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.

At Aerospace, we are committed to providing an inclusive and diverse workplace for all employees to share in our common passion and aspiration – to carry out a mission much bigger than ourselves.

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, including HESF support to the Artemis Gateway (lunar space station) Program.  This role will provide support to NASA’s International Space Station Program or Gateway Program engaging in contract officer support, integration and advisory functions in the area of acquisition.

This is a full-time position located at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX. This role is hybrid requiring 3-4 days on site, 1-2 days telework.

What You’ll Be Doing

Acquisition/Procurement/Contract Monitoring Roles:

• Serve as an acquisition expert across multiple programs, making recommendations on acquisition strategy/approach and developing the products to support acquisition initiatives
• Support requirement development for acquisitions
• Support source evaluation activities, including development of products to track and communicate progress
• Drives the acquisition process and engages regularly with NASA officials
• Lead and advise civil servant procurement teams in addition to Aerospace support
• Develop and maintain basic project management tools to manage the acquisition and track/communicate progress (schedule, budget, logistics etc)
• Perform supply chain and business plan analysis of providers/suppliers
• Requirement development for procurement initiatives
• Perform and/or facilitate technical/engineering evaluation of proposals and recommends disposition to NASA procurement team

Contract Monitor Roles:

• Serve as the single technical point of contact between the contract and the NASA Contracting Officer
• Responsible for monitoring contractor performance and delivery of the products and/or services under Space Station Contracts.
• Monitors contract performance and reports all related technical and management problems to the Contracting Officer.
• Establishes and maintains an audit, surveillance, and insight plan that will ensure receipt of the quantity and kinds of services required of the contract. Performs audits, surveillance, and insight in accordance with the plan. Assures technical proficiency and compliance with the technical and engineering provisions of the contract by review and verification of the performance of the work.
• Performs inspections of completed work and services and certifies acceptance or non-acceptance of work.
• Resolves technical problems in conjunction with NASA and contractor managers, as required to fully facilitate contractor performance. Approves and issues direction as may be required and authorized by the contract.
• Ensures that the contractor complies with the defined Statement of Work or specifications included in the contract.
• Reviews and evaluates the contractor’s progress in relation to expenditures and identifies any disparities indicating excessive or deficient funding.
• Recommends to the NASA Contracting Officer, any changes desired in scope or technical/engineering provisions of the contract, with justification.
• Facilitates contractor performance evaluations
• Performs technical/engineering evaluation of all contractor proposals and recommends disposition to NASA Contracting Officer.

This position is available as a Project Engineer or Senior Project Engineer

What You Need to be Successful

Minimum Requirements: 

Project Engineer  

• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited program in a technical discipline
• At least 6 years’ experience of professional engineering/scientific experience working across government programs, both developmental and operational
• Independent and self-motivated; proactive ability to learn on the job and serve as the primary interface to the customer
• Ability to work within a team environment, where the team is distributed across multiple NASA Organizations, Projects, and Programs
• Ability to identify and communicate concerns to leadership in a diplomatic manner
• This position may require the ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance, which is issued by the US government. U.S citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance

Senior Project Engineer

Same requirements as Project Engineer noted above, in addition to: 

• At least 10 years’ experience of professional engineering/scientific experience working across government programs, both developmental and operational
• Experience leading or organizing technical efforts or project teams 
• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with customers

How You Can Stand Out

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

Project Engineer or Senior Project Engineer

• An advanced degree from an accredited program in a technical discipline
• More than 10 years’ experience of professional engineering/scientific experience working across government programs, both developmental and operational
• Deep knowledge of NASA programs and processes
• Strong understanding of government procurement processes and inherently governmental functions

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

During your interview process, our team will provide details of our industry-leading benefits.

Benefits vary and are applicable based on Job Type.  A few highlights include:

• 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
• An inclusive work environment built on teamwork, flexibility, and respect

We are all unique, from diverse backgrounds and all walks of life, yet one thing bonds all of us to each other—the belief that we can make a difference. This core belief empowers us to do our best work at The Aerospace Corporation.

Equal Opportunity Commitment

The Aerospace Corporation is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. We believe that a diverse workforce creates an environment in which unique ideas are developed and differing perspectives are valued, producing superior customer solutions. 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 ieo.mailbox@aero.org. You can also review Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal, as well as the Pay Transparency Policy Statement.