Kelsey Darling

Astrotech wins $77.5 million contract to accelerate pre-launch satellite processing at Vandenberg The U.S. Space Force awarded a $77.5 million contract to Astrotech Space Operations to increase satellite processing capacity at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, an investment in ground infrastructure intended to prevent processing constraints from limiting access to space. The three-year contract, announced April 25, was secured by Astrotech through a “Commercial Solutions Opening” competition.

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We’re excited to share that Space Return///// The California Space Cluster and Rakar Aerospace will be attending CCAP 2026. CCAP is a Navy-focused, two-day industry engagement in Ridgecrest, CA (Feb 4–5, 2026) built to connect industry with NAWCWD priorities, acquisition pathways, and near-term opportunities. We’ll be there to meet teams who are serious about execution—supplier readiness, manufacturing capability, and teaming that can move quickly and deliver. Also joining the conversation: BrainSpark Consulting — https://lnkd.in/dh_BexuG True Precision Machining — https://lnkd.in/dp3MQdd3 Event: https://www.ccapexpo.com/ Rakar: https://www.rakarinc.com/ SpaceReturn/////: https://lnkd.in/dZBggNkc More info in the presentation attached. Space Return///// The California Space Cluster Rakar Aerospace True Precision Machining Brainspark Theresa Padilla-Chaparro Diego Padilla Gerardo Broussi Marvin Rodriguez Chase Means Cassidy Kim Claire Ricketts Matt Thomas Shirley Dewi Gabriele Perez Martinez Sandy Nasseri Sean Nasseri Suzette Ferguson Thank you: MelroseINC Greenberg Traurig, LLP Mojave Air & Space Port Cambrian Works, Inc. SensFlo Sunburn Schematics SCB – Systems Certification Body Advancing Rapid Defense Innovation Symposium (ARDIS) Saalex Corporation Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) Department of the Navy SBIR/STTR Programs National Security Innovation Capital Griffiss Institute

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Recently, members of the GO-Biz team toured space and defense company, Lockheed Martin, getting a firsthand look at their solar array facility and additive design manufacturing lab, while exploring opportunities for deeper collaboration and permitting support. Building strong partnerships with innovative companies across California helps drive growth in the sectors powering the Golden State's economy.

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HHMI Investigator Elliot Meyerowitz, PhD, studies how plants grow and form patterns in the shoot apical meristem—the poorly understood tip of a plant's stem that generates all of the plant's above-ground parts. He and his lab at California Institute of Technology aim to increase the mechanistic understanding of plant growth, which has potential implications for crops, building materials, medicines, fabrics, and other plant-derived products. Learn more about Dr. Meyerowitz's research here: https://lnkd.in/etkaHc88 #HHMI #MovingScienceForward

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Two things on my mind that I feel the need to share that may help those in the job market. 💭 1) Your career journey can consist of both networking and cold applications. My first job after graduating as a proud USC #Gamecock landed me at CoreLogic. I only knew about that opportunity from a friend, Audrey McCall Coogler, while chatting at running club one evening. Shortly there after when I was seeking a change, Jennifer G. put me in touch with Lauren Addy and Mike Richardson when Colonial Life was looking for a National Recruiting Specialist -which was the start of my passion in the recruiting arena. Learning about both jobs started with networking, led me to apply, and I went through the normal interview process before being hired. Fast forward a few years later, I was a cold applicant applying to the Boeing Job Board for my role as a Talent Acquisition Advisor/Recruiter. Point of the story, leverage both your network and apply to jobs of interest/companies you can get behind! 2) Don't just email the job posting link to yourself - copy/paste it into a Word document and save it to a folder on your desktop. When job postings come down from the job board, you won't be able to access the requisition posting if all you did was save the URL. The hiring team can very well still be working through their recruiting process (phone screens, interviews, etc.), and just no longer accepting new applicants. I hope one or both of these bits can help someone. 💞 #careersearch #jobsearch #networking

