Autonomous Warfare Program Manager

Advanced Automation Corporation•Mountain View, CA

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) is a Department of War organization responsible for accelerating the adoption of commercial technology across the Department. As a principal gateway between the Department and leading technology companies, DIU identifies, prototypes, fields, and scales capabilities that address urgent operational needs for Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Guardians, and the broader joint force. Autonomous Warfare Program Managers are responsible for turning consequential warfighter problems into executable programs—and moving promising commercial technologies from initial discovery to operational use. This is not a traditional administrative program management role. Program Managers operate with substantial autonomy and are expected to demonstrate sound judgment, initiative, and ownership. They define and refine problems, build partnerships, shape acquisition strategies, assess technologies, manage vendors and commercial stakeholders, and drive capabilities through prototyping, transitioning, and fielding. There is no single profile for success. The strongest candidates bring meaningful experience across at least two of the following areas: ● Military operations ● Commercial technology ● DoD acquisition ● Technical program management ● Autonomy, robotics, artificial intelligence, or related fields Successful Program Managers combine intellectual curiosity, humility, urgency, and a willingness to take on whatever work is required to deliver results. They are technically credible, commercially aware, operationally grounded program builders. Although this is a generalist role, DIU is particularly interested in candidates with knowledge and experience in collaborative autonomy, unmanned systems, multi-agent systems, and human-machine teaming.

Requirements

Meaningful experience in at least two of these areas: military operations, commercial technology, DoD acquisition, technical program management, autonomy, robotics, or artificial intelligence.
Experience leading multidisciplinary technical programs with responsibility for outcomes, schedules, budgets, risks, and senior stakeholder expectations.
Demonstrated ability to operate effectively in ambiguous environments, make decisions with incomplete information, and maintain momentum without detailed direction.
Sufficient technical fluency to decompose unfamiliar problems, evaluate solution credibility and maturity, identify integration risks, and engage effectively with engineers and operators.
Strong end-user empathy developed through operational service, acquisition experience, product development, or firsthand experience delivering commercial technology to the Department.
Working knowledge of DoD acquisition and contracting pathways, including FAR-based contracts, Other Transactions, prize challenges, SBIR, or comparable rapid-acquisition mechanisms.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate between operational, technical, commercial, and acquisition communities.
U.S. citizenship and possession of, or eligibility to obtain, a Top Secret security clearance.
Willingness and ability to travel approximately 30 percent of the time.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with unmanned systems, collaborative autonomy, AI, robotics, and human-machine teaming.
Experience supporting conventional or Special Operations Forces via operations, requirements, or program management.
Experience selling or delivering commercial technology to the Department of Defense.
Proficiency with rapid-acquisition pathways (FAR, Other Transactions, SBIR, prize challenges).
Experience designing operational tests and transitioning prototypes into production or programs of record.
Capability to evaluate manufacturing readiness, supply-chain risk, scalability, and product-market fit.
Established relationships across the Services, program offices, industry, and investment communities.
Advanced degrees or certifications, paired with a drive to improve outcomes within traditional acquisition systems.

Responsibilities

Translate complex operational needs into clear problem statements, technical objectives, evaluation criteria, and executable acquisition strategies.
Identify and assess commercial technologies, companies, and emerging market capabilities relevant to priority Department needs.
Build and lead multidisciplinary programs involving military operators, engineers, acquisition professionals, contracting personnel, test organizations, commercial vendors, and senior leaders.
Manage program outcomes, schedules, budgets, risks, dependencies, and stakeholder expectations from initial problem definition through transition.
Develop competitive solicitation, prototyping, experimentation, and contracting strategies using the most appropriate acquisition pathways.
Design operational assessments that generate credible evidence, meaningful end-user feedback, and clear transition decisions.
Work directly with vendors to resolve technical, contractual, operational, and organizational barriers.
Develop transition strategies that move successful prototypes into production, sustained operational use, or an established program of record.
Communicate program status, risks, decisions, and recommendations clearly to senior government, military, and industry stakeholders.
Build enduring partnerships across the Services, combatant commands, program offices, operational units, commercial industry, and the broader defense innovation ecosystem.