Space Operations Analyst: Mission-Critical Analytics

Systems Planning & Analysis; San Diego (CA); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Systems Planning and Analysis, Inc. (SPA) seeks a Space Operations Analyst to turn ambiguous client mission questions into structured analyses.

You will bridge operational needs with analytic solutions, collaborating with operators, intelligence professionals, and OR engineers to produce actionable results. You will work with sponsors like SSDP and SSC, translating requirements into measurable objectives and delivering clear briefings and assessments for mission priority decisions.

Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI clearance required.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations Research, Applied Mathematics, Physics, or a related analytical discipline.
• 5+ years of experience with or within the U.S. Air Force or U.S. Space Force in national security space.
• Experience in SDA-relevant functions: tracking objects, sensor networks, catalog maintenance, orbital analysis or conjunction assessment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to convey technical ideas clearly and confidently.

Responsibilities

• Translate client problem statements into structured analytic approaches: define hypotheses, metrics, decision criteria, and executable tasks for OR and engineering teams.
• Engage directly with customers (e.g., SSDP, SSC, USSF) to capture requirements and align analysis to mission priorities.
• Analyze Space Domain Awareness mission areas including catalog maintenance, orbital analysis, conjunction assessment, sensor networks, and space object tracking.
• Develop and leverage modeling & simulation to explore system behavior, assess resiliency, and inform operational decision-making.
• Create clear, compelling briefings, visualizations, and technical write-ups for senior stakeholders.

Skills

Clearance TS/SCI

SDA domain knowledge

Strong communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/OR/Math/Physics

Master’s degree or MBA

Tools

STK

FreeFlyer

Python/MATLAB

MBSE (Cameo/Sparx EA)

Space C2 tools

Job description

Systems Planning and Analysis, Inc. (SPA) seeks a Space Operations Analyst to turn ambiguous client mission questions into structured analyses.

You will bridge operational needs with analytic solutions, collaborating with operators, intelligence professionals, and OR engineers to produce actionable results. You will work with sponsors like SSDP and SSC, translating requirements into measurable objectives and delivering clear briefings and assessments for mission priority decisions.