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73% of senior software engineers in Defense & Space say they would trade compensation for flexibility. How many programs are structured with that reality in mind? Over the past year, Luneus held direct conversations with senior software and hardware engineers working inside active U.S. Defense & Space programs. Not surveys. Not job applications. Real discussions with mostly passive engineers evaluating risk, stability, and leadership. We’ve compiled the patterns in our new report: 2026 U.S. Defense & Space Report: Senior Engineers’ Salary, Work Models & What Moves Them If you lead engineering, operations, or talent in a defense or space program, the insights will be relevant. Download the full report: https://lnkd.in/emifcW5c #defenseindustry #defenseengineering #defensetalent

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Flexible Payload Interface for Spacecraft, Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jul 20, 2025 Modern spacecraft increasingly requires flexible, reconfigurable payload interfaces that can adapt to multiple sensors, instruments, and mission profiles. The AN231E04 Field Programmable Analog Array (FPAA) from Okika Devices offers a powerful, and space-efficient solution to meet these needs., : Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jul 20, 2025 Modern spacecraft increasingly requires flexible, reconfigurable payload interfaces that can adapt to

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The future of women in STEM is already taking shape. At Cal Poly’s SWE Evening with Industry, Anna Chan, Senior Director of Process Development Engineering, and Amanda Clement, Senior Automation Engineer, had the privilege of meeting Engineering students who are passionate, motivated, and eager to create the next generation of innovations. Their ambition and talent were truly inspiring, serving as a testament to the significance of supporting early-career engineers. Browse the carousel to read more from Anna and Amanda. Explore summer internship and early careers opportunities via the link in the comments below. 👇

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🎢 Recruiting in Today’s Wild Market: Buckle Up! Recruiting in today’s job market feels a bit like riding a rollercoaster—thrilling, unpredictable, and occasionally leaving you wondering why you got on in the first place. One moment, you’ve got an open role and a client ready to hire. The next? Poof! The position is closed due to budget restrictions, and you’re back to square one. Talk about whiplash. Then, there’s the candidate side of things. Many professionals are hesitant to leave their current jobs, while others aren’t exactly excited about contract work as they search for something “perfect.” Add in the mystery of the poorly written resume (or worse, the invisible “open to work” setting), and recruiters are left wondering if great talent is hiding in plain sight. Spoiler: they often are! And let’s not forget the magic of keywords. Without them, even the most qualified candidates slip through the cracks of search filters. Recruiters have to put on their detective hats, get creative, and sometimes even channel their inner fortune teller just to uncover the right match. So what’s the takeaway? Today’s recruiting world is unpredictable, messy, and… oddly fun. It challenges recruiters to be adaptable, resourceful, and endlessly curious. We’re not just matching resumes to job descriptions—we’re piecing together puzzles in real time, all while balancing shifting markets, cautious candidates, and clients navigating tight budgets. At the end of the day, recruiting is still about connecting people to opportunities. It may not always be smooth sailing, but it’s never boring—and that’s what makes it worth the ride. #Recruiting #TalentAcquisition #Hiring #JobMarket #CareerOpportunities #CandidateExperience #FutureOfWork #RecruitersLife #HiringChallenges #CareerMatchmaking

