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 Summary
The Vehicle Systems Division (VSD) sits at the center of the ideas and data behind current and future systems supplying innovative research and development; technical evaluations during the acquisition process; conceptual and detailed design; assembly, integration, and test; and operational support. Comprised primarily of highly-trained mechanical and aerospace engineers, VSD provides national expertise in the areas of vehicle engineering; guidance, navigation, and controls; robotics; electro-mechanical devices; embedded systems; fluid mechanics; propulsion; thermal control; orbital mechanics; mechanisms; structures; structural dynamics; and dynamic environments.
The Electromechanical Control Department (ECD) provides technical support for control hardware used on spacecraft and launch vehicles, as well as terrestrial and aerial applications. We specialize in mission critical control sensors and actuators, including electric motors, gyroscopes and IMUs, accelerometers, gimbals, steering mirrors, encoders and resolvers, star trackers, GPS receivers, capacitive and inductive sensors, servo mechanisms, thrust vector control actuators, and reaction wheels.
As an Electromechanical Controls Engineer (Engineering Specialist - Guidance, Navigation & Control Engineering) in ECD, you will plan and conduct technical studies, experimental investigations, and verification activities to support customer programs, while interacting with government customers, program management, and contractors.
Work Model
This is a full-time position based in El Segundo, CA, offering a hybrid work model that combines (3-4) regular onsite workdays and remote flexibility as the business needs allow.
What You'll Be Doing
- Conduct technical studies involving the testing, evaluation, analysis, or simulation of control hardware components
- Supervise and support experimental investigations in the Mechatronics Research Laboratory (managed by ECD) and/or other Aerospace labs including control sensor and actuator performance evaluation, controller design and implementation, and data reduction and visualization associated with the study of key hardware components
- Interact with government customers, program management, and contractors supporting multiple programs. Clearly communicate the results of studies while working with both internal and external customers and stakeholders as a technical authority, consultant, primary investigator, or project leader
What You Need to be Successful - Engineering Specialist - Guidance, Navigation & Control Engineering
Minimum Requirements:
- Bachelor's degree in a STEM field is required
- A minimum of 6 -years of industry related experience is required
- Expertise with laboratory experimentation, test strategy development, experiment design, and integration and testing
- A strong working knowledge of electronics, mechanical design, control systems, inertial sensors, and actuators applicable to spacecraft and/or launch vehicles
- Experience performing technical support in complex environments (multi-program, multi-agency) involving customers, program offices, engineering support, and contractors
- Strong people skills including: coaching, mentoring, training, motivating, directing employees to optimize workplace productivity and to promote professional growth
- Proficiency with tools such as MATLAB/Simulink, dSPACE, LabVIEW, SolidWorks, C/C++, Python
- Willingness to occasionally travel and support customer needs, approximately 10% (as required)
- Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government-issued security clearance; 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 a STEM field or equivalent is preferred
- Expertise in electric motors: electric motors and drive electronics, specifically brushless direct-current electric (BLDC) motors, servo and stepper motors, direct drive and geared, servo control; have design, modeling, simulation, and test experience with motors, actuators, and electromagnetic design/analysis software
- Demonstrated ability to provide innovative solutions to challenging technical problems
- Demonstrated experience mentoring and building a product team that maintains working relationships with all levels of customer, corporate staff, and contractors
- Experience identifying new business opportunities and bringing tasks and projects from internal and external sources to your team
- An active Secret clearance with the ability to obtain a U.S. government-issued TS/SCI security clearance, is highly preferable. U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a 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)
$117,300 - $175,900
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, as well as the Pay Transparency Policy Statement.
The Aerospace Corporation Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about The Aerospace Corporation and has not been reviewed or approved by The Aerospace Corporation.
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Retirement Support — 401(k) contributions are tiered at roughly 8–12% with immediate eligibility and vesting, and a pension is available for eligible employees. Financial planning resources and charitable matching further bolster long‑term security.
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Healthcare Strength — Medical plan variety (PPO/EPO/CDHP and HMOs in some regions) plus dental, vision, mental health, and company‑paid disability and life insurance create comprehensive coverage. Access to HSAs/FSAs and strong core health benefits are frequently highlighted as strengths.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Vacation starts at 15 days and increases with tenure, alongside nine paid holidays and generous sick time policies (unlimited for exempt, accrual for non‑exempt). Comp time for hours over 40 adds additional flexibility to time off.
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What We Do
The space enterprise has been transformed by rapid change and growth. New vehicles for national security space, a more rapid launch cadence, proliferated satellite constellations, the pursuit of interplanetary exploration, and thriving commercial ventures are changing the nature of the space industry. The Aerospace Corporation (Aerospace) is a leading architect for U.S. space programs, shaping efforts to outpace threats to our national security while cultivating the technologies needed to further this new era of space commercialization and exploration. Aerospace works across the space enterprise in service of the public interest. In addition to supporting the Department of Defense and the Intelligence Community, our customers include NASA, NOAA, numerous federal agencies, and commercial space — all of whom benefit from our deep technical knowledge. We only pursue business related to the space mission and complementary fields, operating as the nation’s trusted partner to solve the toughest challenges and develop reliable and innovative technologies. Innovation in space occurs when people have the freedom to imagine and do. At Aerospace, we take pride in our readiness to solve some of the most complex challenges in the space enterprise.
Why Work With Us
We are a non-profit corporation chartered by the government to work on the hardest problems in space. We employ technical experts in every discipline of space-related science and engineering who touch every part of the US space program. Come join us as we make an impact bigger than ourselves.
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