Job Description

• You’re Mission-Driven: You are motivated by strengthening space capabilities that underpin U.S. national security. 
• You Think Across Domains: You understand how space systems integrate with air, land, maritime, and cyber systems to support joint warfighting needs. 
• You Work Well in Ambiguity: You can identify technology pathways and operational implications even when requirements are evolving. 
• You Communicate with Influence: You can translate complex technical insights into clear, operationally meaningful outcomes and brief senior leaders confidently. 
• You Lead with Collaboration: You work seamlessly with engineering, analysts, operators, and senior government officials. 

• The successful candidate will provide advanced technical expertise, operational insights, and strategic awareness of space systems and architectures.  
• Your essential job functions will include but may not be limited to: 
• Serve as a subject matter expert (SME) on space systems, architectures, and mission areas. 
• Provide technical and operational assessments of space capabilities and their integration into joint and coalition operations. 
• Advise on the role of current and emerging space technologies and how they contribute to mission outcomes. 
• Support mission engineering, future-force design, and integrated architecture development for space and multi-domain operations. 
• Evaluate technology feasibility, performance, readiness, applicability, and operational relevance. 
• Collaborate with analysts conducting modeling, simulation, and campaign-level assessments to ensure space contributions are adequately represented. 
• Identify and communicate space capability gaps, opportunities, risks, and technology transition pathways. 
• Engage with Joint Staff, Combatant Commands, Services, and OSW stakeholders to support investment prioritization. 
• Contribute to the development of concepts of operations, requirements, and mission threads for future space missions. 
• Develop and deliver high-quality briefings, technical documents, and senior-level recommendations. 
• Ensure adherence to classification, disclosure, and security protocols across all activities. 

• 15 years of experience in roles involving: 
• Development, assessment, or integration of advanced space systems, architectures, or mission capabilities. 
• Research, planning, and execution of technical projects relevant to space missions. 
• Applying innovating engineering, analytical, or scientific methodologies to space-related operational problems. 
• Supporting DoW stakeholders (e.g., Joint Staff, Combatant Commands, Military Services, or OSW) on capability development and technical decision-making. 
• Evaluating space technologies for operational utility, effectiveness, and transition potential. 

• Master’s degree in physics, chemistry, mathematics, engineering, or a related technical discipline. 
• Preferred: Doctoral/Terminal degree in physics, chemistry, mathematics, engineering, or a related technical discipline. 

• Experience transitioning advanced space technologies from R&D into operational use. 
• Background supporting joint, service, or Combatant Command space planning or analysis. 
• Understanding of space domain mission areas, architectures, and supporting ground and cross-domain systems. 
• Ability to lead complex technical discussions across diverse teams, including engineers, analysts, and senior government officials. 
• Experience contributing to mission engineering or architecture development processes. 
• Joint/Combatant Command staff experience (highly preferred).