Systems Director - Objective Force Planning and Integration

The Aerospace Corporation; Crystal City (TX); On-site; USD 168,000 - 252,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive health plans

Paid holidays, sick time, vacation

401(k) plan with company match

Education assistance programs

Relocation assistance

Job summary

The Aerospace Corporation in Crystal City, VA, seeks a Systems Director for Objective Force Planning and Integration to lead a growing aerospace team and drive Space Force future-force design. You will collaborate with senior Space Force leaders to convert vision into executable plans and ensure technical rigor across program areas.

Ideal candidates have extensive space systems experience, a strong leadership track record, and the ability to work in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Science, Mathematics, or a related technical field.
• 12+ years of progressively responsible technical experience in space systems, programs, and systems engineering or acquisition.
• Current Top Secret/SCI clearance; ability to obtain additional clearances; U.S. citizenship required for clearance.

Responsibilities

• Build and lead a team of Aerospace personnel shaping how the Space Force builds its future force.
• Interface with military and civilian Space Force leaders in Crystal City and the Pentagon
• Translate technical insights into actionable recommendations; identify opportunities to connect vision to design and non‑materiel solutions
• Define role in long-term Space Force ideation and planning; adopt integration frameworks in a digital environment
• Cultivate interagency relationships to ensure cohesive communication; provide timely, strategic updates to senior leaders

Skills

Communication

Leadership

Space domain knowledge

Security clearance

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a technical 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 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.

As part of the Space Enterprise and Warfighting Division, the Space Futures Integration Directorate provides technical advice, thought leadership, and systems engineering support to Space Force S9, Force Design and Analysis. This new Space Force Headquarters organization is responsible for driving the future of the Space Force through horizon scanning and foresighting, concept development, technology assessments, wargaming, experimentation, and force design and integration.

We are seeking a Systems Director for Objective Force Planning and Integration to help lead our growing Aerospace team. We are at the leading edge of a new Space Force organization; this Systems Director should have vision, an entrepreneurial mindset, and be comfortable with ambiguity and change. You will work collaboratively with the Principal Director to build the backbone of S9 activities connecting strategic vision to executable future force design. The selected candidate will be required to work full‑time, on‑site at our facility in Crystal City, VA.

What You’ll Be Doing

Build and lead a team of Aerospace personnel shaping how the Space Force builds its future force. Interface directly with military and civilian Space Force leaders in Crystal City and the Pentagon, translating technical insights into actionable recommendations. Identify new opportunities for better connecting vision to architectural design and non‑materiel solutions with engineering rigor. Define our role in far‑future (15+ year) Space Force ideation and planning. Support adoption and refinement of new integration frameworks in a digital environment. Cultivate and maintain interagency relationships with government, FFRDC, SETA, and industry partners to ensure cohesive communication channels. Provide timely, strategic communications to senior leaders on integration issues, potential risks, and opportunities for process improvements. Function effectively in a fast‑paced environment tackling ambiguous problems with creativity and initiative. Lead cross‑functional teams and manage multiple projects concurrently, ensuring timely and impactful integration of force designs.

What You Need to be Successful

• Systems Director - Engineering Program Management and Systems Engineering: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Science, Mathematics, or a related technical field from an accredited institution.
• 12 or more years of progressively responsible technical experience in space systems, programs, and systems engineering or acquisition.
• Demonstrated ability to work in complex, multi‑disciplinary environments and thrive in fast‑paced, dynamic settings.
• Familiarity with the Space Force mission, organizations, and dynamics.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to effectively present complex analytical results to senior leadership.
• This position requires a current Top Secret/ SCI clearance, with the ability to obtain and maintain additional security clearances, which are issued by the U.S. government; U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance.

How You Can Stand Out

• Advanced degree in a relevant technical field.
• Extensive knowledge of service headquarters processes and the relationship between Pentagon and field organizations.
• Prior experience with leading force‑level design integration activities with model‑based systems engineering practices.
• Demonstrated example of building a team to deliver increasing impact to a customer set.
• Experience facilitating cross‑organizational collaboration.
• Working knowledge of Aerospace Engineering and Technology Group (ETG) organizations, tools, skills, and capabilities.
• Demonstrates enterprise‑level perspective with prior Program Office(s) and ETG experience.

We offer a competitive compensation package

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) $168,200.00 - $252,400.00 Pay Basis: Annual Leadership Competencies

Ways We Reward Our Employees

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

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

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

Right Path Aerospace 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.

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.