Space Operations Center Manager

KBR Careers; Springfield (VA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonuses and long-term incentives

Relocation benefits

Discretionary payments for exceptional performance

Job summary

A leading technology firm is seeking a highly motivated Space Operations Center Manager to oversee operations and integration activities at the Space Operations Center. You will coordinate contractor efforts and ensure communication flow between mission partners and national intelligence customers. The role requires a Master’s degree with extensive experience in space operations, a strong leadership presence, and the ability to work under pressure. Contributions will be pivotal in optimizing defense systems for national security.

Qualifications

• 11 years of relevant operations experience with a Master’s degree.
• 7 years combined experience in space enterprise operations.
• Active TS/SCI with Poly required to be considered.
• Active TS/SCI with Poly required to be considered.
• Familiarity with DoD satellite operations.
• Ability to perform contract tasks independently and lead teams.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Maintain continuous oversight of satellite and ground system operational status.
• Lead incident response teams and coordinate with engineering and security partners.
• Train, certify, and evaluate operations personnel for mission readiness.
• Leadership & Workforce Management: manage 24/7 shift workforce; train and evaluate personnel; establish standards.
• Reporting & Executive Communication: provide senior leadership with timely operational summaries and incident reports; deliver briefs and health updates.

Skills

Space domain awareness operations

Incident management

Leadership

Communication skills

Communication skills

DOD satellite ops familiarity

Education

Master’s degree in relevant field

Bachelor’s degree + 12 years

No degree + 14 years

Job description

KBR’s National Security Solutions team provides high‑end engineering and advanced technology solutions to our customers in the intelligence and national security communities. In this position, your work will have a profound impact on the country’s most critical role – protecting our national security.

Space Operations Center Manager

KBR is seeking a highly motivated and career‑oriented Space Operations Center Manager to join our team. As the Space Operations Center Manager, you will direct operations and integration activities at the Space Operations Center to synchronize contractor efforts across all technical requirements and do so in coordination with the manager of the partner Space Operations Center.

Why Join Us?

• Innovative Projects: KBR’s work is at the forefront of engineering, logistics, operations, science, program management, mission IT and cybersecurity solutions.
• Collaborative Environment: Be part of a dynamic team that thrives on collaboration and innovation, fostering a supportive and intellectually stimulating workplace.
• Impactful Work: Your contributions will be pivotal in designing and optimizing defense systems that ensure national security and shape the future of space defense.

Primary Responsibilities

• Mission Monitoring & Real‑Time Operations
  • Maintain continuous oversight of satellite and ground system operational status.
  • Ensure timely detection of mission impacts, anomalies, or system degradations.
  • Coordinate immediate triage and direct the response to mission‑impacting events.
• Incident & Crisis Management
  • Serve as first‑line operational authority during system incidents.
  • Lead incident response teams and coordinate with engineering, security, and intel partners.
  • Provide operational recommendations to senior leadership during time‑sensitive events.
• Command, Control, & Communications (C3) Oversight
  • Ensure reliable communications flow between organization, mission partners, and national intelligence customers.
  • Validate reporting, alerts, and operational updates are accurate and timely.
  • Oversee operational message traffic, executive notifications, and situational reporting.
• Leadership & Workforce Management
  • Lead a 24/7 operations shift workforce consisting of operators, analysts, and technical specialists.
  • Train, certify, and evaluate operations personnel for mission readiness.
  • Establish performance standards, workflow processes, and knowledge management practices.
• Coordination with mission partners
• Reporting & Executive Communication
  • Provide senior leadership with accurate, timely operational summaries and incident reports.
  • Deliver briefs, mission health updates, and significant activity summaries.
  • Ensure reporting supports national‑level situational awareness.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree plus 11 years of relevant space domain awareness / operations experience with demonstrated expertise OR bachelor’s degree with 12 years of relevant experience OR no degree with 14 years of relevant experience.
• 2 years relevant operations floor experience.
• 7 years combined experience in space enterprise operations, including working knowledge of systems integration, dependencies and data flows.
• Active TS/SCI with Poly required to be considered.
• Familiarity with DOD satellite operations.
• Be able to perform contract tasks independently and lead teams.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.

Additional Compensation

KBR may offer bonuses, commissions, or other forms of compensation to certain job titles or levels, per internal policy or contractual designation. Additional compensation may be in the form of sign‑on bonus, relocation benefits, short‑term incentives, long‑term incentives, or discretionary payments for exceptional performance.

Ready to Make a Difference?

If you’re excited about making a significant impact in the field of space defense and working on projects that matter, we encourage you to apply and join our team at KBR. Let’s shape the future together.

Belong, Connect and Grow at KBR. At KBR, we are passionate about our people and our Zero Harm culture. These inform all that we do and are at the heart of our commitment to, and ongoing journey toward being a People First company. That commitment is central to our team’s philosophy and fosters an environment where everyone can belong, connect and grow. We deliver – together.

KBR is an equal‑opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, veteran status, genetic information, union status and/or beliefs, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.