Space Subject Matter Expert / Space-Domain Curriculum SME – $100.00-$150.00/hour
Leading Edge Skills LLC (LES) is a proven professional training, leadership development, workforce development, and instructional design firm supporting federal and defense learning environments. LES specializes in transforming complex operational, technical, and leadership requirements into practical, high-impact learning experiences that are mission-aligned, measurable, and designed for adult professionals.
For this opportunity, LES is assembling a high-performing team to support a federal defense civilian workforce development course focused on strengthening mission identity, strategic awareness, professional integration, applied decision-making, and long-term career development. This effort requires more than routine course development. It calls for experienced professionals who can design blended learning, translate technical subject matter into accessible instruction, develop engaging multimedia, support Government-reviewed deliverables, and maintain disciplined project execution.
LES is seeking professionals who bring credibility, creativity, responsiveness, and strong respect for the national security mission. Selected personnel must be able to operate in a structured Government environment, collaborate with technical and instructional teams, protect sensitive information, and deliver high-quality work under defined timelines.
Space Subject Matter Expert / Space-Domain Curriculum SME
Position Summary
Leading Edge Skills LLC is seeking a highly qualified Space Subject Matter Expert to support the technical accuracy, mission relevance, and instructional quality of a defense space-domain learning program. This role is critical to ensuring that civilian learners receive current, credible, and meaningful instruction on the space domain, mission context, orbital regimes, space sustainability, space history, space policy, commercialization, and applied operational concepts.
The ideal candidate is not only technically strong, but also able to communicate complex space concepts to non-technical adult learners. This role requires close collaboration with instructional designers, multimedia specialists, and Government stakeholders to create content that is accurate, accessible, engaging, and aligned with strategic defense mission needs.
Minimum Qualifications
- Master’s degree in Space Studies, Space Policy, Space Ecosystems, or related field; or
- Eight years of relevant experience in space-domain areas related to course objectives.
- Demonstrated expertise in global space ecosystems, space sustainability, debris mitigation, space traffic management, national/international space programs, space economies/commercialization, space history, orbital regimes, and space assets.
- Eligible for required Government access/background requirements.
Key Responsibilities
- Serve as the technical authority for assigned space-domain curriculum content.
- Develop and validate content related to orbital regimes, space operations, space policy, space sustainability, contested/congested space, space history, and commercial space developments.
- Ensure technical content aligns with current defense doctrine, policy, strategy, mission priorities, and approved reference materials.
- Work with instructional designers to translate complex space concepts into practical adult learning content.
- Support development of scenarios, case studies, simulations, discussion prompts, exercises, assessments, and capstone-style activities.
- Review lessons, slides, multimedia, assessments, and instructor guides for technical accuracy.
- Participate in working group discussions and formal review sessions as needed.
- Recommend updates based on evolving doctrine, policy, operational realities, and learner feedback.
Preferred Experience
- Experience supporting defense, national security space, commercial space, space policy, space operations, acquisitions, or intelligence-related environments.
- Experience teaching or communicating space concepts to non-technical adult audiences.
- Demonstrated expertise in adult learning theory, curriculum development, or educational technology.
- Publications, speaking engagements, advisory roles, or recognized thought leadership in space policy, space sustainability, or the space economy.
- Ph.D. or equivalent terminal degree in a space-related field is highly desirable.
Pay: $100.00 – $150.00 per hour
Work Location: Remote