Space Combat Power Propulsion Principal Engineer

The Aerospace Corporation; El Segundo (CA); On-site; USD 185,000 - 278,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Paid holidays

Telework options

401(k) plan

Flexible spending

Bonus / variable pay

Relocation assistance

Career development

Education assistance

Job summary

The Aerospace Corporation seeks a senior Principal Engineer – Engineering Program Management and Systems Engineering to lead propulsion initiatives for Space Combat Power. You will work with Systems Delta 89 teams, engage with Space Force and Intelligence Community partners, and guide strategy from design through procurement.

Requirements include an MS in engineering, 15+ years in propulsion, and a current TS clearance plus US citizenship.

Qualifications

• MS in Mechanical Engineering, Propulsion or Aerospace Engineering, or related field.
• 15+ years in propulsion systems development, test, integration, operations, mission assurance, and analysis.
• Recognized propulsion expert with broad government, academia and industrial base ties.
• Experience with DoW acquisition processes and evaluating propulsion supply chains.
• Outstanding oral and written communication skills.
• Experience briefing technical material to senior management and customers.
• Ability to work in a dynamic, fast-paced program office and adapt quickly.
• Ability to build teams and relationships with management, peers, and contractors.
• Active Top Secret +4 security clearance; US citizenship required.

Responsibilities

• Act as primary propulsion technologies engineer for Space Combat Power portfolio.
• Collaborate across Space Systems Command, STARCOM, Space Command, and intelligence community.
• Advise on propulsion strategy, supply chain constraints, and acquisition planning.
• Present research and analysis in formal forums and committees.
• Lead high-performance teams to analyze and satisfy customer needs.
• Monitor and manage overall technical effort of teams.
• Support independent assessments and failure investigations with timely contributions.
• Lead tasks including risk assessments, market research, and source selection advisory.

Skills

Security clearance

Oral communication

Written communication

Education

MS in Mechanical Engineering

Propulsion or Aerospace Eng

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 Materiel 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 Space Combat Power Propulsion Principal Engineer will support the Program Acquisition Executive for Space Combat Power (SCP) portfolio of programs in all areas of related advanced development, design, planning, execution, strategy development, assembly, integration, test, and supply chain analysis of propulsion systems. The SCP Propulsion Principal Engineer will engage daily with senior Space Force, Intelligence Community, and DoW leadership. This role requires being integrated with Systems Delta 89 organizations and interacting regularly with SSC leadership, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration (SAF/SQ), and the Office of the Secretary of War (OSW). Senior Aerospace FFRDC leadership, and National Lab working groups. The Special Programs Division of the Defense Space Acquisition Directorate works across the enterprise to provide our customers timely, accurate, and actionable information to enable informed decision‑making on impacting the Space Force’s architecture over the next decade.

The selected candidate will be required to work full-time, on-site at our facility in El Segundo, CA.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Act as the primary propulsion technologies engineer for Space Combat Power Portfolio and be integrated directly with Systems Delta 89 programs and their program teams.
• Work closely and collaboratively across Space Systems Command, STARCOM, Space Command, National Laboratories, and Intelligence Community to understand and mitigate propulsion related challenges.
• Help shape the future of System Delta 89 procurements by providing a deep understanding on current and future state of the space industrial base propulsion landscape, advise customers on acquisition strategy, supply chain issues and generating forward-facing solutions.
• Communicate across the space enterprise, engage in propulsion related technical forums, committees and present cutting‑edge research and analysis.
• Assemble and lead high-performance teams to analyze, define, and satisfy customer needs.
• Monitor and manage overall team and individual technical efforts.
• Support various senior level independent assessments or failure investigations, leveraging Aerospace corporate capability to provide timely and accurate contributions.
• Lead extensive set of technical tasks, including mission assurance, maturity and schedule risk assessments, technical capability assessments, market research, acquisition strategy developments, RFP developments, industry engagements, and source selection advisory.

What You Need to be Successful

Minimum Requirements for Principal Engineer - Engineering Program Management and Systems Engineering:

• M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Propulsion or Aerospace Engineering, or other related technical areas of study.
• 15 or more years of applicable experience in propulsion systems development, test, integration, operations, mission assurance, and systems analysis.
• Recognized propulsion expert across Government, Academia and industrial base with technical reputation and a track record of technical achievement.
• Experience with DoW acquisition processes, evaluating supply chain and raw material constraints for propulsion systems.
• Outstanding oral and written communication skills.
• Experience briefing technical material to management and customers at the highest levels.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a dynamic, fast‑paced program office environment; an ability to adapt quickly to change and take initiative under pressure.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively build teams and establish strong working relationships with management, peers, subordinates, customers, and contractors.
• Active and current Top Secret +4 pack security clearance, issued by the US government.
• US citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance.

How You Can Stand Out

• PhD degree in engineering, science, or equivalent Government Program office experience, with experience working in the Space Combat Power portfolio.
• Demonstrated understanding of how to effectively leverage Aerospace’s Engineering Technology Group technical support.
• Ability to support travel, as needed.

Compensation

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) $185,200.00 - $277,800.00 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

Ways We Reward Our Employees

During your interview process, our team will provide details of our industry‑leading benefits. 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.

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

Astro 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.