Optical System Architect

The Aerospace Corporation•Chantilly, VA

11d•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 National Systems Group serves as the technical advisor to the Intelligence Community and its mission partners involved in the collection and distribution of national and tactical intelligence, including electronics programs, advanced technologies, ground and communications, imagery programs, and systems engineering and launch. The Imagery Programs Division’s (IPD) GEOINT Future Architecture’s (GFA) department is seeking an Optical System Architect ( Project Engineer/Senior Project Engineer - Modeling and Simulation Engineering ) to serve as a technical adviser to the government's future architecture. The office is a high-pace, high-impact environment, where Aerospace provides technical recommendations and solutions for GEOINT systems, directly influencing budgets and acquisition decisions for the next generation GEOINT space architecture. The office regularly engages with customer leadership as well as other agencies, creating many opportunities for high visibility work in the GFA department. In this role, you will lead Aerospace activities that help Government customers define future Electro-Optical (EO) architectures, advance capabilities, and develop CONOPs. You will communicate programmatic and technical risks and opportunities to Aerospace management, Government leadership, and system contractors. For a Senior Project Engineer role, you must also work within Aerospace and across programmatic boundaries to enable Aerospace contributions to the GEOINT and Future Architectures enterprise. This position requires 100% on site work in Chantilly, VA

Requirements

Bachelor's or Advanced degree in science, engineering, mathematics or related technical discipline
6 or more years of increasingly responsible professional engineering/science experience
Technical experience in architecture modeling, orbital mechanics and space systems
Familiarity with optical remote sensing missions and payloads
Demonstrated capability to address and solve complex challenges
Strong organization and communication skills
This position requires an active TS security clearance which is issued by the U.S. government.
U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance
10 or more years of increasingly responsible professional engineering/science experience
Demonstrated ability to lead multi-disciplinary technical teams and integrate their results into decision-driving products
Expertise with optical remote sensing missions and payloads

Nice To Haves

Strong understanding of GEOINT architectures
Expertise in visible and/or infrared (IR) electro-optical sensors and associated technology
Detailed knowledge of relevant Aerospace resources and demonstrated experience in planning or conducting architectural and optimization trade-studies
Experience developing visualizations using modeling and simulation software to depict constellations and architectures
Program Office experience working directly with contractors, SETA and government customers
Experience working within the intelligence community and advising senior officials

Responsibilities

Lead and coordinate domain experts from Aerospace’s Engineering Matrix organization to perform design trades at the payload, vehicle, and constellation level in the evaluation of future GEOINT architectures for performance, user requirements satisfaction, and mission utility
Respond to urgent technical questions originating from multiple agencies (NRO, NGA, ODNI, DoW), NRO Leadership, and Congress
Communicate programmatic and technical issues and provide independent recommendations to Aerospace management, the Government customer and other contractors
Provide daily organization and technical oversight for task execution, managing pertinent budgets, regularly communicate status and findings to customer counterparts and management.
Review contractor concept proposals and independently evaluate system capabilities against user needs to highlight opportunities and risks to the Government
Serve as advisor and mentor to SETA, Aerospace, and Customer representatives as they learn technical aspects of program execution
Work in a fast-paced environment with many interesting technical challenges that require strategy, critical thinking and collaboration to provide solutions

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