Enter a job title or keyword

Ground Architecture Senior Project Leader


Job Location:

Chantilly, VA - USA

Monthly Salary: $ 171400 - 257100
Posted: 18 June 2026 (30+ days ago)
Application Deadline: 15 September 2026
Vacancies: 1 Vacancy

Job Summary

The Aerospace Corporation is the trusted partner to the nations 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 youll be part of a special collection of problem solvers thought leaders and innovators. Join us and take your place in space.

The National Systems Group serves as the technical advisor to the Intelligence Community and its mission partners involved in the collection and distribution of national and tactical intelligence including electronics and imagery programs advanced technologies ground and communications and systems engineering.

We are seeking a Senior Project Leader to guide Aerospace efforts in applying national systems optical and signals data to warfighter needs as part of the National Reconnaissance Offices Ground Enterprise Directorate (GED) Chief Architect (CA) office. GED/CA is responsible for evolving developing and delivering a fully integrated and resilient ground architecture in support of Intelligence Community and Department of War requirements and support to critical warfighting mission threads. You will lead approximately three Professional Technical Service personnel to guide the development of GEDs Future Ground Architecture. Key efforts will include requirements development assessing current and potential future architecture options improving ground capabilities to meet new mission needs evolving mission processing and fusion systems to cloud-based solutions implementing a data-centric approach and enhancing architecture resiliency.

This is a full-time position based in Chantilly Virginia that requires 100% on-site work.

What Youll Be Doing

  • Integrating and representing Aerospace contributions to U.S. Government leadership to build acquisition strategies to realize industry solutions
  • Coordinating across ground and mission enterprise segments to ensure user needs are understood and satisfied for multi-phase acquisition efforts
  • Developing and leading Aerospace subject matter expert teams to mature collection orchestration signals and imagery processing and data fusion technologies and systems to meet user community needs
  • Proactively identifying technologies such as AI/ML and automation for development and integration to enhance existing processing and exploitation capabilities
  • Budgeting and prioritizing Aerospace activities to maximize impact aligned with strategic customer efforts
  • Identifying opportunities for Aerospace to lead or contribute to achieving customer strategic priorities

What You Need to be Successful

Minimum Requirements for Senior Project Leader Signal and Image Process Engr.:

  • Bachelors or advanced degree in computer science engineering mathematics physical sciences or a related technical field
  • 10 or more years of ground or space systems acquisition engineering experience
  • Experience building and leading high-performing teams of engineering professionals
  • Experience in one or more of the following domains: mission orchestration optimization tasking and processing to provide geospatial and signals intelligence to data users US Government acquisitions and/or systems engineering agile software development or AI/ML and cloud technologies
  • Expertise in intelligence support to warfighting & the unique mission needs and architectures for OTH-T/LRKC
  • Willingness to travel up to approximately 20% to support customer activities and foster collaboration
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
  • This position requires a current and active TS/SCI security clearance and CI polygraph 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:

  • Advanced degree in image or signals processing computer science/engineering systems engineering electrical engineering or a related engineering or scientific field
  • Experience and service with United States Combatant Commands (COCOMs)
  • Experience with space constellation orchestration strategies tasking and optimization
  • Experience with NRO GED or related customer programs or agencies particularly I2SPO tools
  • Experience leading cross-functional matrixed teams with diverse skill sets
  • Experience in requirements development and analysis advanced systems architecture development and new imagery and signal processing technologies
  • Models Based Systems Engineering in support of architecture development
  • Experience with DevSecOps pipeline execution at scale and commercial cloud environments

We offer a competitive compensation package where youll 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)

$171400.00 - $257100.00

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

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 various backgrounds and all walks of life yet one thing bonds all of us to each otherthe 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 equalopportunity 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 colorreligiongeneticinformation 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 youre 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 emailat .You can also reviewKnow Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal.


Required Experience:

Senior IC


About Company

Company Logo

Aerospace operates the only federally funded research and development center (FFRDC) committed exclusively to the space enterprise. Our technical experts span every discipline of space-related science and engineering.

View Profile View Profile