Program Manager

Job Details

• The master schedule. Own and maintain the program's master schedule (i.e. critical path, cross-project dependencies, milestones, and schedule margin).
• Keep it current and truthful, and make sure the team and leadership always know where the program actually stands.
• Identify action items and risk. Run the action-item and risk trackers.
• Chase open commitments to closure, and flag early when an item lands on the critical path or blocks downstream work.
• Regulatory milestone tracking. Keep our long-lead regulatory approvals visible and moving. Maintain the milestone timelines and coordinate with regulatory counsel as they are engaged.
• Procurement and long-lead tracking. Track purchase orders, vendor lead times, and long-lead hardware (barrels, pressure vessels, ground support equipment). Expedite where needed to protect the critical path.
• Program visibility. Keep program status current and legible. Support program reviews and sustain coordination that keeps a small team aligned.

Required Qualifications

• 2+ years of program or project management experience in aerospace, defense, or a comparable hardware environment.
• Hands-on proficiency with work management software (Smartsheet, MS Project, Jira, or similar).
• Ability to read an engineering schedule, understand dependencies across hardware disciplines, and credibly discuss and push back on a task estimate with engineers.
• A technical degree is preferred but not required.
• Ability to work in an ITAR-controlled work environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• A degree in Engineering, or another technical field.
• PMP or CAPM certification.
• Experience with hardware development programs.
• Experience with launch vehicles, spacecraft, or propulsion systems.
• Exposure to aerospace regulatory or export-control processes (e.g. FAA licensing, ITAR/EAR, environmental permitting, etc.).
• Experience working in a startup or another fast-paced, resource-constrained environment.
• Able to obtain a security clearance.