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. 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 within NASA, NOAA, and the NNSA, while extending our capabilities to other civilian federal government agencies fully integrated within Aerospace rules, regulations, processes, values, and behaviors. Within the CSG, the Human Exploration and Space Flight (HESF) Division supports our NASA customer in all aspects of human space flight. We are looking for a Project Management Staff V supporting executive level NASA Program Planning and Control (PP&C) insight across all aspects of project planning, scheduling, cost management, and performance tracking across a NASA programs, ensuring projects adhere to budget, timelines, and technical requirements by leading the implementation of robust planning and control methodologies, monitoring progress and identification of potential risks, while collaborating with cross-functional teams to drive mission success. Representing Aerospace on this NASA team, you will shape the PP&C requirements and implementation approach for NASA respective leaders, stakeholders and teams.
Responsibilities
- Developing Integrated Plans: Creating comprehensive program plans with detailed cost, schedule, and technical baselines, including Work Breakdown Structures (WBS), to guide project execution.
- Performance Monitoring: Continuously tracking project progress against the baseline using metrics, identifying deviations, and initiating corrective actions.
- Risk Management: Identifying and assessing potential program risks, developing mitigation strategies, and monitoring their effectiveness.
- Cost Control: Managing program budgets, forecasting future expenditures, and identifying cost-saving opportunities.
- Schedule Management: Analyzing critical path activities, managing dependencies, and implementing schedule recovery plans when necessary.
- Data Analysis: Utilizing data analytics tools to generate insights into program performance, identify trends, and inform decision-making.
- Stakeholder Communication: Regularly reporting program status to senior leadership, project teams, and external stakeholders.
- Process Improvement: Identifying opportunities to enhance program planning and control processes, implementing best practices, and ensuring compliance with NASA standards.
- Serve as a highly proactive technical specialist, understanding issues and formulating options/recommendations, while working closely with the headquarters and program teams across other offices, working groups and panels.
- Lead forums and venues to formulate and prepare recommendations on improving the mission integration and operations process and drive an outcome.
- Perform other duties for the customer as required.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree from an accredited university in a related discipline.
- 15 or more years of program/project management experience to develop and maintain effective operation management processes, reporting, procedures and systems.
- Experience leading process improvement efforts to reduce time and cost for generating required deliverables.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, with the ability to export, maintain, and refine data for analysis.
- Extensive experience using commercial schedule management tools such as Microsoft Project or Primavera.
- Experience with implementation and management of integrated scheduling tools.
- Superior analytical, planning, problem solving, and decision-making skills.
- Ability to effectively manage multiple concurrent tasks and provide direction on competing priorities.
- Extensive knowledge of scheduling principles, tools, and analysis techniques.
- Experience performing probabilistic schedule risk analysis and schedule health analysis.
- Demonstrated experience with Tableau, or other visualization tools.
- Proven ability to organize, implement and maintain scheduling management system (JIRA, Open Plan, MS Project) supporting identified projects and their plans.
- Excellent written communication skills - organize complex materials and concepts in clear and logical manner.
- Excellent verbal communication skills - clear, concise, persuasive; builds consensus through speaking; polished, professional style.
Nice-to-haves
- Technical master's degree or MBA.
- Project Management Professional (PMP) or Lean Six Sigma certification.
- Experience with earned value management.
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.
- A work environment built on teamwork, flexibility, and respect.
