Program Operations & Integration Team Lead

Astranis•San Francisco, CA

About The Position

As the Team Lead of Program Integration & Operations, you will help build and run the execution backbone of our program management organization. You will lead a small, high-impact team responsible for program integration, configuration discipline, and planning clarity as we scale spacecraft design, manufacturing and ground operations. This role combines direct execution with team leadership. You will personally lead high-impact initiatives while building the capabilities and standards of the team.We operate in a hybrid environment: commercial spacecraft development that demands speed and iteration, alongside US Government programs that require higher levels of rigor, traceability, and commitment discipline. This role ensures we apply the appropriate level of structure to each — maintaining agility where possible and enforcing rigor where necessary. As we scale spacecraft production and operations, execution precision and speed become a competitive advantage. This role will shape how we translate engineering designs into reliable delivery — ensuring our roadmap, resources, and commitments remain aligned as complexity grows, across both commercial and US Government programs.You will have meaningful ownership within Engineering and the opportunity to build durable, high-leverage operating mechanisms that directly improve delivery outcomes.

Requirements

8–12+ years of experience in aerospace, defense, space, automotive, or other complex hardware environments
Engineering background (systems, mechanical, electrical, aerospace, or similar)
Deep experience building and managing integrated master schedules in technically complex programs
Demonstrated ability to introduce structure in fast-paced, high-performance environments without creating unnecessary overhead
Experience supporting commercial and/or US Government programs
Strong understanding of configuration management and lifecycle integration
Experience leading small, high-performing teams
Proven ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders without direct authority
Comfortable operating in ambiguity and bringing clarity to complex, cross-functional challenges
Strong communication skills, with the ability to articulate tradeoffs, risk, and execution strategy clearly
U.S. Citizenship, Lawful Permanent Residency, or Refugee/Asylee Status Required (To comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the United States, or other protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3))

Nice To Haves

Experience scaling hardware production organizations
Experience working closely with senior leadership in execution-heavy environments
Familiarity with Smartsheet, Jira, Confluence, ERP, MES, or PLM systems
Experience integrating cost account management with program schedules
Data analytics or Python experience

Responsibilities

Program Planning
Define and implement low-, medium-, and high-confidence scheduling frameworks and clearly establish when each is appropriate
Improve schedule reliability without increasing unnecessary overhead
Ensure commitments reflect technical, supply chain, and production realities
Drive integrated master schedule maturity across all spacecraft and ground programs
Establish simple, high-signal metrics that improve predictability and risk visibility
Commercial Speed & USG Rigor Balance
Right-size planning and baseline standards across commercial and US Government programs
Ensure auditability and traceability where contractually required
Maintain agility in fast-moving development efforts while strengthening discipline for externally committed programs
Partner with Finance and Sales to align schedule realism with cost and contractual obligations
Roadmap & Portfolio Integration
Integrate technology roadmap, production ramp plans, and mission timelines into executable schedules
Ensure roadmap shifts are systematically reflected in program baselines
Enable scenario planning and cross-program trade studies
Translate long-term strategy into clear near-term execution plans
Team Leadership & Capability Building
Lead and develop a small team across configuration management and program operations
Personally drive critical cross-functional initiatives alongside the team
Establish clear execution standards and accountability
Serve as an integration point across Engineering, Production, Supply Chain, and Finance
Operational Scaling
Identify bottlenecks and sources of rework across programs and implement targeted, practical solutions
Strengthen integration between configuration, cost, and schedule systems
Introduce structure only where it reduces execution risk or improves delivery speed
Support the transition from development-focused programs to higher-rate production