Systems Director - Joint Warfighting Operations

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.

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. 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.

 

As part of the Space Enterprise and Warfighting Division, our Space Warfighting Directorate provides high-quality analytic support to the United States Space Force (USSF) and the USSF Space Component Field Commands (C-FLDCOMs). We are looking for a Systems Director – Joint Warfighting Operations (Systems Director – Technical Project Management) to lead and integrate our growing team of embedded technical leaders supporting SPACEFOR-CENT, SPACEFOR-SOC, SPACEFOR-PACOM, SPACEFOR-NORTH, and Space Forces EUCOM/AFRICOM C-FLDCOMs. This role sits at the center of Aerospace's effort to speak with one coherent voice across every USSF Component Field Command while ensuring each embedded lead has the resources, backplane support, and advocacy needed to solve their Component's hardest problems.

The selected candidate will be required to work full-time, on-site at our facility in Colorado Springs, CO, with regular travel to C-FLDCOM locations and other Aerospace sites.

 

What You’ll Be Doing

• Serve as Aerospace's senior leader for the Directorate's embedded Component Field Command team, providing leadership, mentorship, and career development to Senior Project Engineers and Senior Project Leaders embedded at USSF C-FLDCOMs – Operates Strategically by understanding how each embedded relationship connects to Aerospace's broader support and USSF enterprise priorities.
• Establish and standardize Aerospace's embedded Component support model, defining common processes and best practices while preserving flexibility for each embedded lead to tailor support to their theater – Fosters Innovation by encouraging experimentation and cross-theater sharing of new tools and approaches.
• Build and maintain senior-level relationships with USSF C-FLDCOM leadership across all supported theaters, serving as Aerospace's advocate for Component priorities within the broader corporation – Engages with Impact through sustained, trusted relationships with both internal Aerospace leadership and external government customers at the O-6/GS-15 and general officer/SES level.
• Coordinate across the embedded C-FLDCOM team to identify synergies, share lessons learned, and execute common projects that benefit multiple theaters simultaneously, while leading the buildup of support to newer or growing Components – Leads Change by aligning a geographically dispersed team around a common purpose as the USSF C-FLDCOM portfolio scales.
• Identify Aerospace resources and expertise across the corporation that can be brought to bear on each Component's hardest technical problems, translating embedded leads' requests into actionable support from ETG and other program offices.
• Own budget planning, PTS allocation, and workforce utilization planning across all C-FLDCOM embedded efforts, ensuring resources are prioritized to the Components' most consequential problems – Delivers Results by holding the team accountable for consistent, high-quality delivery across every supported theater.
• Provide periodic execution reviews to Aerospace senior management and customer leadership on the status, accomplishments, challenges, and strategic opportunities across the full C-FLDCOM portfolio.

 

What You Need to be Successful – Systems Director – Technical Project Management

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, physics, or other technical sciences from a recognized institution.
• 12 or more years of progressively responsible experience in space systems, space operations, theater/joint military operations, systems integration, or program management.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, mentor, and develop other technical leaders across geographically distributed teams, with proven supervisory or team leadership experience.
• Deep technical breadth across multiple space mission areas (space domain awareness, satellite communications, PNT, missile warning, ISR, space electromagnetic warfare, or space command and control).
• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with senior military and civilian customers across multiple theaters and organizations, including O-6/GS-15 and general officer/SES level leadership.
• Proven ability to serve as integration leader for a team of technical leaders managing multiple concurrent projects and customer relationships simultaneously.
• Willing to travel domestically and internationally to C-FLDCOM locations and other customer/corporate sites, approx. 25-30% (as required).
• A current SSBI and possess a Top Secret/SCI clearance and access, issued by the U.S. Government. U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance.

 

How You Can Stand Out

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

• Graduate degree in engineering, physics, or other technical sciences from a recognized institution.
• 15 or more years of experience in space systems, space operations, or joint warfighting operations, with demonstrated progression into senior leadership responsibilities.
• Prior experience embedded with a C-FLDCOM.
• Experience with multiple Component organizations (CENTCOM, SOCOM, PACOM, NORTHCOM, EUCOM/AFRICOM) and their differing operational planning processes and cultures.
• Active-Duty Military experience with space operations or theater operations responsibilities across multiple geographic combatant commands.
• Current applicable SAP/SAR accesses.

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)

$168,200.00 - $252,400.00

Pay Basis: Annual

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.