Aerospace and Defense in Virginia

Virginia's Aerospace and Defense industry is growing, driven by its strategic location near federal agencies and major firms, a skilled workforce, and a vibrant innovation ecosystem. This environment fosters collaboration and access to lucrative contracts while ongoing investments in research and infrastructure enhance the state's leadership in the sector.


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Why is it Thriving?

  • Strategic Location: Fairfax County hosts major defense and aerospace companies, benefiting from proximity to the Pentagon, the Department of Defense, and NASA, facilitating easier access to federal contracts and high-profile projects.

  • Federal Procurement Dominance: Companies in Fairfax County receive more federal procurement dollars than any other U.S. locality, making it a lucrative area for defense and aerospace operations.

  • Notable Companies: Prominent firms like Northrop Grumman, Airbus, Rolls-Royce, and BAE Systems are headquartered or have a significant regional presence, indicating strong industry confidence.

  • Skilled Workforce: Virginia boasts a competitive talent pool, with many candidates holding security clearances and former military personnel contributing to the workforce.

  • Growing Industry Projects: The state has announced over 60 aerospace and unmanned aerial systems (UAS) projects in the past decade, leading to significant job creation (over 4,600 jobs) and investment (over $865 million).

  • Dynamic Innovation Ecosystem: A vibrant industrial ecosystem includes numerous engineering and I.T. firms, advanced aerospace research, and public-private partnerships in R&D, further driving innovation.

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  • Strong Infrastructure: An extensive network of transportation links, including airports, railways, and ports, supports supply chain needs and logistics for the aerospace and UAS industries.

  • Project-Ready Sites: Virginia offers a robust portfolio of sites for aerospace operations, including over 300 fully characterized sites and numerous industrial buildings available for lease, catering to diverse business needs.

  • Access to Research Facilities: Major research institutions like NASA's Langley Research Center and the Virginia Modeling, Analysis, and Simulation Center provide essential support for aerospace and defense innovations.

What are the Key Aerospace and Defense Jobs?

Here are some examples of the diverse range of senior roles within the industry: 

Project Manager

  • Lead Cross-Functional Teams: Direct and coordinate multidisciplinary teams throughout the project lifecycle, ensuring alignment and timely execution of aerospace projects.

  • Project Lifecycle Management: Oversee all aspects of project management, including budgeting, scheduling, and risk management, to ensure projects are delivered on time and within budget.

  • Stakeholder Coordination: Collaborate with engineers, suppliers, and clients to ensure project specifications are met and compliance with quality standards is maintained.

  • Risk Identification and Mitigation: Proactively identify, assess, and mitigate project risks, ensuring that issues are resolved before escalation and that risk management plans are maintained.

  • Communication and Reporting: Prepare and present regular project updates to senior management and stakeholders, highlighting progress, challenges, and proposed solutions.

  • Compliance and Quality Assurance: Ensure adherence to internal and external guidelines, safety standards, and legal regulations throughout the project, while driving continuous improvement initiatives to enhance project outcomes.

Chief Revenue Officer

  • Strategic Growth Planning: Ability to develop and implement comprehensive growth strategies that align with the company's overall objectives and market dynamics.

  • Market Expansion: Proficiency in identifying and pursuing new market opportunities, segments, and channels for growth, both domestically and internationally.

  • Cross-Functional Collaboration: Strong collaboration skills to work effectively with departments such as sales, marketing, and product development to support growth initiatives.

  • Data-Driven Decision Making: Expertise in leveraging data analytics to inform growth strategies, optimize marketing and sales efforts, and enhance customer acquisition and retention.

  • Team Leadership and Management: Capability to manage and motivate high-performing teams focused on growth initiatives, fostering a culture of performance and accountability.

  • Partnership Development: Skill in establishing and nurturing strategic partnerships, alliances, and collaborations to drive mutual growth and enhance market penetration.

Capture Director

  • Lead Capture Strategy Development: Develop and execute comprehensive capture plans, including win strategies, gap analysis, technical approaches, and pricing strategies to improve win probability.

  • Build and Manage Strategic Partnerships: Establish and strengthen partnerships across the aerospace industry, including vendors and teaming partners, to enhance product offerings and competitiveness.

