Program Manager - Lead First-Generation Satellite Programs from Kickoff to Flight

El Segundo, CA | On-site

Opportunity Summary

We are an early-stage space company building advanced electric propulsion and the spacecraft that will fly it. We are hiring a Program Manager to own our first-generation satellite programs, from contract award through hardware delivery. You will keep engineering, customers, and partners aligned, turn technical plans into schedules people trust, and help win the next round of government and commercial work.

This is a builder's seat on a small team, where your planning decides how quickly hardware gets to orbit.

About Us

We are a seed-stage, venture-backed aerospace company in the Los Angeles area developing plasma propulsion that lets satellites stay in lower orbits for longer and maneuver far more freely than they can today. Our work is funded by venture investors and multiple Department of Defense and federal research contracts, and we are moving from lab prototypes toward our first flight hardware for national security and commercial customers.

Job Duties

• Own scope, schedule, and budget for early satellite and propulsion programs from kickoff through delivery
• Build and maintain integrated schedules, risk registers, and resource plans
• Serve as the primary point of contact for government customers and partners on milestones and deliverables
• Run program reviews and keep leadership informed of progress, risks, and decisions needed
• Partner with engineering on requirements, interfaces, verification planning, and other systems engineering tasks
• Write and coordinate technical and management volumes for SBIR/STTR and other government proposals
• Track contract deliverables, reports, and billing milestones, and raise issues early
• Coordinate suppliers, outside test facilities, and partners to keep hardware campaigns moving
• Build simple tools and dashboards in Python or similar to track program health

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, physics, or a related technical field
• 3+ years of experience managing complex engineering programs, ideally in aerospace, satellite, or defense hardware
• Working knowledge of systems engineering and the hardware development lifecycle
• Hands-on experience with scheduling and program management tools such as MS Project or Smartsheet
• Experience writing technical proposals or supporting business development and customer relationships
• Clear, concise written and verbal communication with technical and government audiences
• U.S. citizen with the ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Secret clearance

Preferred Experience

• Familiarity with satellite subsystems, orbital mechanics, or spacecraft manufacturing
• Experience with DoD, Space Force, or Air Force Research Laboratory contracts and acquisition
• Prior execution of SBIR Phase I or Phase II programs
• Basic Python or data analysis skills
• Experience at an early-stage hardware startup
• PMP or similar certification

Why Join Us

• Own programs end to end and set how the company runs programs as it grows
• Work directly with the founders and a small team of propulsion and spacecraft engineers
• Help put a new propulsion capability into orbit for national security and commercial missions
• Meaningful early-stage equity
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage, a 401(k), and unlimited paid time off

Compensation Details

$120,000 - $165,000 + equity