Mission Planning Manager

Peraton is seeking a Mission Planning Manager to be part of a cutting edge, mission focused team supporting Deep Space exploration. You will be supporting NASA/JPL’s Deep Space Network (DSN) and work with a team of US and international end users, engineers, operators, and system administrators to develop and implement mission interface and solutions and oversee mission critical support.  This position is located in Monrovia, CA - LOCAL CANDIDATES ONLY.

The Deep Space Network is NASA’s international array of mission critical radio antennas that support interplanetary spacecraft missions, plus a few that orbit Earth. The DSN also provides radar and radio astronomy observations that improve our understanding of the solar system and the larger universe. The antennas of the Deep Space Network are the indispensable link to explorers venturing beyond the moon. They provide the crucial connection for commanding spacecraft and receiving their never-before-seen images and scientific information on Earth, propelling our understanding of the universe, our solar system and ultimately, our place within it.

Responsibilities:

• Responsible for critical mission integration and planning management for support of JPL and internationally supported missions to ensure contract performance that meets or exceeds contract requirements.
• Ensure effective communication and coordination with JPL Service Management Office, JPL Mission Interface Managers, JPL Scheduling Office, DSN M&O Network Engineering, Network Operations Support, and Deep Space Communications Complexes (DSCCs) operations and maintenance teams to successfully accomplish contract-level Mission Planning performance metrics, Standards of Excellence and Areas of Emphasis.
• Responsibility includes management of Network Operations and Project Engineers (NOPE), Network Operations Analyst (NOA), and Critical Event Planning (CEP) support for NASA/JPL/DSN supported missions, with particular emphasis on DSN Level 1, 2 and Level 3 critical event planning and execution
• Responsible for management of mission support product generation and validation for all DSN mission support products, configuration files, and Network Operations Plans (NOPs).
• Managing/overseeing the support for DSN M&O Scheduling and reporting responsibilities.
• Must demonstrate an exceptional level of responsiveness to customer inputs, including JPL management offices, the DSN complexes and projects.
• Must provide timely and effective reporting to support various management reports and reviews.
• Must effectively apply and interpret meaningful metrics to assess Mission Planning performance and effect continuous improvement.
• Must effectively manage personnel actions including task assignments, hiring, training, award recognition, appraisals and individual development planning and execution.
• Acts a liaison between JPL and DSN management, ensure compliance with contract requirements, coordinate proposals, estimates, negotiates, establish milestones and monitor adherence to plans & schedules, measures & reports status/progress, identify potential problems for corrective action.
• May be required to perform the additional responsibility of the management and oversight of the DSN Space Operations Center located at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, CA.

Required Qualifications:

• 10 years of experience, may have supervisory or lead experience
• Experience in Management. Space Operations preferred
• Recent Supervisory Experience
• Must possess and demonstrate excellent oral and written communications skills, and a working knowledge of MS Office Suite. Presentation skills are a must as we are expected to present routinely to our customers.
• Other essential skills:  must be able to communicate (oral and written) effectively; ability to find solutions to variety of problems across program; strong analytical skills; demonstrate respect, responsibility and integrity in all interactions;  active participation in senior level meetings; comfortable presenting to large groups of people; good listening skills; ability to balance team and individual responsibilities and effectively determine priorities
• Able to obtain a trusted background check and pass a National Criminal Information Check (NCIC). In order to obtain clearance, you need to be a US Citizen and show proof of citizenship
• You must possess and retain a valid Driver’s License (Real ID)

Desired Qualifications:

• VBSS related experience
• PMP certification
• Bachelor’s Degree. Business or Engineering Technology
• Experience in Management. Space Operations
• Recent Supervisory Experience