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🚀 RTX & Shield AI Forge Cutting‑Edge Autonomous Counter‑Drone Partnership RTX (formerly Raytheon Technologies) and Shield AI have announced a strategic collaboration to integrate Shield AI’s autonomy software - Hivemind and ViDAR into RTX defense platforms Key Elements: ✅ Hivemind integration: RTX will weave Shield’s Hivemind into select loitering munitions and sensor systems, creating the first operational weapon system powered by networked collaborative autonomy (NCA), enabling real-time coordination across unmanned systems ✅ ViDAR retrofit: Shield’s Visual Detection and Ranging (ViDAR) software will be retrofitted to existing Multi‑Spectral Targeting System (MTS) turrets, empowering them with AI-driven sensor autonomy to detect and track maritime and airborne drone swarms Why It Matters (and Fast): ✅ Modernizing legacy hardware: With over 20% of U.S. defense platforms aging beyond 20 years, this approach upgrades existing systems without major hardware investments, aligning with Pentagon objectives for rapid, cost-effective modernization ✅ Self‑funded, rapid deployment: Unlike traditional defense contracts, this is fully funded by RTX and Shield AI accelerating deployment timelines and bypassing lengthy government procurement ✅ Tactical edge against swarms: The combined capability addresses a growing threat - autonomous drone and maritime swarms - by enhancing detection, autonomy, and defense response. Broader Implications: ✅ Industry evolution: This partnership signals a shift in defense tech: legacy systems augmented through autonomy, not sidelined. Strategic win–win: Shield AI gains large-scale integration, while RTX adds differentiating AI capabilities positioning both for leadership in autonomous defense. A smart, scalable approach that strengthens both industry and national security. #DefenseTech #Autonomy #AI #SecurityInnovation https://lnkd.in/etjuJ5aa

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My first LinkedIn video... here we go 😅 As a recruiter, I review a lot of resumes from incredibly talented engineers and technical professionals. And I keep seeing the same mistake… Candidates list responsibilities instead of impact. Example: ❌ Responsible for testing radar systems ✅ Led testing for next-generation radar systems that improved detection performance by 25% When recruiters review resumes, clarity around impact makes a huge difference. For those in engineering, aerospace, or defense what’s been the hardest part of the job search lately? Resume writing? Getting noticed? Interviews? Drop it in the comments. And if you’d like another set of eyes on your resume, feel free to send me a direct message, happy to help. #career #jobhunting #engineering #insight

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INCOSE is pleased to announce that the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) is now recognized as offering coursework equivalent to the INCOSE knowledge exam for Systems Engineering Professional (SEP) certification. Caltech’s real-world systems leadership is exemplified through its management of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), connecting advanced research with the practical demands of complex, mission-critical engineering. Through the Caltech Center for Technology and Management Education (CTME), working professionals can access systems engineering education built for immediate application, with strong emphasis on Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE), including advanced and AI-assisted MBSE offerings. Recognized courses: SE40, SEF-SE48, SEF-SE56, SEM Learn more about Academic Equivalency and view all recognized institutions: https://bit.ly/3xpiOQv #systemsengineering #INCOSE #Caltech #CTME #MBSE #certification

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By 2030, nearly 2.7 million manufacturing jobs could go unfilled. This isn't just a statistic; it’s a massive opportunity for anyone in the Puget Sound looking for a career change. Local aerospace and maritime companies are moving toward AI-driven production and need people to manage these new systems, starting at around $30 an hour. Forget the "factory floor" image of the past. Today, the work is about programming and troubleshooting the robotics and AI that power our world. Curious about what a tech lab looks like? You don't need an engineering background to start. Explore how we bridge the gap to your new career: https://bit.ly/3MYjHtf @sme_Mfg

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This is a great listen for anyone interested in how AeroVect is using lessons from the AV sector to develop our own safety journey. Aaron B. is doing incredible things here in developing a safety program that meets all the unique challenges of working in a complex airport environment. #safety #aerovect #autonomy #autonomousvehicles #airports

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The age of manual recruiting is over... if you aren't automating your process using AI, your recruiting team might not be reaching its fastest hiring timelines possible.

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From CAD to Cloud: Engineering Solutions That Power Maryland’s Missions From mechanical design to embedded software, Maryland’s defense contractors need engineering partners who understand the full lifecycle of innovation. Actalent supports Aerospace & Defense leaders with: - Smart manufacturing & automation (MME) - Controls engineering & predictive maintenance - Cloud, AI, and cybersecurity solutions (SAS) - Systems integration, validation, and prototyping Our consultants have supported projects like autonomous driving systems, Mars Rover development, and electronic warfare platforms. Whether you're building the next UAV or upgrading your production line, we’re here to help. Let’s build the future of defense—together. #DefenseTech #SmartManufacturing #SystemsEngineering #ActalentEngineering #MarylandInnovation #AerospaceTalent #MME #SAS

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