Systems Director - Technology Development

The Aerospace Corporation; Chantilly, Northern (VA, KY); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health care

401(k) matching

Relocation assistance

Education assistance

Job summary

The Aerospace Corporation in Chantilly, VA is seeking a Systems Director for Engineering Program Management and Systems Engineering to lead a cadre of engineers and scientists in discovering, developing, and demonstrating next generation space technologies.

This full-time onsite role requires TS/SCI clearance, U.S. citizenship, and a minimum of 12 years in space systems or related fields, with proven technical leadership and experience prototyping hardware.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or advanced degree in science, engineering, or mathematics.
• At least 12 years of experience in space systems, technology development, or related fields.
• Experience with space technology R&D and hardware prototyping.
• Strong technical leadership and team-building capabilities.
• Active TS/SCI with polygraph; U.S. citizenship for clearance.

Responsibilities

• Lead acquisition and prototyping of CubeSats and hardware for capability development.
• Provide strategic guidance for future space architectures to inform investments.
• Set organizational objectives and communicate them across teams.
• Ensure activities align with policies and goals while coordinating with government customers.
• Direct performance reviews, staffing, and career development.
• Oversee security processes, compliance, and safety.
• Develop and manage customer support plans to maximize impact.
• Collaborate across Aerospace and NSG/USSF and IC.

Skills

Technical leadership

Program management

Systems engineering

Communication skills

Security clearance TS/SCI

Willingness to travel (domestic)

Education

Bachelor’s or Advanced degree in science, engineering, or mathematics

Tools

Prototyping equipment

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 National Systems Group (NSG) serves as the technical adviser to the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) and its mission partners involved in the collection and distribution of national and tactical intelligence, including electronics programs, ground and communications, imagery programs, and systems engineering and launch. The Advanced Research and Engineering (AR&E) Sub-Division leads Aerospace support to the R&D portfolio of a major intelligence agency. AR&E is looking for a Systems Director (Systems Director - Engineering Program Management and Systems Engineering) for the Technology Development Department leading a cadre of engineers and scientists to discover, study, develop, and demonstrate the next generation of space technologies for the Innovation portfolio of a National Security Space customer. In this role you will advise influential customers on the advancement of critical technologies spanning cross-phenomenology overhead intelligence systems, data transport, autonomy, foundational technology, resiliency and security, and hardware prototyping and acquisition. This is a unique opportunity to work across the customer Technical Enterprise, leveraging the Physical Sciences Laboratory, Engineering Technology Group, and Prototyping expertise at Aerospace. This is a full‑time position based in Chantilly, VA, which requires 100% onsite work.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Managing the acquisition of experimentalCubeSatsand hardware prototyping activities for capability development.
• Providing strategic guidance and vision for future space architectures to inform government technology investment decisions.
• Establishing organization’s objectives and goals and communicates them to subordinates, management, and interfacing matrix organizations.
• Conducts organization’s activities consistent with corporate policies/practices, goals, and objectives.
• Cooperating and communicating frequently with senior government customers to coordinate and report workprogress, issues, and results.
• Conducting staff performance reviews and recommends performance improvement, career development, salary and promotion actions; establishes staffing needs and recommends reassignments, training, transfers, and other staff deployments; assists other supervisors in evaluation and assignment of staff.
• Monitors and directs organization’s security processes, compliance, and safety awareness.
• Developing and managing customer support plans to maximize impact inside provided resources
• Collaborating and communicating across Aerospace and key elements of the National Security Space enterprise such as the USSF and other elements of the Intelligence Community

What You Need to be Successful

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s OR Advanced degree from an accredited program in science, engineering, or mathematics.
• 12 years of experience in space systems, technology development, or related field
• Experience with space technology research, development, and applications
• Experience with hardware prototyping and acquisition
• Technical leadership and team‑building experience
• Excellentinterpersonal, written, and oral communication skills
• Willing to travel domestically occasionally – approx. 10%.
• This position requires a current and active TS/SCI and a polygraph, which is issued by the US government.
• U.S citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance.

How You Can Stand Out

• Advanced Degree in science, engineering, or mathematics
• Significant experience and demonstrated success working with a matrixed engineeringorganization
• Ability to work in a dynamic environment consisting of government, FFRDC, and SETAs to meet customer needs
• Management skills to include team‑building, personnel development, performance management, budget and resource planning, and mentoring
• Familiarity with other DOD, DOE and academic research laboratories

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

We are all unique, from various backgrounds and all walks of life, yet one thing bonds all of us to each other—the belief that we can make a difference. This core belief empowers us to do our best work at The Aerospace Corporation.

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. 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.