TECHNICAL ADVISOR - SPACE SECURITY & DEFENSE PROGRAM (SSDP) (SL-00)

Summary

Click on "Learn more about this agency" button below to view Eligibilities being considered and other IMPORTANT information. The United States Space Force (USSF) is a highly specialized, independent branch of the Armed Forces organized under the Department of the Air Force (DAF). Its primary mandate is to organize, train, and equip space forces to secure and maintain freedom of operations within, from, and to the space domain.

Duties

The Technical Advisor to the Space Security and Defense Program (SSDP) serves as the principal advisor and chief subject matter expert to the SSDP Director, driving space protection strategy, policy, and funding refinement for both USSF, OSW and ODNI. In this critical leadership capacity, the advisor coordinates national-scope efforts to develop vulnerability assessments, mitigation strategies, and architectural evaluations while ensuring all program activities align with overarching mission objectives. To achieve this, the advisor facilitates high-level collaborative discussions across operational, intelligence, and technical fields, interfacing directly with senior National Security Space (NSS) leaders to advocate for and enforce rigorous space protection standards. Finally, the advisor partners closely with the Intelligence Community (IC) to direct collection priorities, oversees robust project management and execution for the Annual Work Plan, and applies disciplined engineering practices to guarantee that all threat projections and technical solutions are analytically sound.

Qualifications

Eligibility will be based upon a clear showing the applicant has training, education and experience of the scope and quality sufficient to effectively carry-out the duties of the position. Candidates must exemplify the corporate perspective, leadership vision, broad experience and character needed in the SES Civilian Executive corps not only to satisfy the immediate vacancy, but future vacancies which will occur in a variety of organizations, functions and locations. TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQs): Applicants must reflect superior technical qualifications demonstrated through leadership and management in the following: TQ1. Demonstrated experience with IC and DOW organizations and their processes to initiate/fund new capabilities, perform acquisitions, and operate space capabilities in the context of the joint IC/DOW military operations. This includes understanding of space missions that need to be accomplished across the IC and DOW. TQ2. Demonstrated experience applying deep technical knowledge of technologies and space systems (US & Adversary) to assess methods to disrupt, defeat, or protect them. This includes technical depth regarding a spectrum of space superiority capabilities along with operational enablers such as Domain Awareness and C2. TQ3. Demonstrated experience leading teams to develop new concepts, analyze options with deep rigor, defend recommendations, and communicate to Senior Levels. A separate narrative statement is required..

Education

A degree qualifying for the 0801 General Engineer job series is required. To be acceptable, the curriculum must: (1) if an engineering degree, be in a school of engineering with at least one curriculum accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) as a professional engineering curriculum; or (2) include differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics: (a) statics, dynamics; (b) strength of materials (stress-strain relationships); (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); and (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics; or a combination of education and experience as required by the U.S. A master's degree or higher in engineering or a related scientific discipline is highly desired. Certification Required: ETM Practioner

How you will be evaluated

Applications will be evaluated against the foregoing qualification requirements. Failure to meet any one of the mandatory technical or senior professional qualification standards will eliminate a candidate from further consideration. A screening panel will evaluate the candidates for this position composed of senior executives selected for organizational and/or functional backgrounds relevant to this position. The panel members will individually review each of the applications in terms of the qualifications criteria contained in this announcement. The qualifications stated are the minimum requirements of the position to be Qualified, a rating schedule will be applied by a screening panel to determine which candidates are considered to be Best Qualified. Then, they will meet to discuss each application, and reach a consensus decision as to the best qualified, qualified or not qualified candidates. The panel will interview all of the best-qualified candidates based upon consistently applied criteria. The panel will then make a recommendation of those best-qualified candidates who should be referred to the selecting official, in priority order. Final selection of a candidate is contingent upon USecAF approval.

How to apply

Please follow the below instructions to submit applications. Any applications received that do not include all of the required documents or do not meet format requirements will not be forwarded for consideration. The complete Application Package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 11/16/2026. To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the application questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit My Application button at the end of the process. PLEASE NOTE: It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that information entered and/or uploaded, (i.e., resume) is received, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. You may verify your documents have been processed with your application package successfully. You can access your USAJOBS account to do so by clicking here. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan. Human Resources WILL NOT modify or change any answers submitted by an applicant. PREFERRED RESUME FORMAT: (Limit 2 pages/Times New Roman 12-font) (Do Not Use the USAJOBS Resume Builder) - Please submit a typewritten resume (upload as a PDF), including the following information: Job Information: Announcement number (MRL26-10069) and title of the position to which you are applying. Personal Information: Full name, mailing address (with zip code), day and evening phone numbers (with area code) and complete e-mail address where you would like to receive correspondence regarding your application. **PLEASE DO NOT INCLUDE SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER** Active-Duty/Retired Military: State highest rank held, date of promotion and date eligible to retire or date of retirement, (e.g., Colonel/June 2006/December 2014). NOTE: IAW 5 U.S.C. 3326, a 180-day waiver will be required for retired or retiring members of the armed forces during the period of 180 days immediately after retirement. Please note: you will be ineligible for consideration if your statement of service is not submitted with your application or it shows an expected discharge or release date greater than 120 days from the date of the submission of the certification. Education: Educational information, including the name, city and state of colleges or universities you attended, as well as the type and year of any degree received. Report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For more information, you may refer to the following U.S. Department of Education website: http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html Work Experience: Give the following information for your paid and non-paid work experience related to the job for which you are applying: (Do not send job descriptions). - Starting and ending dates (month and year) - Job title (for government position, include civilian series and grade or military rank) - Employer's name and address - Supervisor's name and phone number, please indicate if we may contact your current supervisor - Salary (current) *Applicants should focus on recency of experience, hiring officials may consider experience over 10 years outdated. References: (Optional) Provide the names, addresses and telephone numbers of three individuals who can comment on your qualifications for this position. Please do not list supervisors already listed above. This agency provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please notify this office. The decision on granting reasonable accommodations will be on a case-by-case basis.

Other information

Veterans' Preference: Veterans' preference is applicable to Air Force Senior Level (SL) positions. Relocation Authorized: Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs is authorized in accordance with the Joint Travel Regulations (JTR). Recruitment/Relocation Incentive: May be offered. Employed Annuitants (Reemployed Annuitants): Applicants in receipt of an annuity based on civilian employment in the Federal Service are subject to the DoW Policy on The Employment of Annuitants. Click here for more information. Direct Deposit: All federal employees are required to have direct deposit. Disabled veteran leave is available to a Federal employee hired on/after 5 Nov 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30% or more. For more information, click here. If you have questions regarding this announcement and have hearing or speech difficulties click here.