Principal Director – Space Missions 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.

Building on The Aerospace Corporation's reputation as a trusted, impartial advisor with integrity and dedication to mission success, the Civil Systems Group (CSG) combines deep technical expertise with market-leading innovation to help our customers solve complex systems engineering and integration challenges. CSG is organized by core customer-facing lines of business to manage and grow programs with civilian federal government agencies including NASA, USGS, NOAA, and NNSA, fully integrated with Aerospace rules, regulations, processes, values, and behaviors. 

The Space Missions Directorate, part of CSG’s NASA Programs Division (NPD), provides program management and systems engineering support to NASA-centric and joint agency programs at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in Greenbelt, Maryland. This support spans all program phases, from concept through design, acquisition, development, deployment, and operations, all program sizes, from small exploration projects through large flagship programs, and all acquisition approaches, from full-scale in-house development to commercial data buys. 

The Aerospace Corporation is seeking a Principal Director (Principal Director - Engineering Program Management and Systems Engineering) for the Space Missions Directorate to lead Aerospace support to GSFC. This Principal Director will work shoulder-to-shoulder with GSFC senior leaders, providing strategic Program Management skills and Systems Engineering expertise to solve their hardest problems. The successful candidate will lead high-performing teams of directors and staff to help GSFC missions achieve programmatic and technical success and actively shape future missions. 

What You’ll Be Doing  

• Provide leadership and direction for effective strategic and tactical positioning of the Space Missions directorate and its activities to ensure relevant, timely support and differentiating value is delivered to the customers 
• Lead teams of directors and staff to support GSFC divisions, programs, and projects in achieving programmatic and technical success and help shape future missions 
• Collaborate with the Aerospace technical backplane to integrate deep subject matter expertise with on-site staff and customers to solve NASA’s hardest problems  
• Actively oversee Aerospace work execution at GSFC to ensure it meets customers’ technical requirements, delivers results, and stays within cost and schedule limits 
• Lead development of technical operating plans, budget control, staffing, succession planning, workforce needs, personnel development, customer interaction, and technical positions 
• Provide technical leadership, oversight and direct support for all work and deliveries, and coordinate with subject matter experts and engineering support across an interdisciplinary and geographically distributed teams along a defined GSFC programmatic theme or area of emphasis. 
• Ensure organizational alignment and continuity including setting strategy, goals, and expectations; developing, mentoring, and driving engagement of staff; and identifying and retaining top talent 
• Advance a team culture of innovation, collaboration, mission focus, and mission success  

This is a full-time position based at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, requiring 100% onsite work. 

What You Need to be Successful- Principal Director - Engineering Program Management and Systems Engineering

Minimum Requirements: 

• Bachelor’s degree in science or engineering or equivalent is required. 
• 15 years or more years of progressively responsible professional leadership experience applicable to the position 
• 10 or more years of experience advancing US space missions 
• Experience with space system programs, including spacecraft and/or ground system formulation, acquisition, development, integration, and test. 
• Demonstrated ability to identify, prioritize, and resolve high-impact technical and programmatic issues for senior government and/or industry leaders 
• Demonstrated effective formation and leadership of collaborative work teams composed of contributors from diverse sources, backgrounds, and locations 
• Demonstrated ability to manage and deliver results on work team projects within cost and schedule constraints, to include proposal development, cost tracking, and status reporting 
• Proven ability to network with contractors, other government agencies, the various Aerospace program offices, and Engineering Technology Group (ETG) to address issues and provide the customer with the best available technical and programmatic analyses 
• Must have strong business and financial acumen with constructive and proactive method to problem solving. Ability to make time-critical mission success decisions with ambiguous or incomplete data 
• Excellent verbal communication skills - clear, concise, persuasive; builds consensus through speaking; polished, professional style  
• Excellent written communication skills - organize complex materials and concepts in clear and logical manner 
• Experience interacting with GS-15/SES level customer counterparts 
• Willing to travel occasionally to work location or customer site/domestically approximately 10%  
• This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance, which is 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: 

• Advanced degree in engineering or science 
• Track record of successful resolution of space system “hard problems” that resulted in mission success, increased efficiency, and/or reduced lifecycle costs 
• Demonstrated acquisition transformation mindset with ability to implement innovative acquisition strategies and approaches. 
• Experience establishing new organizational capabilities or expanding Aerospace presence at customer locations. 
• Programmatic, operational and/or engineering experience with NASA/NOAA and/or NASA/USGS partnership missions 
• Existing positive relationship(s) with senior leaders, project managers, and/or mission systems engineers at NASA GSFC and/or NOAA NESDIS 
• Familiarity with ETG capabilities and the ETG matrix as well as laboratory and independent research capabilities 
• Current Secret clearance or above

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)

$208,000.00 - $312,000.00

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

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 [email protected] . You can also review Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal.