Apogee has an exciting new opportunity for an Engineer Scientist-Awards Writer to serve our customer onsite at the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL).
 
The Awards Writer will support AFRL Space Vehicles and Directed Energy directorates by producing high‑quality technical proposals, white papers, business development packages, and organizational planning documents that translate technical expertise into winning award and funding submissions and partnership narratives. The role fuses technical/engineering subject-matter understanding (per Engineer/Scientist classification) with business development and organizational development support described in the PWS.

This is a full-time position at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico.

• Prepare and lead development of competitive award proposals, grant/partnership narratives, white papers, and capability briefs that clearly present technical concepts, program benefit, and partnership value to funding/partner stakeholders.

• Translate technical team input (engineers, scientists) into persuasive, compliant technical narrative and cost/management descriptions for proposals and award submissions. Ensure technical accuracy while optimizing readability and evaluation criteria alignment.
• Support development of partnership mechanisms and documentation (e.g., MOUs, teaming descriptions, enhanced use leases or public/private partnership narratives) as required.
• Support organizational development deliverables: draft diagnostic reports, capability alignment papers, organizational-improvement action plans, and change management communication collateral for directorates.
• Provide regular status and deliverable reporting (monthly status reports, CDRL submittals as required) and incorporate Government feedback into iterative drafts.
• Ensure proposals and other deliverables comply with program security, formatting, and submission requirements; coordinate with Program Manager and COR for approval and CDRL submission.

Minimum Experience:

Citizenship: Must be a US citizen 
Clearance: Must have and be able to maintain a Top-Secret clearance
Education: Bachelor’s degree in engineering, physical sciences, technical communications, or related 
Years of Experience: 5 years relevant experience

• Combining technical subject-matter exposure (space, directed energy, or related defense R&D) and written proposal/awards experience. Experience should include drafting technical proposals, business development materials, and briefing/communications for senior leadership.
• Strong stakeholder facilitation skills — comfortable interviewing senior scientists/engineers and translating their input into structured narratives aligned with sponsor evaluation criteria (reflects PWS requirement to convene/extract SME input).
• Clear, professional oral and written communication; proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint), and experience with proposal production tools and version control.

Preferred skills and experience

• Experience supporting AFRL or DoD research directorates, knowledge of AFRL mission areas (space vehicles, directed energy), program acquisition and PPBE planning processes. 
• Prior awards-winning track record (agency or mission-driven program awards, SBIR solicitations, internally-run AFRL solicitations).
• Familiarity with federal funding mechanisms, public/private partnerships, university teaming, and Historically Black Colleges & Universities/Minority Institutions engagement.
• Experience drafting organizational-development products: diagnostics, action plans, organizational charts, governance narratives.