Space Domain Awareness and Space Control Analyst

The Aerospace Corporation; Colorado Springs (CO); On-site; USD 131,000 - 241,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health care

Relocation assistance

Education assistance

Paid holidays

Job summary

The Aerospace Corporation seeks dedicated space professionals for a role focused on space domain awareness, threat assessment, and mission integration. You’ll lead analyses, develop tools, and translate complex problems into actionable recommendations for national security space operations.

Candidates should have a strong background in modeling, simulation, and analysis, with hands-on experience in sensor concepts and satellite defense. A TS/SCI clearance is required; U.S.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree with 8+ years of relevant experience in national security space, space operations, missile warning/defense, command and control, or related mission areas.
• Master's degree or PhD in mathematics, engineering, physics, computer science, or related field.
• In addition to above for Senior Engineering Specialist: Bachelor's degree with 12+ years of progressively responsible experience in space domain awareness, space control, operational analysis, mission architecture, or force design.

Responsibilities

• Analyze sensor systems– Evaluate electro-optical (EO), radar, and passive RF sensor concepts and architectures for ground-based and space-based space surveillance applications.
• Assess terrestrial and space-based sensor architectures supporting space domain awareness missions.
• Evaluate sensor performance, operational coverage, detection capabilities, and tracking accuracy.
• Analyze space surveillance network sensor operations and architecture integration.
• Support assessments of advanced sensor concepts for enhanced space domain awareness.
• Assess threats and resilience– Conduct comprehensive risk assessments covering RF/DE interference, optical threats, and counterspace capabilities affecting satellite operations.

Skills

Python

MATLAB

C++

Java

C

FORTRAN

Education

Bachelor's degree + 8+ years experience in national security space

Master's degree or PhD in mathematics, engineering, physics, computer science, 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 Enterprise Effects Division (EED) drives integration of Aerospace’s strategic capabilities across the national space enterprise. The division leverages a broad array of engineering disciplines against a dynamic portfolio of programs, customers, and national challenges. EED spans the capability lifecycle from concept and architecture design to performance assessment to application of space and space-enabled capabilities. We’re seeking exceptional space professionals to support mission-critical analyses, operational architecture development, and strategic decision support across space domain awareness, space control, electronic warfare, directed energy effects, advanced sensors, orbit determination, position, navigation and timing, and space protection mission areas.

This role combines technical analytical excellence with operational mission analyses to support the future of national security space operations. As aSpace Domain Awareness &Space Control Analyst, you’ll provide technical leadership and analytical support across a wide range of space security challenges operating at the intersection of operators, engineers, intelligence professionals, acquisition stakeholders, and senior government leaders. You’ll provide technical leadership and analytical support, translating complex operational problems into actionable recommendations and decision-quality products that directly impact national security.

Work Model:100% on-site in Colorado Springs, CO

What You’ll Do

Space Domain Awareness & Threat Assessment

• Analyze sensor systems– Evaluate electro-optical (EO), radar, and passive RF sensor concepts and architectures for ground-based and space-based space surveillance applications
• Assess terrestrial and space-based sensor architectures supporting space domain awareness missions
• Evaluate sensor performance, operational coverage, detection capabilities, and tracking accuracy
• Analyze space surveillance network sensor operations and architecture integration
• Support assessments of advanced sensor concepts for enhanced space domain awareness
• Assess threats and resilience– Conduct comprehensive risk assessments covering RF/DE interference, optical threats, and counterspace capabilities affecting satellite operations.
• Support space protection mission analysis
• Evaluate threat capabilities and their operational impacts on satellite systems
• Conduct threat-informed analysis examining contested space environments and emerging threat vectors.

Model, Simulation & Analysis

• Model and simulate– Use industry-leading tools and custom frameworks to analyze complex space scenarios, including space domain awareness coverage, tracking performance, and threat engagement timelines
• Develop algorithms and analytical methods to solve emerging space domain challenges
• Create computer tools and simulations to support space surveillance, space control, and space protection missions
• Collaborate with modeling and simulation teams to ensure operationally relevant outputs
• Support mission-thread analysis and operational experimentation for future space capabilities

Directed Energy Effects

• Evaluate directed energy effects on satellite operations and space mission capabilities

Leadership & Mission Integration

• Lead and mentor– Support technical leads on modeling and simulation efforts while guiding early-career engineers and analysts
• Drive independent studies– Lead analytical teams and provide expert assessments to government stakeholders
• Translate complex technical analysis into actionable recommendations for senior decision-makers
• Support strategic wargames, tabletop exercises, and operational planning activities
• Serve as technical expert bridging space domain awareness operations with analytical capabilities

What You Need to be Successful:

Engineering Specialist

• Bachelor's degree with8+ yearsof relevant experience in national security space, space operations, missile warning/defense, command and control, or related mission areas.
• Master's degree or PhD in mathematics, engineering, physics, computer science, or related field.
• In additional to above for Senior Engineering Specialist: Bachelor's degree with12+ yearsof progressively responsible experience in space domain awareness, space control, operational analysis, mission architecture, or force design.

Technical & Mission Skills

• Experience in Space Domain Awareness (SDA), space control, space surveillance sensors, missile warning, missile defense, or command-and-control mission areas.
• Knowledge of electronic warfare and/or directed energy effects.
• Background in modeling, simulation, and analysis.
• Experience developing computer tools, simulations, or interpreting technical analysis outputs.
• Proficiency in at least one programming language:Python, MATLAB, C++, Java, C, or FORTRAN.
• Ability to assess operational implications of technical analysis, sensor architecture assessments, and threat-informed analysis.

Professional Skills

• Strong written and oral communication skills, including ability to brief senior government, military, and executive stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex operational problems into clear recommendations and decision products.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in fast-paced, classified, multi-organizational environments.
• Experience working with operators, engineers, intelligence professionals, and acquisition organizations.

Additional Requirements

• The position requires the ability to obtain a TS/SCI security clearance issued by the U.S. Government.
• U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance.

How to Stand Out:

• ActiveTS/SCI clearance
• 20+ yearsof operational and strategic experience across space operations, missile warning/defense, command and control, or future force design
• Operational Background
• Operational experience as an orbit analyst, space control operator, or space operations center personnel
• Space surveillance network sensor operations background
• Experience supporting future force design, operational architecture, or capability integration forU.S. Space Force, Space Warfighting Analysis Center, Space Systems Command, Space Warfighting Analysis Center, etc.
• Experience supporting national-level space wargames, operational experimentation, or contested space operations analysis
• Experience advising senior leaders, general officer-level staff, combatant commands, or national security space organizations
• Technical Specializations
• Experience with EO and/or radar sensors, particularly for space surveillance applications
• Experience assessing terrestrial and space-based sensor architectures for operational coverage and mission effectiveness
• Experience working with modeling, simulation, sensor, EW/DE, algorithm, or systems engineering teams

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) $131,400.00 - $240,500.00 Pay Basis: Annual

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.

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

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.

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.

Return to the Aerospace Careers site.

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