Sr. Offensive Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (OsUAS) Project Leader

The Aerospace Corporation; Dayton (OH); On-site; USD 156,000 - 234,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Comprehensive health care and wellness

401(k) Plan

Education assistance programs

Flexible work schedules

Job summary

The Aerospace Corporation in Dayton, OH seeks a Senior Project Leader to drive enterprise system engineering for the USAF OsUAS program. You will lead a multidisciplinary team delivering end-to-end technical support, align priorities, and coordinate reachback expertise across Aerospace.

Ideal candidates bring 12+ years in defense systems engineering, strong leadership, and active TS/SCI clearance. This on-site role offers competitive pay and comprehensive benefits, with travel up to 25%.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in STEM field.
• 12+ years in technical leadership and systems engineering in defense.
• Proven leadership of multi-disciplinary teams.
• Active TS/SCI clearance and US citizenship.
• Travel up to 25% of the time.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a multi-disciplinary Aerospace team providing end-to-end technical support to the USAF OsUAS Program Office.
• Serve as primary technical and programmatic focal point for the OsUAS government customer.
• Collaborate across government, SETA, contractor, and FFRDC partners to deliver high-quality technical assessments and decision-support products.
• Lead integration of experts in autonomy, orchestration, EO/IR sensors, EW, communications, PNT, mesh networking, LIDAR, and related areas for UAS platforms.
• Coordinate support across program staff and technical reachback teams to enable concept development, requirements refinement, system engineering working groups, and developmental/operational test activities.

Skills

Team leadership

Technical leadership

Program management

Stakeholder communication

Security clearance

Education

Bachelor’s degree in STEM

Job description

The Aerospace Corporation

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. Aerospace’s Joint and Multi-Domain Subdivision supports a broad sponsor landscape, extending Aerospace’s space-based technical expertise to operational end users. With projects ranging from state of the art research and concept development, to prototyping, cutting-edge laboratory environments, fully integrated operational capabilities, and robust analytics and decision support tools, Aerospace’s support to the military Services, Combatant Commands, and other government agencies helps to enable strategic decisions, explore new operational concepts, and drive toward integrated, multi-domain capabilities. As a Senior Project Leader supporting the USAF Offensive Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (OsUAS) Program Office, you will play a critical role in advancing Aerospace’s impact across emerging multi‑use UAS mission areas. In this position, you will lead a diverse, multi‑disciplinary team and leverage Aerospace’s deep technical reachback to help the government develop, mature, and integrate cutting‑edge UAS capabilities. Working directly alongside the OsUAS program office, you will provide both technical leadership and direct engineering contributions that ensure Aerospace delivers timely, high‑quality support to address a wide range of complex UAS challenges. The selected candidate will be required to work full‑time, on‑site at our facility in Dayton, OH

What You'll Be Doing

Lead and manage a multi‑disciplinary Aerospace team providing end‑to‑end technical support to the USAF Offensive Small UAS (OsUAS) Program Office, including oversight of program execution, alignment of technical priorities, and coordination of reachback expertise across Aerospace.

Serve as the primary technical and programmatic focal point for the OsUAS government customer, establishing a trusted working relationship and delivering direct contributions to UAS development, integration, test, and fielding activities.

Collaborate across government, SETA, contractor, and FFRDC partners to deliver high‑quality technical assessments, engineering analyses, and decision‑support products that advance OsUAS capabilities and meet warfighter needs.

Lead integration of Aerospace experts specializing in technical areas such as: autonomy, orchestration, EO/IR sensors, EW, communications, PNT, mesh networking, LIDAR, and kinetic/non‑kinetic effects to address diverse technical challenges across multi‑use UAS platforms.

Coordinate support across direct program staff and technical reachback teams to enable concept development, requirements refinement, system engineering working groups, mission engineering assessments, and developmental/operational test activities.

Break down complex technical tasks, set team direction, establish performance expectations, mentor staff, and foster a collaborative environment across multiple organizations and stakeholder groups.

Provide direct technical contributions in one or more mission areas related to small UAS operations, including payload integration, autonomy, sensing, navigation, survivability, or counter‑UAS threat environments.

What You Need to Be Successful

Minimum Requirements for Senior Project Leader – Enterprise Systems Engineering:

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline or closely related technical field.
• 12 or more years of progressive technical and leadership experience, including multi‑disciplinary systems engineering within a defense acquisition or program oversight environment.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex technical teams, including team development, mentoring, collaboration, and conflict resolution.
• Experience conducting technical analyses and engineering trades related to UAS system or subsystem capabilities Proven success working effectively with government program offices, senior leaders, and cross‑organizational technical teams.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate with contractors, SETA organizations, government labs, and internal Aerospace groups to deliver high‑quality technical and programmatic support.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Active TS/SCI security clearance.
• U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance.
• Current access and/or ability to maintain SAP/SAR program access.
• Ability to travel up to 25% of the time or as needed to meet mission needs.

What You Can Stand Out

It would be impressive if you have one or more of these:

• Advanced technical degree in a STEM discipline or closely related technical field
• Prior experience supporting USAF UAS programs, AFLCMC, or other rapid acquisition development organizations.
• In‑depth knowledge of autonomy, distributed orchestration, and digital engineering tools used in UAS development and integration.
• Demonstrated experience with advanced sensing modalities (EO/IR, LIDAR), electronic warfare, assured PNT, or mesh networking technologies relevant to small UAS operations.
• Experience employing AI/ML for autonomy, sensor fusion, target detection, or human‑machine teaming in UAS systems.
• Knowledge of cybersecurity authorization processes and policies
• Experience navigating Airworthiness processes, including familiarity with military or civil airworthiness standards, certification pathways, and risk‑based compliance approaches
• Background preparing or supporting Safety Review Boards, especially as applicable for systems employing munitions
• Hands‑on experience in flight test, rapid prototyping, payload integration, or developmental/operational test environments for UAS platforms.
• Strong understanding of counter‑UAS threat environments, red‑force TTPs, and survivability considerations for offensive UAS missions.

We offer a competitive compensation package

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) $155,900.00 - $233,900.00 Pay Basis: Annual

Leadership Competencies

• 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.

Benefits

• 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, 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.

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