Principal Cross-cutting Program Manager

The MITRE Corporation • McLean, VA

2d • Hybrid

About The Position

Why choose between doing meaningful work and having a fulfilling life? At MITRE, you can have both. That's because MITRE people are committed to tackling our nation's toughest challenges—and we're committed to the long-term well-being of our employees. MITRE is different from most technology companies. We are a not-for-profit corporation chartered to work for the public interest, with no commercial conflicts to influence what we do. The R&D centers we operate for the government create lasting impact in fields as diverse as cybersecurity, healthcare, aviation, defense, and enterprise transformation. We're making a difference every day—working for a safer, healthier, and more secure nation and world. Our workplace reflects our values. We offer competitive benefits, exceptional professional development opportunities for career growth, and a culture of innovation that embraces adaptability, collaboration, technical excellence, and people in partnership. If this sounds like the choice you want to make, then choose MITRE - and make a difference with us.
Department Summary:
As part of MITRE Labs, the Electronic Systems Innovation Center (L150), and the Emerging Technologies Innovation Center (L270), work together with MITRE Public Sector Commerce Division (P830) to deliver impact across advanced technology and national economic missions. L150 provides deep technical expertise in antennas and electromagnetics, communications systems, sensors and sensor systems, PNT, optics/photonics, microelectronics, electronic warfare, and signal processing, supported by rich laboratory and prototyping capabilities in areas such as spectrum, radar, and communications engineering. L270 focuses on emerging technologies—including quantum information science, nanotechnology, biotechnology and synthetic biology, advanced energy and grid systems, computational imaging, and autonomous systems. P830 partners with the U.S. Department of Commerce and its bureaus (including NIST, NOAA, NTIA, Census, ITA, MBDA, BIS, and others) to provide enterprise engineering, technical program management, and economic and policy analysis across portfolios such as climate and weather, spectrum management and 5G, AI and data governance, space commerce, fisheries, supply chains, and decennial census and economic statistics.
The MITRE team is looking for a cross-cutting principal program manager to work at the intersection of the MITRE Labs technical work program and the MPS sponsor base to deliver direct technical work programs and assist in identifying new challenging opportunities to apply MITRE technical capabilities to our sponsors’ needs. This role will require the ability to work across the MITRE bringing MITRE expertise to a growing sponsor portfolio.

Requirements

• Typically requires a minimum of 10 years of related experience with a B.S degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Math, Physical Science, or related field; or 8 years and a Master’s degree; or a PhD with 5 years’ experience; or equivalent combination of related education and work experience.
• Demonstrated technical depth in the field oceans, fisheries, weather, and earth systems.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and build collaboration across organizational units and leverage existing work to benefit other Sponsor needs.
• Strong record of stakeholder engagement and relationship management with senior government sponsors, including facilitating decision-making and consensus across diverse perspectives.
• Experience structuring and managing projects or programs from concept through execution, including scope definition, risk management, and tracking outcomes.
• Ability to communicate highly conceptual or complex ideas.
• Critical thinking skills and proactive approach to research and problem-solving.
• This position requires a minimum of 50% hybrid on-site.

Nice To Haves

• Direct experience supporting missions in the Department of Commerce, NOAA, Department of State, and/or Department of the Interior, particularly in oceans, trade, or economic security portfolios.
• Direct experience supporting cross agency missions and inter-agency working groups, bringing together a wide variety of government sponsors for a common goal.
• Demonstrated success in business development or work shaping for federal sponsors, including opportunity identification, capture, and proposal development.
• Proven ability to lead and mentor multidisciplinary teams (policy, engineering, analytics, and operations) in delivering high-impact outcomes for government sponsors.
• Experience representing organizations in external forums (e.g., interagency working groups, industry roundtables, or public events) to advance mission priorities and strategic partnerships.
• Active Top Secret clearance with the ability to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI clearance.

Responsibilities

• Lead and contribute to active technical work products that help sponsors drive toward desired outcomes while meeting MITRE quality expectations.
• Coordinate with MITRE sector/division/Labs leadership to develop and maintain trusted senior-level relationships with sponsor leadership, serving as a strategic advisor on oceans, climate, and environmental security challenges and related enterprise/mission strategies.
• Shape, plan, and execute complex, multi-year projects, from concept development through delivery. Including scope definition, resource planning, risk management, and performance tracking.
• Support work shaping efforts with new sponsors by identifying high-impact initiatives and Administration priorities, and coordinating with MITRE sector/division/Labs leadership on investment and growth decisions.
• Convene and lead cross-disciplinary MITRE teams (engineering, analytics, policy, operations) to translate sponsor problems into actionable work plans, integrated technical solutions, and clear outcomes.
• Work with MITRE sector/division/Labs leadership to coordinate a multi-sponsor program portfolio across the Department of Commerce (including NOAA), Department of State, and Department of the Interior, ensuring alignment with sponsor missions and CGEM/MITRE Labs strategy.
• Represent MITRE in external events (workshops, roundtables, conferences) to elevate sponsor priorities, share insights, and position MITRE as a thought leader in oceans and atmosphere–related domains.
• Facilitate integration across projects to avoid duplication and demonstrate mission impact to sponsors and MITRE leadership.
• Mentor and develop staff within the portfolio, fostering collaboration, inclusive teaming, and a pipeline of emerging technical leads and project leaders aligned to MITRE’s long-term strategy.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level