Mission Domain Expert – Radar and Optical Telescope Systems

Mission Domain Expert – Radar and Optical Telescope Systems

 

Within Peraton's Space sector, there is an immediate need for a cleared Mission Domain Expert to serve as the company's customer-facing technical expert for growth opportunities. This is a full-time position in support of Peraton Operating Unit locations predominantly located in, but not limited to, Virginia, Colorado, and California.

 

As a Mission Domain Expert, you are a recognized technical authority within the community. You have spent your career at the intersection of space operations, ground systems engineering, and advanced communications, and the customers you have served know you by name and trust your judgment. You provide comprehensive, full life‑cycle acquisition/proposal support of pipeline opportunities. In this role, you fully support—and may lead—the Peraton proposal effort to significantly increase the probability of a Peraton win.

 

This role is designed for a senior technical professional who is ready to transition from program execution into a pre-award, customer-shaping capacity — and who understands that the most important work happens before the solicitation drops. Over the course of one to two years, you will serve as Peraton's technical face to USSF, shaping opportunities and building the technical foundation for major pursuits. Following the award of a targeted program, you will support transition and, as needed, contract execution by providing Technical and/or Engineering expertise.

What you'll do:

• Engage directly and continuously with identified Peraton pipeline opportunity program offices, technical directorates, and mission partners to understand evolving requirements, technology priorities, and mission challenges — shaping opportunities well before RFP release
• Serve as the primary technical interface between Peraton and customer leadership, maintaining trusted relationships across ground systems, optical communications, and space networking mission areas
• Lead the development of technical approaches and solution strategies for major pursuits, translating customer mission needs into differentiated, winning proposal content
• Proactively collaborate with capture leadership, growth organization, and proposal teams to ensure technical strategy is integrated into pursuit plans from the earliest stages
• Ensure all Peraton Business Development gate reviews are completed in a timely manner.
• Coordinate funding for Customer Engagement (CE) and Business Development (BD) on all identified pursuits.
• Identify and assess teaming arrangements, technology partnerships, and competitive positioning strategies that strengthen Peraton's standing in the market
• Provide authoritative technical input on bid/no-bid decisions, Pwin assessments, and pursuit prioritization — helping the sector focus resources on the right opportunities
• Represent Peraton at industry days, technical forums, and customer engagement events, reinforcing the company's reputation as a trusted technical partner
• Interpret and analyze customer requirements, statements of work, and solicitation documents to ensure technical alignment.
• Develop and refine the technical solution, architecture, and approach in collaboration with the proposal and capture teams.
• Create and review technical content for the proposal, including narratives, diagrams, schedules, and compliance matrices.
• Ensure all technical sections are compliant, compelling, feasible, and clearly differentiated from competitors.
• Collaborate with program leads, SMEs, engineers, and cost estimators to align technical approaches with pricing, staffing, and risk posture.
• Participate in solutioning workshops, color team reviews, and internal gates, providing expert feedback and updates.
• Identify technical risks, mitigation strategies, dependencies, and assumptions relevant to the proposed solution.
• Support development of BOEs (basis of estimates), staffing strategies, and level-of-effort projections.
• Ensure technical accuracy and consistency across volumes (Technical, Management, Past Performance, Cost).
• Respond quickly to Red Team findings, government Q&As, amendments, and evolving proposal requirements.
• Provide surge support during critical proposal periods, including rapid-turn content revisions.
• Coordinate with graphic designers to produce high-quality, accurate technical illustrations.
• Stay aware of Peraton capabilities, programs, and discriminators to apply them strategically within the proposal.
• Serve as a key point of contact for technical questions during the proposal lifecycle.
• Work closely with Next-Gen Technology Engineers in networking, cloud, and digital engineering to bring emerging capabilities into solution strategies
• Upon the award of a targeted pursuit, transition to the program as Technical Lead or Chief Engineer, providing continuity from pre-award shaping through program execution
  

Required Qualifications:

• A minimum of 12+ years of experience in engineering disciplines
• This position requires the candidate to possess and maintain a minimum of Top-Secret clearance with the ability to obtain TS/SCI
• Direct experience with operating and managing radar and optical telescope systems from an engineering perspective
• Direct experience in project technical and proposal support
• Sustained experience supporting Space Domain Awareness (SDA) programs, Spacecraft Command and Control missions, and Space Surveillance Networks and ground control systems.
• Demonstrated expertise supporting IMINT and GEOINT missions
• Experience leading or significantly contributing to technical volumes on major government proposals — you have written, reviewed, or led sections that won
• Understanding of emerging radar and optical priorities in relation to space domain awareness

Desired Qualifications:

• An active TS/SCI
• Prior military service or civilian career focusing on radar, telescope systems, and orbital analysis disciplines.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills — ability to translate complex technical concepts for both customer leadership and Peraton audiences
• Proven ability to translate requirements across multiple disciplines – systems engineering, software development, cybersecurity, and information technology
• Understanding of sensor and mount calibrations pertaining optical radar maintenance and upkeep.
• Familiarity with the DoD/DoW Risk Management Framework

Benefits: 

At Peraton, our benefits are designed to help keep you at your best beyond the work you do with us daily. We’re fully committed to the growth of our employees. From fully comprehensive medical plans to tuition reimbursement, tuition assistance, and fertility treatment, we are there to support you all the way. 

 

 

Peraton is a next-generation national security company that drives missions of consequence spanning the globe and extending to the farthest reaches of the galaxy. As the world’s leading mission capability integrator and transformative enterprise IT provider, we deliver trusted, highly differentiated solutions and technologies to protect our nation and allies. Peraton operates at the critical nexus between traditional and nontraditional threats across all domains: land, sea, space, air, and cyberspace. The company serves as a valued partner to essential government agencies and supports every branch of the U.S. armed forces. Each day, our employees do the can’t be done by solving the most daunting challenges facing our customers. Visit peraton.com to learn how we’re keeping people around the world safe and secure.

$146,000 - $234,000. This represents the typical salary range for this position. Salary is determined by various factors, including but not limited to, the scope and responsibilities of the position, the individual’s experience, education, knowledge, skills, and competencies, as well as geographic location and business and contract considerations. Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay.

EEO: Equal opportunity employer, including disability and protected veterans, or other characteristics protected by law.