Grant Huang, IEEE Senior Member, Ph.D., is the Chief Cyber Integration Architect for the Global Mission Operations within the Space Systems Integration Office (SSIO) of Space Systems Command (SSC), the U.S. Space Force (USSF). He assumed his role in 2024. He is responsible for overseeing and directing the research and development (R&D) of cutting-edge capabilities essential for the cybersecurity of future space systems, ensuring these capabilities align with national defense needs. His work involves a dynamic collaboration with a diverse array of stakeholders, including Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), academic institutions, and industry partners. Dr. Huang also takes on the pivotal role of Augment Evaluator for the U.S. Air Force/Space Force’s AFWERX/SPACEWERX initiative, where he supports the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) programs that foster technological advancements and innovation in the aerospace domain.

Since joining USSF in 2021, Dr. Huang has contributed to advancing multiple domains within the organization. He began his career as a General Engineer at the Space and Missile Center, where he applied his technical R&D background to complex problems. He later advanced to the position of Chief Mission Architect within SSIO of SSC, leading a multidisciplinary team from the FFRDC and the Department of Defense (DoD) Science and Engineering (S&E) contractors. In this capacity, he oversaw groundbreaking R&D initiatives aimed at revolutionizing space systems focused on space-based environmental monitoring (SBEM).

With over a decade of extensive experience in R&D across academia, industry, and government sectors, Dr. Huang’s work has garnered support from the U.S. National Academies, the U.S. Air Force, and U.S. defense industries. He specializes in advanced sensory-based navigation and localization techniques crucial for Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) applications, along with innovative assisted GPS/GNSS (A-GPS/GNSS) technologies and communication systems. His scholarly impact is underscored by more than 15 publications in high-profile journals and conference proceedings, as well as multiple U.S. patents that highlight his inventive contributions to the field.

Dr. Huang earned his doctorate in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2014. Following his studies, he was awarded the National Research Council (NRC) research associateships by the U.S. National Academies, allowing him to serve as a postdoctoral researcher at the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) at Eglin Air Force Base, FL, from 2015 to 2017. During this period, he conducted pioneering research in satellite communication technologies for the U.S. Air Force. He then transitioned to academia, joining the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) department at the University of Florida as research faculty from 2017 to 2019, where he focused on military-related defense research for PNT applications backed by the U.S. Air Force’s initiatives.

In 2019, Dr. Huang transitioned into the industry as a Senior Research Engineer with Integrated Solutions for Systems, Inc. In this role, he was instrumental in securing external funding and supporting high-stakes military projects concentrated on advancing PNT technologies. Returning to the University of Florida in 2020, he served as a research associate scientist, responsible for securing external research funding and providing academic support for military-funded projects.

Dr. Huang is an active senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), a globally recognized professional organization that fosters technological innovation. He is also a member of the Institute of Navigation (ION) and the esteemed Eta Kappa Nu Electrical Engineering Honor Society. Dr. Huang is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge in his field, offering his expertise as a reviewer for several high-impact international journals and conferences, including IEEE Transactions on Aerospace and Electronic Systems, IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation & Measurement, GPS Solutions, Navigation: Journal of the Institute of Navigation, and the IEEE International Conference on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics, as well as the American Society for Engineering Education.                                                             

Career Chronology

§  August 2024 - Present  Chief Cyber Integration Architect, 

Global Mission Operations, 

Space Systems Integration Office,

Space Systems Command, United States Space Force

§  April 2022 - August 2024  Chief Mission Architect, 

Information Mobility, 

Space Systems Integration Office,

Space Systems Command, United States Space Force

§  September 2021 - April 2022  General Engineer, 

Space and Missile Systems Center, United States Space Force

§  February 2020 - September 2021  Research Associate Scientist, 

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Florida              

§  January 2019 - February 2020  Senior Research Engineer, 

 Integrated Solutions For Systems, Inc.

§  January 2017 - January 2019  Research Assistant Scientist, 

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Florida  

§  January 2015 - January 2017  National Research Council (NRC) Postdoctoral Research Fellow, 

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Air Force Research Laboratory, Eglin Air Force Base, FL

Research Experiences

§ 2008-2014

Graduate Research Assistant, The University of Texas at San Antonio

Education

2014      Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical Engineering, The University of Texas at San Antonio

2009      Master of Science in Electrical Engineering, The University of Texas at San Antonio