Project Manager II

Element U.S. Space & Defense stands at the forefront of testing innovation, serving as a trusted partner to NASA, the U.S. Department of Defense, government agencies, and prominent industry leaders across the space and defense sectors. With over 60 years of experience, we specialize in handling the most complex projects and programs in the world—from centrifuge testing for the latest Mars rover to vibration testing for the Space Launch System (SLS) and environmental simulations for next-generation missiles. We are the pioneering partner for highly custom, end-to-end testing design and implementation.

About the role

Manages a book of active customer projects, including short-term transactional work, mid-term testing projects, and long-term complex projects. Ensures projects are completed on-time, within budget, and within scope, with a focus on compressing the project life cycle and delivering to customer expectations while minimizing costs. Provides engagement tailored to project type and customer needs to ensure a positive customer experience.

Responsibilities

• Manages, plans, and controls individual projects through their entire life cycle from initiation to completion, moving projects as quickly as possible while keeping costs at or below quoted amounts.
• Takes complete ownership of projects within the assigned book of business, focusing on delivering value to both the company and customers.
• Ensures project-related tasks are completed, including outsourced, in-house, and supplier-based tasks.
• Engages and communicates immediately with stakeholders (e.g., customers, Department Managers, General Managers) regarding any impacts on project success.
• Holds stakeholders (e.g., Department Managers, technicians) accountable for delivering their portion of the project.
• Plans to meet project goals within constraints and ensures scheduling aligns with customer needs.
• Coordinates the flow of work through the facility with customers and Department Managers.
• Implements corrective actions for distressed projects and consistently applies project management best practices.
• Establishes collaborative relationships with operations teams to ensure mutual success.
• Monitors budgets weekly and attempts to compress schedules to maximize facility utilization, including leveraging the full network of facilities.
• Identifies and mitigates potential budget overruns before they occur.
• Manages projects to prevent downbooks and follows best practices for active project management.
• Builds productive internal and external working relationships.
• Proactively manages planned and unplanned subcontracted work (e.g., in-house jobs and non-NTS subcontractors), including negotiating pricing, setting expectations, and monitoring progress.
• Manages budgets to ensure accuracy of Percent of Completion (POC) and processes all material receipts weekly.
• Balances budgets for all Fixed Price-POC (FP-POC) and Fixed Price-Time & Materials (FP-T&M) projects.
• Manages all forms of Change of Scope (COS) and identifies opportunities to upsell services (e.g., expedited services, unique test services, test procedures).
• Engages with customers more as project complexity increases.

Requirements

• Self-supervision of projects, even with high project volume, and implementation of corrective actions.
• Strong knowledge of the facility’s core business (e.g., Environmental testing, Dynamics testing, EMC testing).
• Strong organizational and time management skills to manage multiple projects.
• Strong sales skills for contract management.
• Strong working knowledge of financial controls, including quoting, pricing, and negotiation.
• Advanced skills in prescribed internal tools for scheduling, ERP, and MS Office.
• Project management experience required.
• 3–6 years of testing or technical customer service experience.
• AA Degree; BA/BS preferred or equivalent industry experience.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance.
• Short- and Long-Term Disability and Life Insurance.
• Flexible Spending Accounts.
• Seven (7) paid holidays and four (4) paid floating holidays, depending on hire date.
• Paid Time Off (PTO), accrued biweekly.
• 401k with employer match.
• Twelve (12) hours of Paid Volunteer Time Off (PVTO) each year.
• Tuition reimbursement and other employee programs.
• Flexible schedules offered at some labs.
• Monthly Lab Bonus plans (based on position).

Pay

Compensation is determined through a comprehensive approach considering candidate qualifications, role responsibilities, market benchmarks, and organizational needs. For this position, the annual base salary target range is $88,000 - $104,000, with potential eligibility for bonuses or commission depending on the role. Pay may vary by location.