Principal Director, Cybersecurity and Advanced Platforms Subdivision

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.

Information Systems and Cyber Division (ISCD) staff couple the latest in information system technologies, such as elastic compute clouds, containerization, microservices, real-time operating systems, and visualization frameworks, with expertise in cyber security, software architecture, software engineering, data science, Artificial Intelligence, process improvement, and software development to deliver responsive, resilient, high-performance software intensive systems to our Intelligence Community, DoD, and civilian customers. 

An exciting and dynamic opportunity awaits for a new strategic leader of Aerospace’s Cybersecurity and Advanced Platforms Subdivision (CAPS), a premier organization leading cyber and software innovation across the space enterprise.  This pivotal role will drive the strategic vision and implementation of innovative cybersecurity solutions and advanced technology platforms in the space domain, impacting mission-critical systems and a wide customer base.  This leader will leverage deep expertise in cybersecurity to grow Aerospace’s role and community leadership, build new integrated and advanced capabilities for the larger cyber domain, and motivate a high-performance and distributed workforce.  As Principal Director with more than 120 top technical experts, this leader will position the organization to the frontier of cybersecurity and software innovation through research, prototyping, and development of unique solutions for customer architectures and missions 

The Cybersecurity and Advanced Platforms Subdivision is part of the Information Systems and Cyber Division (ISCD), a diverse organization working at the forefront of today’s most exciting fields including cybersecurity, AI, cloud technology, full-stack software development, and advanced technology platforms.  Through innovative collaboration and prototyping, this team is able to integrate new technologies across the space enterprise toward mission applications in the DoD, Intelligence Community (IC), and civil/commercial customers.  As a non-profit Federally Funded Research and Development Corporation (FFRDC), Aerospace and ISCD have an incredible history and continued opportunity for direct impact on our world across a unique and wide customer base. 

Work Model 

This is a full time position based in Chantilly, Va or El Segundo, CA which requires 100% onsite work. 

What You’ll Be Doing  

This innovative and creative leader will lead the overall strategic vision and organization in partnership with the larger Aerospace engineering and prototyping matrix.  Responsibilities will include 

• Build the organizational vision, strategy, and roadmaps for expanding customer impact across fast-moving cybersecurity, cloud, and hardware security technology areas 

• Connect technology’s bleeding edge to unique customer solutions for innovative architectures, prototypes, and new processes enabling government rapid adoption of the latest advanced capabilities 

• Engage with existing customers across DoD, Intelligence Community, and Civil (NASA) customers to connect and align staff solutions toward mission needs 

• Manage a large and distributed workforce of 120+ subject matter experts with an operational budget over $40M  

• Enable top performance of a distributed workforce and staff through impactful R&D projects, integrated product teams (internal and external organizations), innovative collaboration programs, and talent development through expanded mentoring and technical development  

• Grow the organization size to meet increasing demand in areas of cyber security, cloud computing, and software development in concert with ISCD and partner organizations in the Aerospace engineering matrix 

• Advance the organization culture and personally engage with staff to inspire, develop, mentor, and shape the diverse organization for an inclusive and highly-collaborative team environment 

What You Need to be Successful  

Minimum Requirements for the Principal Director, Cybersecurity and Advanced Platforms Subdivision  

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, cyber engineering, electrical engineering, computer engineering, or related STEM field 

• 12 or more years of experience with demonstrated impact in the fields of cybersecurity, cloud computing, cyber-resilient architectures, secure software development practices for space systems, and mitigation techniques against threats 

• Technical experience in one or more of the following:  Space systems including command/control, ground, and user segments, multi-cloud environments, advanced cyber defense and intelligence product/tool development 

• Comprehensive knowledge of federal cybersecurity policies and standards as well as frameworks such as MITRE’s ATT&CK and Aerospace’s SPARTA 

• World-class communication strengths including verbal, visual, and written skills with ability to interpret the most complex software and cyber innovations toward both technical and non-technical audiences  

• Experienced technical and people management skills for strategic planning, organizational growth, and management of high-performing teams 

• Established/Proven success in building and leading integrated, multidisciplinary teams with a solution-oriented mindset for cross-customer impact 

• Passion for developing new customers and a growth mindset to shape future opportunities across Aerospace and space enterprise 

• Demonstrated success in challenging the status quo for organizational benefit, building outside-the-box solutions in both technical and organizational areas 

• Direct experience managing organizational and cultural change 

• Willing to travel occasionally to work location or customer site domestically approx. 10-20% if required.    

• Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance (TS/SCI level and higher), which is issued by the U.S. government. U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance.  

How You Can Stand Out  

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

• Certifications in Enterprise Architecture and/or Systems Engineering such as Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), Google Profession Cloud Architect, AWS Solutions Architect, and Microsoft Azure certified 

• Direct experience working with DoD, NASA, and or Intelligence Community space customers. 

• Hands-on experience in real world application of emerging technology fields such as zero-trust, AI, and quantum applications.   

• Success in building external collaborations with leading tech institutions to accelerate access to emerging research and foster co-development opportunities  

• Successful capture lead for new business opportunities, resulting in funding growth 

• Current and active TS/SCI/SAP security 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)

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.