Associate Director, Capability Transformation

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 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 Digital Innovation Division (DID) is accountable for generating and executing integrated strategies, providing governance, and managing internal investments that form the foundation of Aerospace's digital transformation.

The Digital Innovation Division DID is seeking an experienced and visionary Associate Director to lead digital transformation efforts for Aerospace Corporation and its government customers. This management role requires navigating significant ambiguity and complexity as we internally modernize enterprise capabilities across Modeling & Simulation (M&S) software, Data Management Platforms (DMP) data platforms , agentic AI workflows, cloud and high-performance computing environments, and mission-critical applications across multiple classifications and platforms environments . You will provide strategic direction to technical teams driving integration of next-generation digital capabilities, enable frameworks for digital initiatives, build relationships with senior DOD, NNSA, and civil space stakeholders, and develop integrated strategies that balance innovation with mission critical requirements for the space enterprise. This role requires the ability to operate effectively where requirements are evolving, stakeholder needs are diverse, and the path forward must be discovered through collaboration, and iterative problem-solving. Inherent in this job will be opportunities to significantly influence the future of digital capabilities for both the government and the Aerospace Corporation.

This is a fulltime position that requires 100% onsite work in Chantilly, VA; El Segundo, CA; Colorado Springs, CO; or Huntsville, AL

What You'll Be Doing

Lead strategic digital transformation initiatives. Define and execute integrated digital transformation roadmaps for Aerospace and government customers, with focus on modernizing M&S workflows, enterprise data management, agentic AI capabilities, and software integration across cloud and HPC environments. Translate ambiguous rapidly evolving mission needs into actionable technical strategies and investment priorities. For external customers you will lead development of strategies, roadmaps, requirements and designs for organizations looking to become digital.

Provide leadership and governance. Establish governance frameworks, technical standards, program management, financial management and decision-making processes for digital initiatives spanning multiple programs, classifications, and customer organizations. Balance innovation velocity with risk management, security, and compliance requirements appropriate to national security space missions.

Build and lead high-performing teams. Influence, develop, and retain technical talent across capability areas including M&S software integration, data engineering, DevSecOps, cloud architecture, and AI/ML. Foster culture of technical excellence, experimentation, and collaboration. Mentor team leads and provide career development guidance.

Serve as a customer liaison. Build trusted relationships with senior government stakeholders across defense, intel, and civil DOD, NNSA, and civil space programs. Proactively identify customer needs, coordinate across Aerospace divisions, and ensure digital transformation efforts align with mission priorities and operational timelines. Represent Aerospace digital capabilities at forums and technical working groups.

Drive adoption and organizational change. Develop and execute strategies to accelerate adoption of modern digital capabilities across Aerospace and customer organizations. Establish communities of practice, measure value delivery through metrics and performance indicators, and manage change across large, complex organizations with established processes and cultures.

Integrate across pillars and programs. Provide integrated perspective that incorporates needs of M&S software development, enterprise data management, infrastructure, security, and mission operations. Ensure strategies reflect consistent, balanced approaches that serve the entire space enterprise rather than individual programs or technical domains.

Champion modern engineering practices. Promote software engineering best practices including version control, containerization, automated testing and validation, infrastructure as code, and DevSecOps principles. Drive maturity of CI/CD pipelines, software factories, and development workflows to accelerate delivery and improve credibility.

What You Need to be Successful

Minimum Requirements ( Associate Director – Digital Transformation ):

Bachelor's degree in STEM or other technical discipline

10 or more years of increasingly responsible professional experience in software engineering, systems engineering, or digital transformation roles, especially related to digital engineering (DE), M&S, cloud, data, and AI technologies

7+ years in leadership roles managing technical teams and programs, with demonstrated success building and developing high-performing teams

Proven ability to operate effectively in high-ambiguity dynamic environments with evolving requirements, diverse stakeholder needs, and competing priorities across multiple programs and organizations

Understanding of digital transformation in complex, mission-critical environments including M&S software, data management platforms, cloud and HPC computing, DevSecOps, CI/CD pipelines, and emerging AI/ML technologies

Effective communication skills with the ability to engage with senior leadership, technical teams, and diverse stakeholders across multiple disciplines and classification levels. Proven ability to convey complex technical concepts clearly and build consensus across organizational boundaries.

Track record establishing technical strategies, frameworks, and standards that drive adoption across large organizations

Experience working with Department of Defense, NNSA, Intelligence Community, or civil space programs in technical advisory or delivery capacity

Demonstrated ability to acquire technical support from appropriate corporate resources and coordinate across organizational boundaries

This position requires 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.

How You Can Stand Out

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

Advanced degree (Master's or PhD) in STEM or other technical discipline

15+ years of professional experience with deep expertise in aerospace, defense, or national security digital transformation

Experience in space domain modeling, simulation, and analysis across mission phases (design, operations, mission planning)

Demonstrated success leading large-scale digital transformation programs across multiple custom