick time, vacation

401(k) Plan with company contributions

Relocation assistance

Education assistance programs

Job summary

The Aerospace Corporation is seeking a Principal Director to serve as the senior leader for Aerospace support to the SBI program office in Huntsville, Alabama. This role leads a team of directors and technical staff, driving acquisition excellence throughout the lifecycle and coordinating with SSC leadership and government partners.

The position requires a current Top Secret/SCI clearance, U.S. citizenship, and on‑site work in Huntsville, AL.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant technical subject area.
• Fifteen or more years of professional experience and ten+ years in National Security Space missions or defense acquisition programs.
• Experience in space vehicle acquisition or space architectures.

Responsibilities

• Serve as senior leader for Aerospace support to the SBI program office in Huntsville, AL.
• Build and lead a high‑performing team of directors and technical staff.
• Recruit top talent to the Huntsville location to support SBI activities.
• Report progress and recommendations to government leadership and Aerospace Senior Leadership.
• Mentor engineers, staff, and government customers in acquisitions and leadership.

Skills

Leadership

Acquisition management

Strategic thinking

Communication

Stakeholder management

Team building

Mentoring

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, physics, 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.

The Defense Systems Group (DSG) provides analysis-based decision support to senior leaders on space architectures, policy and strategy, technology development, warfighter capability enablers, systems integration, defense industrial base, and threat reduction to help shape existing and future space missions across the national security space (NSS) enterprise. DSG is unique at Aerospace as it not only directly supports major customers, including the U.S. Space Force, U.S. Space Command, Air Force Material Command, and senior leadership at the Pentagon, but also provides a broad range of technical support across the national space enterprise, maintaining vertical responsibilities with customers’ portfolios as well as horizontal, matrixed responsibilities across the corporation. Additionally, DSG provides deep technical expertise to the Space Force Space Systems Command (SSC) in the conception, design, acquisition, launch and operations of satellite, launch vehicle, ground control, and range systems.

The United States Space Force (USSF) Space Systems Command (SSC) is developing the Space Based Interceptor (SBI) program to provide critical missile defense capabilities from space. The SBI program office is responsible for acquiring space-based interceptor satellites and ground systems that will enhance our nation's ability to defend against advanced missile threats. This acquisition effort represents a transformational approach to national defense, requiring innovative leadership and strong program execution.

The Aerospace Corporation is seeking a Principal Director to serve as the senior leader for Aerospace support to the SBI program office in Huntsville, Alabama. This Principal Director will work shoulder-to-shoulder with the Senior Materiel Leader for the SBI program office, providing strategic leadership and technical expertise throughout the acquisition lifecycle. The successful candidate will build and lead a high‑performing team of directors and technical staff to support day‑to‑day program office functions, drive Aerospace value to mission success, and actively shape the future of space‑based missile defense.

The selected candidate will be required to work full‑time, on‑site at our facility in Huntsville, AL.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Work shoulder-to-shoulder with the Senior Materiel Leader for the SBI program office, serving as a trusted advisor and strategic partner throughout the acquisition process.
• Develop and lead a team of directors to support the day-to-day functions of the SBI program office across all acquisition phases and technical disciplines.
• Actively recruit top talent to the Huntsville location to build a robust Aerospace presence supporting SBI activities.
• Report Aerospace progress, technical insights, and program recommendations to government leadership and Aerospace Senior Leadership on a regular basis.
• Serve as a mentor to engineers, staff, and government customers in the Huntsville area, developing the next generation of acquisition and technical leaders.
• Drive Aerospace value by identifying opportunities for technical innovation, risk reduction, and acquisition excellence throughout the SBI program lifecycle.
• Manage relationships with multiple stakeholders including SSC leadership, the SBI program office, industry partners, and other government agencies.
• Lead acquisition strategy development for space-based interceptor satellites and ground systems, ensuring integrated end-to-end mission capability.
• Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and mission focus within the Huntsville team.

What You Need to be Successful

Minimum Requirements for Principal Director:

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant technical subject area (engineering, physics, or related field).
• Fifteen or more years of professional related experience and ten or more years of experience supporting National Security Space missions or defense acquisition programs.
• Experience in space vehicle acquisition or development of space architectures.
• Demonstrated ability to lead diverse teams in complex acquisition environments.
• Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to work with and develop staff in a dynamic, high‑paced environment.
• Ability to work and collaborate across Aerospace, Government, and Industry Partner boundaries to arrive at mutually beneficial outcomes.
• Demonstrated ability to be innovative and lead from the front.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to present complex technical and programmatic concepts to senior corporate and Government leadership.
• Proven ability to build and maintain strategic relationships with senior government customers and stakeholders.
• This position requires a current and active Top Secret/SCI security clearance with SSBI, which is issued by the U.S. government; and U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance.

How You Can Stand Out

• Knowledge of missile interception technologies, concepts of operations, and system architectures.
• Experience with satellite acquisition programs, including spacecraft development, integration, and test.
• Demonstrated acquisition transformation mindset with ability to implement innovative acquisition strategies and approaches.
• Demonstrates enterprise-level perspective with prior Program Office(s) and ETG experience.
• Strong communication skills with proven ability to influence both customer organizations and internal staff toward mission success.
• Ability to lead from the front and lean forward to proactively identify and solve problems before they impact program success.
• Experience working in or supporting Major Defense Acquisition Programs (MDAPs) or rapid acquisition initiatives.
• Knowledge of missile defense systems, kill chain architectures, and space-based sensing/interceptor concepts.
• Understanding of evolving threats to U.S. national security and the role of space-based capabilities in countering those threats.
• Demonstrated ability to recruit, develop, and retain top technical talent in competitive markets.
• Experience establishing new organizational capabilities or expanding Aerospace presence at customer locations.

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)

$208,000.00 - $312,000.00 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
• 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 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 needs 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.