Associate Director – Digital Systems Engineering

The Aerospace Corporation•El Segundo, CA

22h

About The Position

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 Systems Engineering Division (SED) offers unparalleled expertise in systems engineering to the U.S. government and various public and private agencies, universities, nonprofit organizations, consortia, and commercial companies involved in the advanced development and application of space systems. From systems CONOPs and architecture development to system design and analysis, mission assurance, cost and schedule assessment, and economic market analysis, SED leverages a vast array of engineering and business disciplines across a dynamic portfolio of space programs and national challenges spanning the total space system lifecycle. The Digital Systems Engineering Department (DSED), part of SED, serves as a strategic partner to government and commercial organizations navigating the digital transformation of systems engineering. Through applied research and development, agile rapid prototyping, objective independent assessments, and expert advisory services, DSED enables customers to successfully institutionalize Digital Systems Engineering (DSE) concepts, methods, practices, and tools throughout their systems acquisition and realization lifecycle. Our comprehensive approach- integrating the three foundational pillars of Digital Engineering (DE), Model-Based Engineering (MBE), and Systems Engineering (SE), empowers customers to accelerate innovation, reduce risk, and achieve mission success in increasingly complex space system environments. Job Summary As Associate Director - Digital & Systems Engineering, you will help guide the department's strategic direction in helping customers adopt, integrate and use cutting-edge digital system models, digital thread models, and digital twin models as part of their lifecycle of SE activities. You'll lead a geographically dispersed team across our El Segundo, CA and Colorado Springs, CO, locations while positioning the department as a thought leader and center of excellence in digital systems engineering.

Requirements

B.S. degree in a relevant Engineering discipline (Aerospace, Systems, Electrical, Mechanical, etc.), Computer Science, or related technical field.
12+ years of systems engineering experience across three or more functional areas (CONOPS, requirements, architecture, interface control, design, etc.)
Excellent written and oral communication skills.
Strong people and technical leadership skills.
Ability to manage competing DSED managerial and technical priorities.
Familiarity with DE and MBSE concepts, principles, and practices.
Knowledge of architecture frameworks (UAF, TOGAF, DoDAF).
Solid understanding of the ISO/INCOSE systems engineering lifecycle process.
Active TS/SCI security clearance is required.

Nice To Haves

M.S. or Ph.D. degree in a relevant engineering discipline (Aerospace, Systems, Electrical, Mechanical, etc.), Computer Science, or related technical field.
Knowledge of systems thinking concepts and research-based patterns, such as DSRP
Space, Ground or nuclear security systems engineering domain experience
Familiar with object-oriented modeling languages standards (UML, SysML, UAFML, OCL, Modelica etc.), methodologies (OOSEM, SysMOD, etc.) and tools (Cameo, Sparx, SAM, OpenModelica, etc.).
Knowledge of Digital Thread and Digital Twin Tooling (Syndeia, Vertasyn, etc.)
Familiarity with agile project management using JIRA.
INCOSE CSEP/ESEP or OMG SysML/UAFML certification.

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership: Drive departmental planning and execution to advance core DSE technical capabilities aligned with customer priorities
Talent Management: Recruit, develop, and retain top-tier mid and senior-level systems engineering professionals; conduct performance reviews and provide career development guidance
Business Development: Identify and capture new opportunities that establish the department as an industry-leading DSE authority
Technical Execution: Plan, execute, and lead DSE initiatives integrating systems engineering best practices.
Collaboration: Work across the broader Systems Engineering Division to identify organizational and technical synergies.
Thought Leadership: Author, publish, and present papers and training materials on DSE topics.

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