Deputy Chief Engineer, MD8/8STS

The United States Space Force (USSF) Space Systems Command (SSC) Mission Delta 8 (MD8) 8th Space Sustainment Squadron (8STS) at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado is searching for a Deputy Chief Engineer (NH-0855-04, GS 14/15 equivalent).

Description:

As the Deputy Chief Engineer for Mission Delta 8/8th Sustainment Squadron, you will serve as a Supervisory Electronics Engineer playing a pivotal role in delivering and sustaining joint warfighting satellite communication (SATCOM) capabilities to defend the nation and its allies while disrupting adversaries. In this critical leadership position, you will guide a diverse, multi-disciplined team of military, civilian, and contractor personnel to provide direct support for SATCOM operations, oversee the transition of newly fielded MILSATCOM systems, and drive the modernization of vital ground and space assets. You will function as the senior technical authority for assigned systems, responsible for evaluating design alternatives, managing technical baselines, and ensuring the Operational Safety, Suitability, and Effectiveness (OSS&E) program complies with all legal and regulatory requirements. Furthermore, your duties will include converting strategic goals into actionable programs, formulating budgets, optimizing resource allocation, and representing the squadron in high-level technical forums with Program Executive Officer, Field Command, DoW, and international partners to resolve complex requirements and priority conflicts.

The ideal candidate is a seasoned professional with a minimum of 10 years of experience in DoW Acquisition and Engineering, complemented by at least 8 years of direct domain expertise with space systems and/or communications electronics. We are seeking a proven servant leader with significant experience building, leading, and providing technical direction to teams at the program or multi-program level, including prior experience supervising subordinates and holding an APDP Engineering Practitioner-level certification. This individual must possess a thorough understanding of the DoW acquisition lifecycle, a working knowledge of the PPBE process, and familiarity with safety, security, personnel management, and EEO regulations. As a highly effective communicator known for strict technical accuracy, the candidate will be adept at inspiring and coaching others, adapting their leadership style to diverse situations while modeling integrity and trust. The successful candidate will have a strong technical aptitude for evaluating new technology insertions for efficiency and risk and will be an innovative problem-solver who thrives in a dynamic environment, successfully balancing support for current operational systems with the simultaneous integration of new SATCOM services to maintain space superiority.

Key Skills and Abilities:

1. Knowledge of system engineering to manage extensive technical work performed by subordinates in the workforce. This includes knowledge of the physical and disciplined engineering sciences and mathematics, and the processes, techniques, and practices of electronics engineering.

2. Knowledge of and ability to apply procedures, requirements, regulations, and policies related to specialized expertise in the work of the unit (such as engineering, cost accounting, logistics supply, etc.) including the ability to maintain credibility with others on technical matters.

3. Knowledge of resource management, planning, programming, budgeting, appropriation, funding, and accounting processes and their implication for effective mission accomplishment.

4. Ability to inspire, motivate and guide others toward goal accomplishments. Leadership ability, including the ability to coach, mentor and challenge integrated product team members; ability to adapt leadership style to variety of situations, and ability to model high standards of honesty, integrity, trust, openness, and respect for the individual by applying these values to daily behavior. Knowledge of safety, security, personnel management, and EEO regulations, practices, and procedures.

5. Ability to communicate effectively, clearly, concisely and with technical accuracy both orally and in writing with technical accuracy. Use computers and a variety of software programs and databases, gather and analyze a variety of program information, make sound judgments concerning program progress, and effectively communicate recommendations orally and in writing to higher organizational management and contractors.

6. Ability to evaluate insertion of new technology for design efficiency, cost reasonableness and developmental risks.

Requirements:

1. Must be a U.S. Citizen.

2. Employee must be able to obtain and maintain a Top-Secret clearance with SCI access.

3. This position has been designated for drug testing. Incumbent is subject to random urinalysis testing as a condition of employment.

4. Required to handle and safeguard sensitive and/or classified information in accordance with regulations to reduce potential compromise.

5. Employee must within 30-days of assuming this position and by 31 October annually thereafter, file an OGE-450, “Confidential Financial Disclosure Report.”

6. This position is designated a CRITICAL APDP position.

7. Employee may work extended or other than normal duty hours to include evenings/weekends and may be subject to recall. Incumbent may be required to report to work during base exercises, contingencies, or emergency situations and overtime/comp time/credit hours may be required to accomplish assigned duties.

8. An engineering degree at the bachelor’s level from an institution with an ABET accredited program in electronics engineering or a closely related field is highly desired.

9. Subject to Temporary Duty Assignment (TDY): Approximately 20 days per year.

10. Eligible for situational telework only, including Emergency and OPM prescribed "Unscheduled Telework".

11. PCS is authorized. Incentive is not authorized.

12. Position will close in 5 business days or 75 applications (whichever comes first).

Organization:

The United States Space Force (USSF) is a military service that organizes, trains, and equips military members and civilians to protect U.S. and allied interests in space and provide space capabilities to the joint force. USSF responsibilities include developing Guardians, acquiring military space systems, maturing the military doctrine for space power, and organizing space forces to present to our Combatant Commands (CCMDs).

The strategic importance of space can’t be overstated. Political and humanitarian interests as well as commercial concerns vital to the world economy all rely on space-based systems. Launched in 2019 as the nation’s sixth and newest military branch, the USSF was created to protect the interests and assets of America and its allies in this heavily contested realm. The Department of War relies on satellites and advanced space-based technology for secure communications, navigation, real-time reconnaissance, precision targeting on the battlefield, early warning of potential missile launches, and even weather forecasting. Guardians and civilians of the USSF are challenged every day to reach new heights in protecting and amplifying these space-based capabilities and defending our way of life by maintaining our edge in space.

The Space Force wants to attract talent with the character and potential to excel, empower them with information and choices, and develop them in line with their desires and the Space Force’s needs to create a high-performing organization necessary to secure and defend space.