Principal Director - Launch Directorate

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 adviser to the National Reconnaissance Office 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.

As the Principal Director of the Launch Directorate sub-division within the Systems Engineering and Launch Division, you will lead a varied, geographically dispersed organization providing deep technical expertise and critical recommendations to the Government and senior Aerospace Corporation executives for all customer National Security launched systems. You will lead a team providing critical mission integration of critical national security satellites with selected launch providers, robust engineering evaluation of missions ensuring they are ready for launch, evaluation and assessment of launch base infrastructure to support mission operations, and manage crucial day of launch activities, including providing the final recommendations to the Mission Director to proceed with launch. You will ensure the best Aerospace technical capabilities are applied to each mission, ensuring all mission design and engineering are provided to ensure 100% mission success.

This is a 100% on-site position in El Segundo, CA with frequent travel to Chantilly, VA and US launch bases.

What You’ll Be Doing

Managing and leading a geographically dispersed team providing the critical launch systems engineering, systems engineering, mission engineering, facility engineering enabling each customer spaceflight launch mission.

Provide critical launch mission assurance engineering through a dedicated team of spaceflight launch systems experts.

Providing expert advice to customer leadership in areas such as long-term direction and strategic planning for the Office of Space Launch, comprehensive risk assessments and mission readiness of specific launch vehicle hardware and launch vehicle readiness on day of launch.

Provide collaborative engineering review with leaders from United States Space Force (USSF) Launch Enterprise and Aerospace leaders providing direct support to the USSF Launch Enterprise.

Manage schedules, budgets and personnel resources for execution of direct Professional Technical Service (PTS) staff and oversight of PTS executed on behalf of the Office of Space Launch for the benefit of the USSF Launch enterprise.

Lead a team of experts, including in-house direct staff and matrixed experts from the Engineering and Technology Group in providing mission support and detailed engineering risk assessments for specific flight hardware.

Develop the next set of leaders and launch mission integration experts by leveraging your leadership skills and expertise

What You Need to be Successful

Minimum Requirements:

Bachelor’s or Advanced degree from an accredited program in engineering, mathematics, physical sciences or other discipline relevant to launch system integration.

Fifteen or more years demonstrating progressively more responsible experience in technical developments, acquisition of space systems and/or space launch operations

Direct experience with the launch of national security systems and generally working knowledge of today’s launch systems

Proven experience as a people leader

Proven capability of creating and executing plans with long-term impact

Outstanding communication skills both with executives and subject matter experts.

Willing to travel domestically up to 50% of the time across a year.

Candidates must have a current and active TS/SSBI/SCI security clearance and a current polygraph, 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 several of these:

Extensive leadership experience, including direct experience in raising significant issues counter to prevailing thought

Proven track record of leading teams to provide independent engineering-based risk assessments and then advocate results to a broader community

Proven track record in leading root cause anomaly investigations

Direct launch experience with current launch systems, such as Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy, Atlas 5, Delta IV, and Vulcan

Direct experience working closely with the Office of Space Launch and/or USSF Launch Enterprise to ensure 100% mission success

An understanding of the roles and responsibilities between the various organizations in ensuring mission success of national security space launches

Demonstrates enterprise-level perspective with prior Program Office(s) and ETG experience

Expertise in developing budgets and schedules to meet mission requirements

Experience managing matrixed engineering resources.

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)

$240,000.00 - $280,000.00

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