Space System Architect

About the role

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 Enterprise Effects Division (EED) drives integration of Aerospace’s strategic capabilities across the national space enterprise. The division leverages a broad array of engineering disciplines against a wide-ranging and dynamic portfolio of programs, customers, and national challenges. EED spans the capability lifecycle from concept and architecture design to performance assessment to application of space and space-enabled capabilities. The Architecture Concepts Department (ArCon) provides expertise in architecture methods, processes, and tools to an extremely broad range of customers, including National Space Security (NSS) and other defense programs, NASA, NOAA, NNSA, DHS, and others. ArCon staff participate in and lead architecture trade studies, architecture conceptualization studies, architecture modeling tasks, and program assessment analyses at multiple levels of complexity, ranging from prototype systems to full scale acquisition systems in the space, ground, communications, and network domains. ArCon applies disciplined system architecting principles and leads cross-functional teams to provide impactful guidance to assist our customers in making key acquisition and operations decisions.

Responsibilities

• Lead and participate in architecture studies of complex system concepts, to include multi-disciplinary engineering teams, supporting problem framing, gap analysis, and trade space assessment
• Work with Aerospace program office, customer, and contractor personnel as a technical subject matter expert to elicit and identify needs, requirements, and constraints for studies; mentor junior staff; support the scoping, planning, and execution of the study; and effectively communicate task status, methods, results, and recommendations in briefings and formal technical reports
• Define system capabilities, system of systems interfaces, and requirements for space and intersegment system architectures to address user needs and perspectives

Requirements

• B.S. in engineering, science, or a related technical field and at least 3-5 years of industry experience
• M.S. in engineering, science, or a related technical field and at least 2 years of industry experience
• Engineering experience in the space, intelligence, and/or defense domains
• Proficiency in system or enterprise architecting, systems engineering, concept design, and/or model-based systems engineering