  • Customer Engagement and Relationship Building: Act as the primary interface with customers, developing relationships that support contract growth and maintaining a robust understanding of customer requirements and expectations

  • Team Leadership and Mentorship: Lead and mentor a high-performing capture team, providing guidance and training to optimize capture processes and encourage cross-functional collaboration.

  • Conduct Market and Competitor Analysis: Maintain awareness of industry trends, competitor activities, and emerging technologies to shape product roadmaps and strategic initiatives effectively.

  • Oversee Proposal and Bid Management: Drive proposal development, including drafting Statements of Work (SOW), setting bid targets, and managing the proposal process from initial strategy through to contract transition.
In aerospace and defense, securing top talent goes beyond technical skill—it requires a blend of engineering expertise, regulatory knowledge, and resilience to meet rigorous standards. With advancements in unmanned systems and aircraft electrification, companies are increasingly looking for candidates with cross-disciplinary skills in robotics, AI, and open-source software, even if they come from adjacent industries. Building a workforce that can adapt to evolving technologies is key to staying competitive in this high-stakes sector.
Rachael Toon Principal Consultant - Disruptive Aerospace & New Space

What are the Recruitment Challenges?

Although the industry is experiencing growth, recruitment challenges continue to persist. Here are some key examples:

  • Increased Demand for Tech Skills: As automation continues to expand, the demand for enhanced technical capabilities is becoming more critical. Governments and commercial clients now seek more sophisticated solutions driven by trends such as cybersecurity, automation, digitization, the Internet of Things, and artificial intelligence. This shift underscores the growing need for specific skills in the aerospace and defense sector, highlighting the talent challenges faced by companies in this industry.

  • Demographic Changes: The industry is experiencing a notable demographic shift, marked by an aging workforce and a scarcity of younger professionals joining the field. It's essential for the industry to proactively tackle this challenge to ensure a seamless transition and maintain operational continuity.

  • Intense Competition for Talent: The aerospace and defense sector faces a significant challenge in attracting skilled talent, such as engineers, as sectors such as the automotive and tech industries often draw quality candidates by offering higher starting salaries. 

Key Recruitment Solutions

To ensure the industry continues to thrive with the senior talent it needs, consider the following recruitment strategies:

  1. SOLUTION 1
    Define Precise Talent Needs

    Involve H.R. as a strategic partner in workforce planning, finance, and business development. This collaborative approach will create a coordinated hiring plan that aligns with program demands and future skill requirements, recognizing the unique talent needs across job families.

  2. SOLUTION 2
    Invest in Reskilling and Upskilling

    Focus on strategic, outcomes-driven learning and development initiatives. By aligning L&D programs with business objectives, companies can prioritize skills that deliver the highest ROI. Additionally, leveraging generative A.I. can enhance onboarding and productivity, preparing employees for evolving roles and developing a more adaptable and skilled workforce.

  3. SOLUTION 3
    Develop a Targeted Hiring Process

    Establish a hiring engine that operates like a sales organization, prioritizing the development of strong relationships among talent acquisition, H.R., and analytics teams. This includes creating a "talent win room" that combines various resources to streamline the hiring process, enhance agility, and improve the employee value proposition. Emphasizing quality over quantity in hiring and developing collaboration will help attract and retain critical talent in the aerospace and defense sector.

Transferable Skills

Build a strong talent pipeline with a skills-first approach—attract skilled professionals from diverse sectors to meet industry demands and drive organizational growth.

Systems Engineering

This includes skills such as: 

  • Testing 
  • System Integration
  • Requirements Analysis 
  • System Architecture

Talent with these skills could be transferred from industries such as:

  • Technology 
  • Telecommunications 
  • Automotive

Project Management

This includes skills such as: 

  • Project Planning 
  • Risk Management 
  • Team Leadership 
  • Scheduling

Talent with these skills could be transferred from industries such as:

  • Construction 
  • IT 
  • Renewable Energy

Cybersecurity

This includes skills such as: 

  • Data Protection 
  • Threat Intelligence 
  • Network Security 
  • Incident Response

Talent with these skills could be transferred from industries such as:

  • Healthcare
  • Manufacturing 
  • Automotive

Software Engineering

This includes skills such as: 

  • Software Development 
  • Programming Languages
  • Testing 
  • Deployment

Talent with these skills could be transferred from industries such as:

  • Finance 
  • Aerospace and Defense 
  • Mining

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