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.
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.
The Technical Advisor and Principal Investigator is a senior authority responsible for leading the development, modernization, and integration of USSF force designs and multi-domain sensing architectures. They direct cross-functional teams, orchestrate high-level DoW and Presidential directives, and drive advanced capabilities while evaluating threats and resource requirements.
The Technical Advisor and Principal Investigator leads and coordinates multi-disciplinary teams to develop, modernize, and evaluate future force designs. This role directly supports high-priority mandates, including Presidential Executive Orders like the Golden Dome for America (GDA) architecture, OSD direction, and Chief of Space Operations guidance. By formulating detailed analyses and trade space assessments, the advisor ensures critical national milestones are met. Additionally, they oversee the development and execution of the annual work plan, collaborating closely with Mission Support and Planning divisions to guide secure the necessary funding and contract support.
Serving as a primary technical authority, the incumbent conceives and executes complex projects to advance engineering, scientific, and space technology concepts. As Principal Investigator, they lead cross-functional teams to test and refine advanced Kill-Chain capabilities, directly enhancing targeting precision and reducing operational timelines. The role is responsible for applying sound engineering practices to construct threat projections and vulnerability assessments. They integrate diverse intelligence inputs from commercial, scientific, allied, and international sources to deliver cohesive, decision-quality insights to USSF, DAF, and DoW leadership.
This position acts as a vital bridge across the National Security Space enterprise, fostering collaborative relationships with space community leaders, international allies, industry partners, and research institutions. The incumbent facilitates joint discussions to resolve strategic and technical concerns, ensuring that standards and methodologies are accurately applied. They actively advise division leads on project definition and task prioritization. Furthermore, they evaluate existing policies and legislation, directing the drafting of DAF legislative proposals to advocate for program requirements. Furthermore, they evaluate and advise the service on policies and legislation.
If authorized, PCS will be paid IAW JTR and AF Regulations. If receiving an authorized PCS, you may be subject to completing/signing a CONUS agreement. More information on PCS requirements, may be found at: https://afciviliancareers.com/regulatory/
U.S. Citizenship Required.
Males must be registered for Selective Service, see www.sss.gov
Position is designated as a Testing Designated Position (TDP). Position requires the incumbent sign a Drug Testing letter and pass urinalysis testing prior to appointment.
Must have or be able to obtain a TOP SECRET/SCI Security clearance.
Must file an Executive Personnel Financial Disclosure Report.
PROBATIONARY PERIOD. An individual's initial SL career appointment becomes final only after the individual successfully completes a 1-year probationary period.
Active Duty Military Members must indicate retirement eligibility.
Recruitment/Relocation Incentive may be offered.
Disclosure of Political Appointments.
EXECUTIVE PERSONNEL FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE REPORT (Standard Form 278). Selected candidate must file this report in accordance with the Ethics in Government Act of 1978.
Veterans' preference is applicable to Air Force Senior Level (SL) positions.
Within the Department of War (DoW), the appointment of retired military members within 180 days immediately following retirement date to a civilian position is subject to the provisions of 5 United States Code 3326.
Qualifications
Eligibility will be based upon clearly 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 corps not only to satisfy the immediate vacancy, but future vacancies which will occur in a variety of organizations, functions and locations Senior Civilian corps.
TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQs):Applicants must reflect superior technical qualifications demonstrated through leadership and management in the following:
TQ1: Demonstrated knowledge and experience leading enterprise-level Modeling/Simulation, operational analysis, system concept development/evaluation, technical analysis, life cycle cost evaluation, and conveying results to senior government officials to drive future force decisions.
TQ2: Demonstrated expert knowledge of space sensor capabilities, including sensor technology, space based sensing systems, sensor data architectures, and military applications of space sensors.
A separate narrative statement is not required--this information should be embedded within the resume.
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.
This is a Critical Acquisition Position (CAP).
Additional 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.
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.
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. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
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.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
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.
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. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
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.
To receive full consideration, each applicant must submit the (MANDATORY) documents in the format as designated. Packages that do not include all of the required documents or meet format requirements will not be forwarded for consideration.
**************ALL DOCUMENTS MUST BE UPLOADED IN PDF FORMAT*******************
The Qualifications Documents must be formatted using Times New Roman, size 12 font, with 1-inch margins. Do not use borders, provide photos, or list a Social Security Number on any of the Qualifications Documents. DO NOT COMBINE DOCUMENTS.
A. (Mandatory) Resume in the preferred (Limit 2 pages). Resumes longer than 2-pages will be deemed ineligible. Upload in PDF format. PLEASE DO NOT USE USAJOBS RESUME BUILDER.
B. (Optional) Most recent completed Performance Appraisal (current and/or former federal employees) or Performance Report (OPR or EPR). For applicants in the private sector, please provide a copy of your equivalent Evaluation Report.
C. Most recent Notification of Personnel Action, SF-50, noting your current position, grade level and salary level (applies only to current or former civilian government employee).
D. College transcript(s) (copy is acceptable) which demonstrates the acceptable combinations of education and experience as noted by OPM.
E. (Mandatory) Military Retired - a copy of your DD214 and/or Retirement orders; Active Duty - Are you an active-duty service member with a statement of service showing that you expect to be honorably discharged or released from the armed forces under honorable conditions no later than 120 days after submitting your application. 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.
Documents are required. DO NOT SUBMIT ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Extraneous materials such as copies of position descriptions, award certificates and transmittal letters will not be forwarded for review.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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.
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 09/01/2026.
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 (MRL26-10097) 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.
SAF/MRL CONTACT INFORMATION: Questions regarding this announcement may be directed to Hannah Lugo-Ascorbe, hannah.lugo_ascorbe@us.af.mil
AF Senior Executive Management
1040 Air Force Pentagon Room 4D
Washington, DC 20330
US
Next steps
Once your application package is received an acknowledgement email will be sent.If you provided an email address, you will receive an email message acknowledging receipt of your application. Your application package will be used to determine your eligibility and qualifications for consideration. If you are determined to be ineligible or not qualified, your application will receive no further consideration.
To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account, select My Applications, and click on the more information link under the application status for this position.
If you do not provide an email address, you are responsible for checking status updates and notifications in USAJOBS. Hard copy notifications will not be sent to you.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
To receive full consideration, each applicant must submit the (MANDATORY) documents in the format as designated. Packages that do not include all of the required documents or meet format requirements will not be forwarded for consideration.
**************ALL DOCUMENTS MUST BE UPLOADED IN PDF FORMAT*******************
The Qualifications Documents must be formatted using Times New Roman, size 12 font, with 1-inch margins. Do not use borders, provide photos, or list a Social Security Number on any of the Qualifications Documents. DO NOT COMBINE DOCUMENTS.
A. (Mandatory) Resume in the preferred (Limit 2 pages). Resumes longer than 2-pages will be deemed ineligible. Upload in PDF format. PLEASE DO NOT USE USAJOBS RESUME BUILDER.
B. (Optional) Most recent completed Performance Appraisal (current and/or former federal employees) or Performance Report (OPR or EPR). For applicants in the private sector, please provide a copy of your equivalent Evaluation Report.
C. Most recent Notification of Personnel Action, SF-50, noting your current position, grade level and salary level (applies only to current or former civilian government employee).
D. College transcript(s) (copy is acceptable) which demonstrates the acceptable combinations of education and experience as noted by OPM.
E. (Mandatory) Military Retired - a copy of your DD214 and/or Retirement orders; Active Duty - Are you an active-duty service member with a statement of service showing that you expect to be honorably discharged or released from the armed forces under honorable conditions no later than 120 days after submitting your application. 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.
Documents are required. DO NOT SUBMIT ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Extraneous materials such as copies of position descriptions, award certificates and transmittal letters will not be forwarded for review.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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.
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 09/01/2026.
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 (MRL26-10097) 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.
SAF/MRL CONTACT INFORMATION: Questions regarding this announcement may be directed to Hannah Lugo-Ascorbe, hannah.lugo_ascorbe@us.af.mil
AF Senior Executive Management
1040 Air Force Pentagon Room 4D
Washington, DC 20330
US
Next steps
Once your application package is received an acknowledgement email will be sent.If you provided an email address, you will receive an email message acknowledging receipt of your application. Your application package will be used to determine your eligibility and qualifications for consideration. If you are determined to be ineligible or not qualified, your application will receive no further consideration.
To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account, select My Applications, and click on the more information link under the application status for this position.
If you do not provide an email address, you are responsible for checking status updates and notifications in USAJOBS. Hard copy notifications will not be sent to you.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
