{"id":4286634,"url":"https://alion.io/job/us-air-force-launch-operations-engineer-5-sls","title":"Launch Operations Engineer, 5 SLS","company":{"id":1753555,"name":"US Air Force","domain":"af.mil","url":"https://alion.io/company/af-mil","size_band":null,"is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":null,"truth_index":null},"role":"Aerospace","role_family":"Aerospace","seniority":null,"employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Cape Canaveral, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":90173,"max":null,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":90173},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":null,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"Inertial Navigation","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-11-13T14:23:56Z","employer_posted_date":null,"last_verified_at":"2026-11-13T14:23:56Z","board_verified":false,"closed_at":null,"days_open":2,"trust":{"level":"not_scored","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":2},"description":"Summary\nDo not email applications. To submit your resume for this Direct Hire opportunity click here.\n\nFor additional information on other USSF direct hire opportunities visit the Air Force Civilian Careers Space Force website and follow USSF on LinkedIn.\nDuties\n\n The United States Space Force (USSF) at Cape Canaveral SFS, FL is searching for a Launch Operations Engineer to support 5 SLS (NH-0801-03, GS-12/13 Equivalent).\n\nDescription:\n\nAre you an engineer driven by the challenge of assuring access to space for the nation? Do you excel at the intersection of systems engineering, mission assurance, and hands-on technical oversight? The 5th Space Launch Squadron is looking for a Launch Operations Engineer to serve as a technical authority and operations advisor for the world's most advanced commercial and government launch systems. In this critical role, you will be the engineering backbone for our mission, providing the expertise needed to integrate, evaluate, and assure current and emerging spacecraft and launch vehicle activities.\n\nThis isn't just a desk job; it's a mission-focused opportunity to put your engineering skills to the ultimate test. You will be a key player from the factory to the launch pad, serving as the technical authority for vehicle certification, performing on-console operations, leading multi-disciplinary engineering efforts, and providing the critical risk assessments that inform leadership decisions. Your work will directly contribute to delivering assured space launch, range, and combat capabilities for the nation. If you have a broad engineering background, a passion for space, and the drive to solve complex problems, we want you on our team. Join us and help shape the future of space launch.\n\nIdeal Candidate:\n\n- Role & Leadership: A self-starter with a strong desire to serve as an engineering and technical operations advisor, providing technical leadership and expertise in systems engineering, contractor control, and oversight of spacecraft and launch vehicle processing.\n\n- Education: A Bachelor's Degree in Engineering from an ABET-accredited institution.\n\n- Clearance: Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret clearance.\n\n- Certification: Ability to obtain an APDP Practitioner certification in Engineering and Technical Management.\n\n- Technical Background: An advanced technical background that supports in-depth developmental test and evaluations. This includes a broad engineering foundation in systems engineering, electrical and mechanical structures, fluid mechanics, control theory, inertial navigation, and special testing methods associated with spacecraft and space launch vehicles.\n\n- Experience:\n\n -- Proven ability in mission assurance, technical risk management, and contractor oversight for complex systems.\n\n -- Hands-on experience with launch operations, which may include on-console support, overseeing spaceflight hardware, reviewing test data, and performing failure analysis.\n\n -- Familiarity with DoD/commercial launch policies, program management, and acquisition processes.\n\n -- Skills: Strong leadership and collaboration skills, with the ability to encourage new ideas, build coalitions to achieve common goals, and communicate complex technical information clearly to diverse teams.\n\n- Work Environment Adaptability: Must be able to work in varied conditions, including office settings and industrial areas. This may require climbing stairs and ladders, entering restrictive launch vehicle compartments, working at heights on platforms, and occasional exposure to outdoor elements and hazardous areas.\n\nDevelopmental Opportunity: Outstanding students or recent graduates with a strong academic record and relevant internship or co-op experience may be considered for a developmental position.\n\nRequirements\nConditions of employment\n\n Must be a U.S Citizen.\n\n Must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance.\n\n Safeguards classified or sensitive and/or classified information and/or files.\n\n Position requires a professional engineering degree at the bachelor's level from an ABET accredited institution is required. Advanced degrees are preferred.\n\n Eligible for situational telework only, including Emergency and OPM prescribed “Unscheduled Telework”.\n\n This position will close after 5 business days or 75 applications, whichever comes first.\n\n May be required to perform travel by military or commercial passenger aircraft in the performance of temporary duty assignments.\n\n PCS / relocation funding is not available.\n\n Subject to Temporary Duty Assignment (TDY): 15 days a year.\n\n May be required to work overtime on an unscheduled or emergency basis.\n\n The employee must meet the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) requirements applicable to the duties of the position.\n\n This position has been designated as an acquisition position and is covered by the Acquisition.\n\n Must be able to climb and descend stairs (as many as 12 flights), climb ladders, enter restrictive launch vehicle compartments and work platforms.\n\n Work may require prolonged standing, exposure to the outside elements, and in the immediate vicinity of hazardous areas.\n\n Qualifications\n\n The 0801 series has an individual occupational requirement that must be met and can be viewed here. In addition to the above requirements you can view the experience level requirements here. Please scroll down to the 4th section titled Professional and Scientific Positions.\n\n Additional information\n Employed Annuitants (Reemployed Annuitants): Applicants in receipt of an annuity based on civilian employment in the Federal Service are subject to the DoD Policy on The Employment of Annuitants. Click here for more information.\n\nDisabled 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.\n\n Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.\n\n A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. .\n\n Review our benefits\n\n Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.\nHow you will be evaluated\nYou will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.\n\n Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies as related to the series and grade of the position being filled. Final qualifications determinations will be assessed based on OPM's General Schedule Qualifications Standards found here:\n\nInterviews: You will be contacted by e-mail and/or telephone if your application is identified as qualifying for a position being filled. An interview may be conducted. If interviewed, you will be asked to address the same knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies used to initially qualify your application for the position.\n\n A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. .\n\n Review our benefits\n\n Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.\n\n Resume:You must submit a resume that may NOT exceed two pages, and the font size should not be smaller than 10 pts. You will not be considered for this vacancy if your resume exceeds two pages or is illegible/unreadable. Do NOT include photographs, inappropriate material, inappropriate content, nor personal information such as age, gender, religion, social security number, etc., on your resume. If the resume you submit contains such information you will not be considered for this vacancy. Your resume must provide:\n\n Personal information - your full name, email and mailing addresses, phone number\n\n Education information - the name of the school and the dates you attended\n\n Work experience - paid and unpaid work with the following information:\n\n Job title\n\n Detailed duties and accomplishments\n\n Employer's name and address\n\n Supervisor's name and phone number\n\n Starting and ending dates (If actual dates are not known, provide your best-estimated timeframes.)\n\n Hours per week\n\n Salary, if applicable\n\n Other qualifications - skills, certifications/licenses, honors, awards, special accomplishments, and job-related training courses\n\nCollege Transcripts (if applicable): Please see the Education section of this announcement for detailed information about transcripts.\n\n If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:\n\n Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from\n schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.\n\n Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.\n\n Do not email applications. To submit your resume for this Direct Hire opportunity click here.\n\nPLEASE 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.\n\n Agency contact information\n\n US Space Force Enterprise Talent Management\n\n Email\n\n \n\n Address\n\n USSF - Space Systems Command\n\n 1670 Space Force Pentagon\n\n Washington, DC 20330\n\n US\n\n Next steps\n For additional information on other USSF direct hire opportunities visit the Air Force Civilian Careers Space Force website and follow USSF on LinkedIn.\n\n The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. 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