RPO Futures Section Manager

The Aerospace Corporation•Chantilly, VA

13d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Aerospace Corporation is seeking a Section Manager to lead its RPO Futures Section within the RPO Analysis and Integration Department (RAID), part of the Enterprise Effects Division. The section explores and matures emerging technologies and develops multidisciplinary rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO) analyses, tools, capabilities, and mission architectures. The work includes incorporating technologies such as artificial intelligence and computer vision into achievable mission solutions for defense, intelligence, civil, and commercial customers. The manager will shape the organization’s strategic vision for maturing and integrating emerging technologies into RPO missions, lead a geographically distributed team, and coordinate with department management, program offices, government customers, and cross-organizational partners. The role also includes hands-on technical contributions, staff development, customer engagement, capability development, and organizational enablement. This is a hybrid position based in Chantilly, Virginia; Colorado Springs, Colorado; or El Segundo, California. The selected candidate is expected to work onsite at least four days per week, as business needs allow, and travel domestically approximately 10% of the time. The position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI security clearance; U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a clearance.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in an applicable STEM area.
Typically 8 years of applicable professional or educational experience.
Demonstrated ability to initiate and lead team efforts, manage projects, and develop staff.
Excellent interpersonal skills and proven ability to influence a technical organization.
Proven ability to foster collaboration across organizational lines for the strategic benefit of internal and external stakeholders.
Willingness to travel domestically approximately 10% of the time.
Ability to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI security clearance.
U.S. citizenship, required to obtain a security clearance.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree in an applicable STEM area.
Strong connections with NSG programs and customer base.
Experience applying or overseeing AI/ML, computer vision, autonomy, or probabilistic frameworks for flight mechanics, RPO, or mission-level analysis problems.
Experience leading or guiding software architecture decisions and tool development efforts.
Comfort operating in ambiguous, research-driven environments where technology directions and focus areas are still taking shape.
Current TS/SCI, SAP, and/or RSV clearances.

Responsibilities

Lead a geographically distributed team exploring and maturing emerging technologies, aligning research with evolving mission needs through workload management, performance assessment, mentoring, and staff development.
Build relationships with Aerospace program offices and government customers to anticipate future mission needs and translate technology insights into customer-relevant RPO solutions and long-term engagement opportunities.
Partner with department management to synthesize and execute RAID’s strategic vision.
Coordinate cross-functional efforts and cross-organizational partnerships to deliver unified technical support to customers.
Research and review emerging technologies to evolve organizational capabilities and explore novel concepts and mission architectures.
Drive staff retention, recruiting, hiring, and onboarding, and pursue organizational enablers such as classified IT resources and clearance portfolios.
Provide hands-on technical expertise across RAID’s portfolio and translate customer mission requirements into technical 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 with company-paid benefits based on years of service and matching contributions; employees are immediately eligible and vested upon hire.
Flexible spending accounts.
Variable pay program for exceptional contributions.
Relocation assistance.
Professional growth and development programs.
Education assistance programs.
An inclusive work environment built on teamwork, flexibility, and respect.