Golden Dome Integration Director

The Aerospace Corporation • Chantilly, VA

10d • Onsite

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 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 Material 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. The Golden Dome Solutions Office supports the Office of the Director of Golden Dome. We advise the government on cross-architectural trades, perform mission engineering and systems engineering activities, lead analyses to inform decision-making, and interface with partner offices to enable the government to move rapidly and deploy the next-generation missile defense shield for the United States. Are you ready to operate at the strategic apex of one of the nation's highest defense priorities? We're seeking an exceptional leader to direct our Golden Dome Integration organization—a lean, high-impact team that serves as the central nervous system for GDA systems engineering efforts. This isn't a typical management role. As the direct counterpart to the Deputy Chief Engineer, the Golden Dome Integration Director will orchestrate the integration of complex, multidisciplinary efforts spanning mission engineering, BMC3 development, supply chain analytics, and operator engagement. You'll navigate a dynamic, politically complex environment where your decisions directly shape enterprise integration across the end-to-end Golden Dome capability. This role demands someone who moves fast, thrives in ambiguity, builds coalitions across organizational boundaries, and translates strategic vision into executable technical work. The selected candidate will be required to work full-time, on-site at our facility in Chantilly, VA or Colorado Springs, CO.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in STEM or related discipline
• 12 or more years demonstrated experience leading technical analysis teams in complex environments, with proven ability to coordinate across organizational boundaries and translate strategic objectives into actionable technical work
• Deep knowledge of relevant government space and ground mission architectures, with understanding of how systems integrate across the enterprise
• Proven track record identifying, prioritizing, and resolving technical and personnel challenges in high-pressure, politically complex environments
• Demonstrated success in staff development, mentoring, and building high-performing teams
• Executive-level communication skills with ability to adapt style and messaging for technical staff, senior government customers, and external partners
• Willingness to travel approximately 10-25% to support organizational and customer needs
• This position requires a current and active TS/SCI clearance, which is issued by the U.S. government.
• U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance.

Nice To Haves

• Demonstrated expertise in missile defense mission engineering, including understanding of mission dependencies, threat environments, and operational concepts
• Proven success driving integration of program elements across multiple government agencies, particularly in complex acquisition environments
• Experience leading collaborative efforts across the FFRDC/UARC/SETA ecosystem, with established relationships and credibility in the community
• Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) expertise, with a particular focus on effective communication through modeling and rapid model development
• Master’s or PhD degree in a related STEM discipline

Responsibilities

• Serve as the strategic integrator for GDA Chief Engineer systems engineering efforts, operating as the direct counterpart to the Deputy Chief Engineer in a fast-paced, high-stakes environment
• Orchestrate enterprise integration by synthesizing multidisciplinary work products—from MBSE-based systems engineering artifacts to mission engineering analyses to supply chain strategies—into coherent insights that drive government decisions
• Build and leverage strategic relationships with government customers, program offices, FFRDCs, UARCs, and industry partners to enable cross-agency integration of Golden Dome program elements
• Lead through influence and expertise in a politically complex environment, navigating competing priorities and stakeholder interests to advance mission-critical objectives
• Shape organizational culture by fostering innovation, building cross-functional teams from across peer organizations, and creating an environment where technical excellence and collaboration thrive
• Manage the full lifecycle of complex technical efforts—from translating ambiguous customer needs into executable work, to resource allocation, to ensuring delivery of high-quality, mission-critical work products
• Develop your team through strategic recruiting, thoughtful onboarding, and continuous mentorship of a geographically distributed, technically diverse staff
• Drive operational excellence by refining processes, ensuring compliance, and maintaining the agility needed to respond to evolving customer and mission demands

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

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior