We are launching people to the Moon and Mars. If you want to be part of this amazing mission and enjoy working in a great team environment, we would love to have you as part of our team that is making history, today. It takes big ideas and determination to take NASA's vision and make it reality. That's what we do every day.

The COMET contract provides overall management and implementation of ground systems capabilities, flight hardware processing, and launch operations at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. These tasks will support the International Space Station, Ground Systems Development and Operations, and the Space Launch System, Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, and Launch Services programs.

This position is for a Special Projects Executive to serve as a part of the COMET team. We are a single-client Performance Unit (PU) supporting the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Consolidated Operations, Management, Engineering & Test (COMET) contract. The contract provides ground and launch operations support at Kennedy Space Center (KSC), including support for the International Space Station and the Artemis Program. The contract also includes services to other NASA programs, commercial ventures, and partnerships at KSC.

This position will lead and contribute to projects whose visibility, criticality, and/or complexity require the leadership and technical capabilities of a senior leader. This position has the responsibility to orchestrate and integrate development and delivery operations within the overall scope of the COMET contract as assigned by the Program Manager. An example project that would be assigned to the Special Projects Executive is enabling the operationalization of Mobile Launcher 2 which supports Exploration Ground Systems' and the Artemis Program's goals of launching the Space Launch System Block 1B vehicle on its' maiden voyage, now planned as part of the Artemis IV mission.

This position may also be asked to contribute to projects outside the COMET scope, but critical to company success as needed. This position will also provide consultation to program leadership regarding best practices, employee development, and customer relationships as needed.

The candidate will provide support and direction for the following:

Execution

Under the direction of the Program Manager and in coordination with the Program Integration Office, implement a robust project management ecosystem and manage within it to ensure completion assigned special projects. One such project will be the management of the verification and validation of ML-2 and supporting capabilities to enable realization of program strategic objectives, including ML-2's first use and the launch of Artemis IV. Work directly with senior program leadership to validate priorities and ensure continuous situational awareness of project readiness/risk posture.

Leadership and Management

Lead matrixed, cross-functional teams of leadership, technical, and field resource teams across Program Integration, Design Engineering, Operations Engineering, Field Engineering / Technicians, System Verification & Validation Testing teams, and Construction Management. Manage assigned project(s) within established scope, schedule, and budget, while exceeding project management standards, serve as a subject matter expert on operational excellence. Provide guidance and support to internal and external stakeholders as needed. Train and mentor cross-functional team members as required on program/project management, integration, and risk management imperatives as needed.

Customer / Team Relations

Interface with senior as well as front-line functional organizational leadership; establish transparent, trusting, and strategic relations at all levels of working interface in role within the organization.

Interface with customers and stakeholders to create a positive, high-performing team that proactively communicates to ensure timely support to mission objectives.

Develop a culture to support strategic objectives and activities to be a premier integration, asset management, and operations organization achieving operational excellence across the space industry.

Responsibilities

Areas of responsibility include but are not limited to:

• Safely provide quality products and services, exceeding customer expectations by maximizing performance and optimizing cost in an innovating and challenging environment.
  
  
• Make independent judgments required for the planning, prioritization, and organization of work and resource forecasting to ensure on-time execution and delivery of capabilities to meet operational requirements while scheduling and budgeting in support of operational and business objectives.
  
  
• Define and monitor critical path and key program events with a focus on mitigation of cost, schedule, and technical risks.
  
  
• Develop and maintain metrics and tracking methodologies providing overall status program management.
  
  
• Develop relationships with customers, subcontractors, and vendors, identifying moments to leverage emerging opportunities to program leadership.
  
  
• Direct flow team principals, asset coordinators, scheduler/planners, and logistics engineers on assigned projects.
  
  
• Provide horizontal integration between Flow management, Systems Engineering, and Design Engineering.
  
  
• Schedule subsystem reviews to define schedule predecessors, successors, and/or constraints.
  
  
• Track open work, non-conformances and coordinate configuration management audits in support of test/V&V activities.
  
  
• Schedule and proctor Test Readiness Reviews (TRR's) in support of the Verification and Validation plan and overall delivery schedule.
  
  
• Address complex challenges and drive solutions that may require extensive organizational / functional integration.
  
  
• Contribute to the development of employees assigned to projects to continually improve technical, project management, and leadership capabilities.
  
  
• Perform other duties as assigned.
  
  

Job Requirements:

• Possess a Bachelor’s degree and 20 years of experience in aerospace operations.
  
  
• Possess 10 years of experience in direct management roles.
  
  
• Possess excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with Contract, Corporate, and Customer leaders at the executive level.
  
  
• Demonstrate proven ability to partner with project customers and a diverse set of stakeholders to advance assigned projects and support the overall mission.
  
  
• Demonstrate proven ability to work independently to form teams and deliver products and services through effective teamwork, clear expectations, and robust leadership.
  
  
• Role will be on-site at Kennedy Space Center.
  
  
• If offered a position, proof of U.S. Citizenship or Legal Permanent Resident/Green Card holder of the United States is required.