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 serves as the technical advisor to the Intelligence Community and its mission partners involved in the collection and distribution of national and tactical intelligence, including electronics programs, advanced technologies, ground and communications, imagery programs, and systems engineering and launch.
The GEOINT Development Office (GDO) under the National Systems Group (NSG) serves as the technical adviser to the government’s national intelligence electro-optical programs. The Systems Engineering department within GDO uses a wide range of Aerospace core competencies to support program objectives throughout the system lifecycle. The department utilizes strong systems engineering practices and knowledge of the hardware and mission to provide technical recommendations and solutions to our programs. As a Space Mission Assurance Engineer (Project Engineer / Senior Project Engineer - Systems and Mission Assurance Engineering) you will lead customer on site engagement in a wide range of mission assurance disciplines and system engineering topics working closely with the customer and colleagues to effectively lead matrix engineering in support of existing and new generation systems
Work Model
This is a full-time position based in Chantilly, Virginia, which requires 100% onsite work.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Coordinating diverse technical teams, providing guidance to government customers and contractors at a system-level.
• Assess design, build and test activities for payload and bus hardware with a focus on the Flight Sciences disciplines, Mission Assurance practices such as Parts, Materials and Processes and Specialty Engineering.
• Provide technical coordination through program life cycle stages from acquisition through operations
• Investigate urgent technical problems and failures, assembling major briefings as well as conducting independent long-term technical studies
• Perform a range of systems engineering activities to develop, refine and assess mission conops, requirements, test programs and integration plans
• Work in a fast-paced environment with many interesting technical challenges that require strategy, critical thinking and collaboration to provide solutions

What You Need to be Successful

Minimum Requirements for the Project Engineer - Systems and Mission Assurance Engineering

• A Bachelor’s degree in engineering, science, mathematics, or related field
• 6 years of progressively more responsible engineering experience
• Experience with space hardware
• Strong experience participating in technical team efforts
• Ability to communicate technical recommendations generated from personal knowledge and from technical team members.
• Understanding of the acquisition process for hardware from design to build, test and integration, including integration of lower level units into subsystems and larger systems.
• Willing to travel domestically as frequent as once a month more typically every other month.
• This position requires a current and active TS/SCI security clearance and polygraph, which is issued by the US government. U.S citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance.

In addition to the above, the minimum requirements for the Sr. Project Engineer - Systems and Mission Assurance Engineering include:

• 10 years of progressively more responsible engineering experience with space hardware
• Experience with the acquisition process for hardware from design to build, test and integration, including integration of lower level units into subsystems and larger systems.
• Experience coordinating technical team efforts
• Development and communication of technical recommendations generated from personal knowledge as well as those generated from reach back support

How You Can Stand Out

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

• Advanced degree in engineering, science, mathematics, or related field
• Experience with Electro-optical systems, visible and IR
• Experience with Mission Assurance best practices for satellite development such as support to Parts, Materials, and Processes Management Boards, quality and producibility assessments
• Understanding of systems engineering processes used in government space acquisition such as requirements development, verification and test.
• Experience with satellite launch, initialization, operations and maintenance
• Experience with mission-level analysis and architecting activities
• Prior experience working in an engineering matrix that supports program office and customer senior leadership
• Experience successfully interacting in a program office environment with a mixed customer, SETA and FFRDC team
• Experience with Electro-optical systems

Leadership Competencies

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 We Reward Our Employees
During your interview process, our team will provide details of our industry-leading benefits.

Benefits vary and are applicable based on Job Type. A few highlights include:

• 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
peoplemangmnt.mailbox@aero.org
. You can also review
Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal
, as well as the
Pay Transparency Policy Statement

What You’ll Be Doing

• Coordinating diverse technical teams, providing guidance to government customers and contractors at a system-level.
• Assess design, build and test activities for payload and bus hardware with a focus on the Flight Sciences disciplines, Mission Assurance practices such as Parts, Materials and Processes and Specialty Engineering.
• Provide technical coordination through program life cycle stages from acquisition through operations
• Investigate urgent technical problems and failures, assembling major briefings as well as conducting independent long-term technical studies
• Perform a range of systems engineering activities to develop, refine and assess mission conops, requirements, test programs and integration plans
• Work in a fast-paced environment with many interesting technical challenges that require strategy, critical thinking and collaboration to provide solution

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 Result