Resilient Ground Architecture (RGA) Systems 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.

DSG is seeking an experienced and highly motivated Resilient Ground Architecture (RGA) Systems Engineer with mission experience to work within an integrated program office of Air Force, Aerospace, SE&I, SETA, and contractors supporting within SSC's Strategic Missile Warning (MW) Ground Infrastructure. RGA is a multi-pillar ground modernization initiative transforming how missile warning capabilities are connected, hosted, and distributed across the enterprise. The selected candidate will apply systems engineering, integration, and acquisition expertise to help shape and execute the requirements, Concept of Operations (CONOPS), and acquisition strategy for this enterprise-wide modernization effort, ensuring resilient, scalable, and interoperable ground connectivity and hosting across the missile warning mission area.

The selected candidate will be required to work full-time, on-site at our facility in El Segundo, CA.

What You’ll Be Doing

- Shape the future of missile warning ground systems by applying systems engineering best practices to develop and refine RGA requirements, architecture trades, and CONOPS across cutting-edge modernization pillars (connectivity, hosting, and data distribution)
- Drive integration efforts as a key voice on ground and system-level SE&I Teams, representing RGA across the broader missile warning ground enterprise
- Help architect the acquisition strategy for a mission-critical program, coordinating documentation, milestone planning, and program structuring from the ground up
- Put your technical expertise to work evaluating contractor proposals and deliverables, representing the Ground Segment in high-impact architecture reviews, test definition, and integration planning
- Tackle complex system-level trades and analyses that directly inform design decisions on enterprise connectivity, cloud/hosting infrastructure, and distributed ground architecture
- Tackle complex system-level trades and analyses that directly inform design decisions on enterprise connectivity, cloud/hosting infrastructure, and distributed ground architecture
- Serve as a trusted advisor to Aerospace leadership and the customer, surfacing risks, opportunities, and smart mitigation strategies as RGA evolves from concept to full acquisition
- Bridge legacy systems and next-generation architecture by supporting integration planning that ensures backward compatibility and uninterrupted mission continuity
- Build and sustain strong partnerships with customer leadership, contractors, ETG, and supporting teams across the missile warning enterprise

What You Need to be Successful

Minimum Requirements for Project Engineer – Systems Engineering – Acquisition and Systems Engineering:

- Bachelor of Science degree in engineering or science from a recognized institution or a related STEM field
- 8 or more years of increasingly responsible professional engineering/scientific experience working across government programs

- Proven experience in systems engineering, requirement development, and test/validation
- Hands-on experience integrating capabilities into operational ground systems
- Sharp skills in risk and schedule assessment
- Proven ability to lead and thrive in multi-disciplinary teams spanning Aerospace, government, and contractor personnel
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both verbal and written
- Willingness to travel to contractor and vendor facilities as needed
- This position requires an active Secret clearance, issued by the US government. U.S. citizenship required to obtain a security clearance

In addition to the above, the Minimum Requirements for Sr. Project Engineer – Systems Engineering – Acquisition and Systems Engineering include:

- 12 or more years of increasingly responsible professional engineering/scientific experience working across government programs

- Leadership experience in programs and projects related to systems engineering, requirement development, and test/validation
- Experience leading and thriving in multi-disciplinary teams spanning Aerospace, government, and contractor personnel

How You Can Stand Out

Make your application shine with one or more of the following:

- Advanced technical degree in engineering, science, physics, or related field
- Direct experience in the Missile Warning / Tracking mission area, bonus for familiarity with SBIRS, OPIR/NGG, S2E2, and FORGE systems
- Experience developing ground system acquisition strategies, including ACAT program structuring, milestone planning, or acquisition documentation (e.g., ADMs, AoAs)
- Deep familiarity with enterprise ground modernization and resiliency concepts, including integration across cloud infrastructure, distributed hosting, or data/connectivity architecture
- Demonstrated experience developing CONOPS and requirements for complex, multi-stakeholder, resilient ground systems
- Solid understanding of ground system acquisition processes and lifecycle milestones
- Experience working within software agile processes
- Ability for optimizing system-level trade-offs between cost, schedule, performance, and risk
- Familiarity with Aerospace culture and prior experience coordinating with Engineering & Technology Group (ETG)

- Ability to obtain or currently have TS/SCI clearance.

We offer a competitive compensation package where you’ll be rewarded based on your performance and recognized for the value you bring to our business. The grade-based pay range for this job is listed below. Individual salaries within that range are determined through a wide variety of factors including but not limited to education, experience, knowledge and skills.

(Min - Max)
$117,300.00 - $226,900.00

Pay Basis: Annual

Leadership Competencies

Our leadership philosophy is simple: every employee, regardless of level and role, can demonstrate leadership. At Aerospace, our commitment is our people. To cultivate our talent and ensure that we have a strong pipeline of future leaders, we want individuals who:

- Operate Strategically
- Lead Change
- Engage with Impact
- Foster Innovation
- Deliver Results

Ways We Reward Our Employees