2026 Human Spaceflight Engineer

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.

Job Description

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.

We are looking for a Human Spaceflight Engineer (Associate Member of Technical Staff – Systems Engineering). This position will support various NASA programs integrating activities and serving in various program office roles. M2M provides agency leadership for the development, analysis, integration, and implementation of human spaceflight architectures, mission plans, operational activities and spacecraft/surface system definitions. In this role, you will coordinate and collaborate across Artemis transportation and Moonbase to develop and address matters for inflight, orbital and surface operations.

The selected candidate will be required to work full-time on-site at our facility in Houston, TX

What You’ll Be Doing

Serve in the program office and be a connector across exploration topics for moonbase, nuclear, science and Artemis transportation initiatives

Define operational technical requirements for the various programs

Perform assessments, readiness evaluations

Collaborate with NASA mission architects/designers and program experts across government and industry

Review contractor deliverables and NASA requirements to ensure compliance and system effectiveness to support operational needs

Contribute to standards development and documentation supporting exploration operations, in addition to management of key program plans/products

Support facility and infrastructure related topics and planning

Participate in technical, safety, and integration of working groups

Develop technical and progress reports to support internal teams and external partners

Support technical interchange meetings, hardware reviews, and key design milestones

Prepare clear, actionable reports and presentations for program offices

What You Need to be Successful – Member of Technical Staff- Systems Engineering

Minimum Requirements:

Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering, Systems engineering, physics, or another related STEM discipline (pursuing or conferred within the last 12 months)

0 – 1 year of industry experience

Entry level or project experience in human exploration architecture, integration and mission operations

Knowledge and understanding of the engineering program life cycle

Demonstrated initiative and ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders

Strong presentation and communications skills, including the ability to effectively use oral and written communication to express technical concepts and recommendations to personnel at all technical and managerial levels

Ability to work across diverse teams and multiple engineering disciplines, including human in the loop disciplines

This position may require the ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance, which is issued by the U.S. government. U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance

Transcripts required for this position

How You Can Stand Out

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

Advanced degree in Aerospace Engineering, Systems engineering, physics, or another related STEM discipline (pursuing or conferred within the last 12 months)

Experience with NASA processes and teams

Background in designing and developing human based operations

Experience coordinating with international partners and commercial vendors

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)

$75,000.00 – $90,000.00

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 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 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, 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 [email protected] . You can also review Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal.