Director, Technology and Defense System Program Office

Overview

WE ARE THE NRO

For sixty years, the NRO has developed, acquired, launched and operated the satellites that are the foundation for America’s advantage and strength in space. Using a diversified architecture of spacecraft, NRO collects and delivers the best space-based intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance content on the planet. Learn more .

• You must be a U.S. Citizen
• You must be 18 years of age or older
• You must be able to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI security clearance
• You will be subject to pre-employment and periodic drug testing
• You will be subject to pre-employment and periodic polygraph examinations

SAO is designed as the lead organization to mature novel technologies that can be rapidly developed into low-cost resiliency solutions that protect NRO HVAs in all orbital regimes. These resilient solutions mature to fully funded MSAs as well as onboard resiliency solutions that are transitioned to NRO and DoW stakeholders.

The Director (D), Technology and Defense System Program Office (TDSPO) reports directly to the Director Survivability Assurance Office (SAO) and is responsible for leading a program office assigned to develop, demonstrate, and deploy survivability and resiliency capabilities to defend National Space Systems. The D/TDSPO is responsible for managing a large portfolio consisting of multiple Major System Acquisitions (MSAs), to include full life cycle management in the development, production, launch, and associated ground architecture.

The D/TDSPO is also responsible for maintaining SAO's Research and Development efforts.

The NRO Cadre is collecting resumes for consideration against current and future opportunities for senior level GG-15
, technical career field specialists, occupational series 801, 1301, 1501. For more information on the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) occupational series, .

Your resume may be considered for other positions which your skills and experience may be a good match.

This is a full-time position that is open from January 22, 2026 to January 27, 2026. Resumes must be submitted by 11:59 PM EST on January 27, 2026.

• This position is open to the public.
• Federal government employees MUST currently be at the grade level or higher as indicated in this announcement. This is NOT a promotion opportunity for current Federal government employees. If selected for the position, Federal government employees will transition laterally at their current grade level and step.
• Federal applicants who exceed the advertised grade may voluntarily request acceptance at the lower grade per DoD 1400.25 Volume 2006.
• The NRO is only accepting external applicants for this job announcement. Current NRO Cadre employees should apply internally.
• This position does not qualify for the appointment of a reemployed federal annuitant IAW DoDI 1400.25 Volume 300.

The D/TDSPO is responsible for leading multiple teams of government civilians, military, SETA, and FFRDC in acquisition activities to include developing and implementing acquisition strategies, managing cost, schedule, and technical aspects of all assigned programs, reporting on program status to leadership and oversight, lead efforts to identify, mature, develop and field revolutionary capabilities, as well as engaging with DoW and IC stakeholders to coordinate partnerships in technology development.

Specific major duties include:

• Manages all acquisition lifecycle phases of assigned programs. Manages cost, schedule, and technical aspects of the program in a proactive manner.
• Lead and supervise the performance and professional development of all military and civilian personnel assigned to the program office.
• Lead the development and implementation of acquisition strategies and plans for all assigned programs.
• Report program status, accomplishments, areas of concern, and planned activities to higher leadership and oversight authorities on a regular basis.
• Lead efforts to identify, mature, develop, and field revolutionary capabilities ensuring our ability to deliver Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) in a contested…