Michael B. Jirjis, Ph.D.

Dr. Michael Jirjis serves as Experimentation Lead within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Propulsion Directorate (FA8650), where he drives the strategic design and execution of high-risk, high-reward research and development initiatives in aerospace propulsion, hypersonics, and advanced materials. His role bridges technical innovation with acquisition strategy, ensuring that experimental technologies transition from laboratory prototypes to mission-ready systems through agile, performance-based contracting. He primarily manages R&D contracts that support fundamental and applied research, often involving rapid prototyping, computational modeling, and materials characterization under extreme environments. Dr. Jirjis maintains sustained partnerships with leading aerospace and defense contractors including UES INC, General Electric Company, DCS Corporation, Spirit Aerosystems Inc, and Advanced Thermoplastic Composites LLC. These relationships are characterized by deep technical collaboration, with vendors frequently engaged in multi-year, phased experimentation programs requiring specialized expertise in jet engine components, adaptive flight control systems, and high-temperature composite structures. His procurement approach emphasizes technical excellence, innovation velocity, and long-term capability development over transactional vendor relationships. Dr. Jirjis’s contracting portfolio is entirely non-set-aside, with 100% of acquisitions conducted under full and open competition. This reflects a strategic focus on accessing the most technically capable and mission-ready solutions, regardless of vendor size, prioritizing performance and readiness over socioeconomic preferences. While small business participation is not formally incentivized in his portfolio, his reliance on niche technical specialists often results in incidental engagement with specialized small firms capable of delivering proprietary materials or advanced simulation tools. His primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 541715 and 541712, encompassing physical and engineering sciences R&D with emphasis on propulsion systems, thermal management materials, and hypersonic vehicle integration. He routinely solicits services involving computational fluid dynamics, additive manufacturing of metal alloys, and high-fidelity testing of propulsion components under simulated flight conditions, demonstrating deep expertise in next-generation air and space propulsion technologies.