Program Manager, Software

Swarm Aero•Oxnard, CA

8d•Hybrid

About The Position

Swarm Aero is hiring a Program Manager to own cost, schedule, scope, and risk for a software-centric defense program. The role is part of the Program Management Office and reports to the Director of PMO. The Program Manager works closely with engineering leads, product, and forward deployed engineers to connect customer commitments with software delivery and provide clear updates on what will ship and when. The position combines the rigor of hardware program management with the speed of a software team. It covers planning and delivery against contract milestones, integration with aircraft and partner or government systems, customer demonstrations and test events, budget and burn tracking, and software delivery and accreditation requirements where applicable. The Program Manager will also help build program practices suited to software teams without unnecessary bureaucracy. The role is hybrid and based in Oxnard, California, with occasional travel to customers, test events, and partner sites. Compensation is listed as a placeholder, “[Add posted base salary range],” plus equity and benefits. The role requires access to ITAR-controlled information and U.S. person status; candidates must also be able to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance.

Requirements

At least 6 years of program or technical program management experience, including at least 3 years owning software or software-intensive programs for DoD or other government customers.
Fluency in agile delivery methods such as Scrum, Kanban, SAFe, or similar, and experience mapping them to milestone-based defense contracts.
Technical depth sufficient to follow architecture discussions, challenge estimates, and identify integration risk early.
Experience delivering software that integrates with hardware, such as autonomy, C2, mission systems, or avionics.
Hands-on experience with schedule and backlog tools such as Jira, Smartsheet, MS Project, or similar, and with budget tracking.
Comfort leading customer reviews and owning contract deliverables.
Clear, direct communication skills, including the ability to brief engineers and program officers.
U.S. person status as defined by ITAR and ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance.

Nice To Haves

Software engineering background.
Program experience with UAS autonomy, collaborative autonomy, or C2 software.
Experience with DoD software acquisition pathways, OTAs, or SBIR contracts.
Exposure to DevSecOps, software factories, or ATO and RMF processes.
Background at a startup or fast-scaling defense technology company.
Active Secret clearance or higher.
PMP, PMI-ACP, SAFe, or DAWIA Program Management certification.

Responsibilities

Own the program plan and integrated schedule, tying sprint and release plans to contract milestones, demonstrations, and customer events.
Translate customer requirements into a prioritized, traceable backlog with engineering and product; manage scope changes against cost and schedule.
Run program cadence, including release planning, weekly program reviews, risk and issue boards, and monthly status reporting to leadership and customers.
Manage program budget and burn, including labor across multiple engineering teams, and identify variances early with a recovery plan.
Coordinate software integration with aircraft, partner hardware, and government systems, including test events, field exercises, and demonstrations.
Drive software delivery and accreditation work with the DevSecOps team, including deliverable packages, documentation, and cyber and ATO requirements where applicable.
Lead customer-facing milestone reviews and own contract deliverables, including CDRLs, status reports, and technical data.
Partner with the Director of PMO to build program practices appropriate for software teams without adding bureaucracy.