Technical Program Manager - Interceptor Program
Job Description
Job Description
Technical Program Manager - Drive a multi-discipline interceptor program from design to flight
El Segundo, California | On-site
Opportunity Summary
This role keeps engineering moving. You will own the program schedule, run the operating rhythm, track cross-team dependencies, and make sure risks reach leadership early enough to act. You will report to the founders.
You will work across mechanical, propulsion, aerodynamics, GNC, seeker, and avionics to take the first interceptor from design through ground test and flight. Engineering leads own the technical decisions. You will make sure those decisions happen on time, with the right people involved, and that the outcomes are clearly recorded.
About Us
We are a seed-stage, venture-backed defense technology company building affordable, modular interceptors for air and missile defense, with surface-launched and space-based platforms in development. The team has already demonstrated autonomous intercepts and is moving quickly from prototype hardware into flight testing from our South Bay facility. We are a small group of engineers and operators who design, build, and test in-house, with a clear path toward scaled production for government customers.
Job Duties
- Build and maintain the integrated program schedule from design milestones through ground and flight test
- Track the critical path and cross-team dependencies, and lay out impacts and options when something slips
- Track long-lead parts and procurement with engineering so hardware arrives on time
- Run weekly status meetings and engineering syncs with clear agendas, decisions, and action items
- Organize design reviews, test readiness reviews, and post-test reviews
- Deliver concise, regular status updates to the founders and the team
- Maintain the program risk register with engineering leads and follow through on mitigations
- Keep a log of key decisions and interface agreements between teams
- Escalate blockers early and help resolve resource and priority conflicts
- Coordinate test campaigns with ranges and facilities, covering scheduling, logistics, and readiness checklists
- Track government contract milestones and deliverables, and support reports and customer reviews
- Stand up and maintain lightweight project tracking tools and processes
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in engineering or a technical field, or equivalent experience
- 5+ years of program or project management on hardware programs, ideally aerospace or defense
- Experience running schedules for complex, multi-team engineering programs through test
- Technical depth to understand engineering tradeoffs and earn the trust of engineers
- Clear, direct written and verbal communication
- Experience with scheduling and tracking tools such as Jira, Linear, MS Project, or Smartsheet
- U.S. Person status required (ITAR) and ability to obtain a U.S. security clearance
Preferred Experience
- Missile, rocket, or flight vehicle program experience
- Familiarity with DoD contract vehicles such as SBIR and OTA and their deliverables
- Flight test or range operations coordination
- Hands-on engineering experience before moving into program management
- PMP or similar certification
- Prior early-stage startup experience
Why Join Us
- Own the program cadence for a flight vehicle headed to test
- Direct partnership with the founders and every engineering lead
- Build program management practices from scratch
- Visibility into government contracting and customer engagement
- Early equity in a seed-stage company with a rapidly growing team
- Mission with direct national security impact
Compensation Details
$140,000 - $175,000 + equity