Payload Planning Manager (PPM) Team Lead

Teledyne Technologies Incorporated•Huntsville, AL

About The Position

Teledyne Brown Engineering is seeking a Payload Planning Manager (PPM) Team Lead to join its management team in Huntsville, Alabama. The role combines technical leadership with direct personnel and operational management. The Team Lead manages a senior planning team of 10–15 employees supporting International Space Station (ISS) payload operations for NASA and international partners, overseeing planning integration across mission phases while maintaining an active PPM certification. The role leads daily team operations and personnel administration, including workload allocation, recruitment, onboarding, performance reviews, timecards, travel requests, succession planning, mentoring, and cross-training. It also provides technical direction and supports workforce development. The Team Lead directs planning integration for ISS payload activities, including Weekly Lookahead Plans, Short Term Plans, and visiting vehicle operations. The role maintains active PPM certification, supports nominal Short Term Plan operational rotations, and manages concurrent Increment Lead and Visiting Vehicle planning assignments for SpaceX Dragon, Northrop Grumman Cygnus, and Commercial Crew missions. It also analyzes processes and resources in response to changing budgets and operational demands. The position represents NASA payload planning in agency and international partner control boards, provides operational assessments and mission briefings, serves as the primary PPM interface to NASA customer management, and delivers technical summaries, weekly status reports, and operational metrics. The Team Lead participates in management forums, contributes to long-range planning strategy, and reports operational status to executive leadership. Teledyne states that employees must comply with applicable laws, regulations, rules, and regulatory orders and conduct business with high ethical standards. Teledyne is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Requirements

At least 3 years of direct experience supporting Payload Operations Integration (POI).
An active Flight Controller or Mission Support certification.
Deep technical understanding of POI internal discipline interfaces, Payload Developers, and International Partners.
Demonstrated ability to lead, manage, mentor, and align a multidisciplinary team.
Strong interpersonal communication, presentation, and conflict-resolution skills.
Assertive decision-making and a forward-thinking, strategic mindset.
Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail.
Proven ability to assign and meet critical deadlines under dynamic operational constraints.

Nice To Haves

A bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Management Information Systems, or a related technical discipline is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Manage daily tasking, workload allocations, and cross-team integration for a 10–15 member payload planning team.
Approve timecards and travel requests, conduct annual performance reviews, and interface with Human Resources.
Oversee recruitment, interviewing, onboarding, and certification.
Lead succession planning, mentoring, and cross-training to support workforce continuity and preserve technical expertise.
Provide technical direction, delegate tasking, and foster professional development across the team.
Maintain active PPM certification and support nominal Short Term Plan operational rotations.
Direct planning integration for ISS payload activities across Weekly Lookahead Plans, Short Term Plans, and visiting vehicle operations.
Manage concurrent Increment Lead and Visiting Vehicle planning assignments supporting SpaceX Dragon, Northrop Grumman Cygnus, and Commercial Crew missions.
Analyze organizational processes to streamline planning operations and optimize resources amid changing budget constraints and operational demands.
Represent NASA payload planning in agency and international partner control boards, providing operational assessments and mission briefings.
Serve as the primary PPM interface to NASA customer management and deliver technical summaries, weekly status reports, and operational metrics.
Participate in management forums to guide long-range planning strategy and report operational status to executive leadership.
Comply with applicable laws, regulations, rules, and regulatory orders and uphold the company’s ethical standards.