Mission Manager

Hermeus•Jacksonville, FL

11h•Onsite

About The Position

Hermeus is a venture-backed defense aviation company focused on rapid iterative prototyping to build the fastest aircraft. They aim to deliver high-speed systems at the pace of modern warfare and provide critical capabilities to the U.S. and its allies. The company is seeking a proactive and detail-oriented Mission Manager to support the expansion of their next-generation airbreathing propulsion test facility, HEAT, in Jacksonville, FL. This role will collaborate with the Chief Engineer and cross-functional teams to ensure program milestones and deliverables are met on time, within budget, and aligned with technical, operational, and stakeholder requirements. The Mission Manager will act as the primary customer interface and contract deliverable owner, managing daily contract execution, milestones, deliverables, and customer communications. This is a key role requiring both strategic planning and tactical execution in a demanding technical environment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field.
5–10 years of experience managing complex technical programs or infrastructure projects, preferably in aerospace, defense, or R&D environments.
Demonstrated experience in direct execution of deliverables under contract to a government customer.
Strong understanding of project management best practices (e.g., execution, risk analysis, scheduling, budget planning).
Familiarity with propulsion test infrastructure, ground test facilities, or aerospace systems integration.
Experience managing external suppliers and contractors in high-complexity technical environments.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills; adept at briefing senior leadership and managing multi-stakeholder dynamics.
Proficiency in project management tools (e.g., MS Project, Jira, Confluence).
Must be a U.S. Citizen and able to obtain and maintain a US Security Clearance (TS preferred).

Nice To Haves

Master’s or PhD preferred.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary point of contact for the government customer, supporting regular status briefings, milestone reviews, and deliverable coordination.
Ensure all program deliverables, including documentation, engineering artifacts, schedules, and contract-required reports, are developed, reviewed, approved, and submitted on time.
Align with government expectations, technical direction, and contractual requirements, translating them into actionable program activities.
Ensure high-quality execution and compliance with all delivery commitments.
Assist with the development of the program schedule, milestones, and work breakdown structures (WBS) in collaboration with engineering leads and contractors.
Track progress against cost, schedule, and performance baselines, providing regular updates to senior leadership and government stakeholders.
Support the selection, onboarding, and oversight of suppliers and contractors, ensuring timely delivery of key work packages according to specifications.
Assist with subcontracts, statements of work (SOWs), deliverables, and performance milestones.
Facilitate meetings, action tracking, and issue resolution across engineering, logistics, safety, security, and operations functions.
Ensure alignment between technical activities (led by the Chief Engineer) and broader program objectives, contract deliverables, and customer expectations.
Maintain and update the project risk register; proactively identify, assess, and mitigate schedule, funding, or integration risks.
Manage scope changes and assess their impact on schedule, cost, resources, and contract execution and deliverables.
Assist in budget planning and monitoring; track obligations, expenditures, and funding profiles in coordination with finance teams.
Assist with coordinating resource needs and staffing plans to ensure adequate coverage across project phases and timely contract execution.