Program Manager, Software

Swarm Aero•Oxnard, CA

10d•$175,000 - $200,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Swarm Aero is hiring a Program Manager to lead a software-centric defense program as the company develops swarming UAVs and Command & Control software. The role owns program cost, schedule, scope, and risk, connecting software delivery plans to customer commitments, contract milestones, hardware integration, and demonstrations. The Program Manager works with engineering leads, product, and forward deployed engineers, and reports to the Director of PMO. The position includes coordinating software integration with aircraft, partner hardware, and government systems; managing customer requirements and contract deliverables; and supporting software delivery and accreditation work with the DevSecOps team. The Program Manager will also partner with the Director of PMO to develop program practices suited to software teams. The role is hybrid and based in Oxnard, California, with occasional travel to customers, test events, and partner sites. It requires U.S. person status under ITAR and the ability 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, or SAFe, 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, or MS Project, 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, connecting sprint and release plans to contract milestones, demos, and customer events.
Translate customer requirements into a prioritized, traceable backlog with engineering and product, and manage scope changes against cost and schedule.
Run the program cadence, including release planning, weekly program reviews, risk and issue boards, and monthly status updates to leadership and customers.
Manage program budget and burn, including labor across multiple engineering teams, and flag 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 applicable cyber and ATO requirements.
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 that fit software team workflows without adding bureaucracy.