The Senior Program Control & Cost Estimating Specialist serves as the focal technical authority for Life Cycle Cost Estimating (LCCE), budget formulation, and cost baseline maintenance for major joint NASA/NOAA satellite flight missions, primarily the Geostationary Extended Observations (GeoXO) and Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES)–R Series Programs.
This position leads cost modeling for federal budget cycles (Planning, Programming, Budget, and Execution - PPBE), facilitates Independent Cost Estimate (ICE) reconciliations with external evaluators, structures Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) dictionaries, and develops complex "what-if" trade studies for flight instruments, ground segment infrastructure, and mission life extensions.
Key Responsibilities
Budget Formulation & Execution: Lead multi-year Planning, Programming, Budget, and Execution (PPBE) cost phasing and defensibility to support NASA, NOAA NESDIS, DOC, OMB, and Congressional budget submissions.
Parametric Modeling & Trade Studies: Develop high-fidelity LCCEs, Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) estimates, and "what-if" scenario models for flight payloads (imagers, sounders, space weather instruments), ground systems, and mass-growth vectors.
Audit & ICE Defense: Serve as the prime technical interface for Independent Cost Estimate (ICE) reviews with external audit entities (The Aerospace Corporation, DOC/OAM, GAO, NASA Standing Review Boards).
CADRe & Baseline Governance: Author and maintain NASA Cost Analysis Data Requirement (CADRe Parts A, B, and C) documentation (NASA NPR 7120.5) and update the GeoXO Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) Dictionary.
Contract Performance: Support Performance Evaluation Boards (PEB) by preparing cost event documentation and objective fee evaluations.
Required Qualifications
Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, Cost Analysis, Engineering, Mathematics, Operations Research, or a related quantitative field.
Experience: 10+ years of direct cost estimation and program control experience supporting NASA, NOAA, DoD, or major aerospace flight missions.
Technical Expertise: Demonstrated experience with NASA PPBE cycles, LCCE/ROM formulation, CADRe authoring, WBS dictionary architecture, and ICE defense.
Standards & Compliance: In-depth working knowledge of the GAO Cost Estimating and Assessment Guide, NASA NPR 7120.5, and FAR/DFARS cost principles.
Preferred Qualifications
12–15+ years supporting NASA GSFC Earth Science / NOAA NESDIS flight and ground programs.
Experience modeling optical instruments, lightning mappers, or space weather suites.
Completion of NASA OCFO Cost Analysis, Assessment and Control (CAAC) or PP&C Tool certifications.
Active NASA badging or Secret security clearance.