Sr. OPIR Ground Platform Engineer

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.

We are looking for a Sr. OPIR Ground Platform Engineer to join our Colorado-based Space-Based Sensing Division team supporting SSC FORGE acquisition efforts. The Missile Warning and Tracking Ground, Exploitation, and Operations Subdivision (MWT GEOSD) provides technical and programmatic support across the heritage and future Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) missile warning and tracking ground systems engineering, development, integration, and sustainment activities. The Platform Engineer for MWT GEOSD will serve as the provide infrastructure subject matter expert to the GEOSD Systems Director for Operations and GEOSD Chief Engineer within the USSF SSC Strategic Missile Warning Ground and Integration Acquisition Delta. This position will provide technical and programmatic leadership in defining, acquiring, and operationalizing cyber secure Next-Generation OPIR ground capabilities that implement state-of-the-art industry solutions, including commercial cloud, to drive the DoW OPIR enterprise forward as a cohesive whole.

The selected candidate will be required to work full-time, on-site at our facility at Buckley Space Force Base in Aurora, CO.

• →Serve as the leader of a team of multi-agency, multi-discipline technical and programmatic leaders and contributors across missile warning ground system development efforts
• →Support GEOSD Chief Engineer in on-site design, architecture, and change control for all FORGE-based, SSC-owned systems being fielded, operationally accepted, and operationally used in the SBIRS MCS.
• →Support delivery of next-generation OPIR prototype and development capabilities to operational usage, including new ground systems and incremental capability upgrades.
• →Incorporate best-in-breed industry solutions, with heavy emphasis on cloud-native concepts, designs, architectures, and solutions, into the OPIR MWT architecture.
• →Implement cloud platform solutions designed for specific OPIR MWT mission sets.
• →Drive cyber resilience into all layers of the ground system solution.
• →Implement the overall “cyber secure by default” approach to development, integration, fielding, and operations, based on cybersecurity engineering principles and the cybersecurity confidentiality-integrity-availability engineering triad.
• →Support influencing key Government and contractor stakeholders to move forward with proposed next-generation networking capabilities.
• →Evaluate and recommend changes to enhance the long-term sustainment and viability of the proposed implementations.
• →Mentor less-experienced personnel and serve as role model to help implement a talent pipeline for junior staff to become MWT mission area experts.
• →Exemplify Aerospace corporate values of objectivity and integrity while serving as a trusted agent to our government customers.

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Minimum Requirements for Sr. Project Leader – Cyber Security & Cloud Computing Architecture:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Science, or closely related technical field
• 12 or more years of progressively demonstrated platform engineering experience, including leading multi-disciplinary system engineering teams in a program oversight environment.
• Strong background in leading teams in ground systems, software development and cloud engineering
• Experience with National Security Space (NSS) ground system architectures development, test, and operationalization.
• Experience driving and bringing inherently cyber secure solutions to operational use.
• Experience establishing and maintaining trusted relationships with government customers, prime and support contractors, and key stakeholders under minimal supervision.
• This position requires a current and active Top Secret/SCI clearance, which is issued by the U.S. government. U.S. citizenship is required.

It would be impressive if you have one or more of these:

• Advanced STEM degree
• Experience managing OPIR missile warning system infrastructure, including ancillary systems
• Experience with on-premises cloud deployment, migration and/or operations
• Experience working through cybersecurity accreditation in Space Force or DoD programs
• Understanding of current DoD acquisition practices

The Aerospace Corporation is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, color, religion, genetic information, marital status, ancestry, national origin, protected veteran status, physical disability, medical condition, mental disability, or disability status and any other characteristic protected by state or federal law. If you’re an individual with a disability or a disabled veteran who needs assistance using our online job search and application tools or need reasonable accommodation to complete the job application process, please contact us by phone at 310.336.5432 or by email at peoplemangmnt.mailbox@aero.org . You can also review Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal.