Senior Acquisition Subject Matter Expert (SME)

Senior Acquisition Subject Matter Expert (SME)

LOCATION: El Segundo, CA

JOB STATUS: Full-time

SALARY: 180,000 to 230,000

CLEARANCE: TS/SCI

TRAVEL: 10%-15%

Astrion is seeking a highly skilled Acquisition Subject Matter Expert to be responsible for assisting the government Flag level Director/Deputy Director with Acquisition Management and Strategic Planning Support in the Space Systems Command Space Systems Integration Office (SSIO, SSC/BZ).Overview

The Senior Acquisition Subject Matter Expert (SME) serves as a Principal Executive Liaison within the Program Acquisition Executive (PAE) office, supporting the successful delivery of space systems requirements across the Space Sensing mission area. Based on site in El Segundo, CA, this role operates in close partnership with senior leadership, providing high-level coordination, informed judgment, and strategic insight across the acquisition lifecycle.

The Senior Acquisition SME focuses on assessing acquisition package maturity, ensuring programs, projects, and products are positioned for successful execution, and enabling leadership to make well-informed, timely decisions. The role emphasizes discernment, integration, and quality assurance, helping translate mission intent into executable, policy-compliant acquisition approaches that deliver capability on schedule and at a high level of quality.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS / SKILLS

• Minimum of 20 years of experience in DoD or comparable acquisition environments, with demonstrated senior-level program and portfolio exposure
• Deep understanding of ACAT I-III program structures, milestone decision processes, and lifecycle progression (pre-Milestone A through Milestone C)
• Proven ability to evaluate acquisition strategies, documentation readiness, and execution risk rather than solely developing artifacts
• Strong working knowledge of DoD contracting, budgeting, and financial management principles
• Demonstrated ability to operate independently in high-visibility, time-sensitive environments
• and advise senior leaders
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including executive briefings and strategic
• messaging
• Strong analytical judgment and problem-solving capabilities, particularly in identifying execution risks and recommending corrective actions
• Bachelor’s degree in science, engineering, or a related field
• Active TS clearance, SCI-eligible, with an in-scope background investigation (T5 or SSBI)
• S. citizenship required

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Master’s degree in relevant science, engineering, or systems discipline
• Prior experience serving as a senior advisor or evaluator on at least one source selection
• Familiarity with Confluence and JIRA in program or portfolio management environments
• Certifications such as DAWIA/APDP Program Management Level III, PMP, and/or PgMP
• Prior Pentagon or major headquarters experience
• Working understanding of Congressional Defense Committees and their influence on acquisition

decision-making

RESPONSIBILITIES

In this role, you will act as a trusted acquisition advisor and integrator, enabling senior Space Force leadership to deliver high-quality programs and capabilities. Responsibilities include:

• Supporting senior SSC and Space Force leadership with strategic acquisition insight, program execution oversight, and decision support
• Serving as senior liaison between the PAE office, program offices, technical teams, contracting,
• financial management, and industry partners
• Assessing the maturity, completeness, and readiness of acquisition strategies, plans, and supporting documentation for leadership review and approval
• Providing informed recommendations on program structure, execution approach, and acquisition timing
• Identifying execution risks, misalignment, or gaps across programs and recommending actionable mitigation strategies
• Advising on software-intensive and classified space acquisition efforts, including ACAT-like
• programs
• Supporting leadership preparation for Defense Acquisition Boards, and milestone decisions
• Reviewing and advising on acquisition elements such as AoAs, ASPs, ASDs, J&As, RFPs, SOWs, CDRLs, and incentive structures, with emphasis on coherence and executability
• Contributing to executive-level briefings, decision papers, and strategic communications
• Performing high-level business case, schedule, and risk assessments to inform leadership decisions
• Providing senior advisory support during technical evaluations

#CJ

What We Offer

• Competitive salaries
• Continuing education assistance
• Professional development
• Multiple healthcare benefits package options
• 401K with employer matching
• Competitive time off policy along with a federally recognized holiday schedule

Who We Are

At Astrion, we innovate, elevate, and shape the world of tomorrow. At our core is our purpose to “Be the Difference”. This means we encourage our employees to take action and be the driving force for positive change. We foster an environment where innovative solutions flourish, and our company continuously evolves.

We have a culture of care, empathy, and making a tangible difference within our organization and communities. We embrace continuous learning, growth, and innovation, and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. We promote collaboration and empowering our teams is at the core of our success.

Be the Difference

Astrion offers comprehensive services that boost preparedness, optimize performance, and ensure success across various domains, from Cyber to Digital, Mission and Systems, servicing our nation’s Civilian, Defense and Space communities. We support customers with Centers of Excellence in Washington DC, Huntsville, AL and Burlington, MA with an additional 36 locations across the U.S.

Join Astrion and Be the Difference in your career and the world!

Astrion is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. We provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.