Senior Technical Program Manager
About The Position
The Senior Technical Program Manager leads complex, cross-functional technical programs for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) products throughout the hardware development lifecycle, from early concept and architecture through validation, production ramp, and lifecycle sustainment. The role owns execution across technical scope, schedules, resources, risks, dependencies, and cross-functional deliverables, keeping engineering and operational teams aligned with program objectives. The manager partners with Engineering, Product, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality, and Operations to set priorities, resolve cross-functional issues, make technical tradeoffs, and deliver against cost, schedule, quality, and performance commitments. The role also helps evolve the organization's program execution framework, coaches cross-functional teams in program practices, and improves hardware development and delivery processes. The position is based at Flightwave in Torrance, California. It requires a post-offer background check and involves access to ITAR/EAR-controlled hardware, software, technology, or technical data; candidates subject to these restrictions must provide proof of U.S. citizenship or permanent residence and must not require sponsorship for export-restricted work authorization.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Aerospace, Electrical, or Systems Engineering, or a related technical field.
- At least 7 years of experience leading complex engineering or technical programs as a Technical Program Manager, IPT Lead, Systems Engineering Lead, or in an equivalent cross-functional leadership role.
- Experience with active risk and opportunity management while balancing parallel paths and tradeoffs involving schedule, cost, and performance.
- Excellent communication skills, technical fluency, and program-tracking instincts.
- Proven ability to lead and influence without direct management authority.
- Strong attention to detail and experience coordinating across engineering, product, and operations teams.
- Experience with project scheduling tools, including Gantt tools; Smartsheet is preferred.
- Familiarity with modern project management or Kanban applications such as Jira, Trello, Linear, or Notion.
- Ability to sit and work at a computer for extended periods and stand for extended periods during first builds and production-floor activities.
- Ability to occasionally lift and/or move items up to 25 pounds.
- Ability to use hands and fingers to handle, assemble, or inspect components and hardware.
- Ability to communicate effectively with team members in office and production environments.
- Close vision, color vision, and ability to adjust focus when working with technical drawings, schematics, and small components.
- For work subject to ITAR/EAR restrictions, proof of U.S. citizenship or permanent residence is required, and candidates must not require sponsorship for export-restricted work authorization.
- Must successfully complete a post-offer background check.
Nice To Haves
- Experience with vision systems, autonomous or unmanned systems, aerospace platforms, or other regulated or high-reliability products.
- Familiarity with PCBA, propulsion, avionics, and other flight-critical hardware and their impact on project scoping and planning.
- Experience leading failure-mode or root-cause investigations, especially involving complex electromechanical systems.
- Experience in environments with both agile software and gated hardware development cycles.
- Experience leading highly technical programs involving infrastructure, complex systems, or systems engineering.
- Deep understanding of aerospace or defense hardware development lifecycles from cradle to grave.
Responsibilities
- Lead new product programs across the full lifecycle, from concept and architecture through design, validation, and production ramp.
- Work with the Product team to review Product Requirements Documents (PRDs) and Development Build Plans and align technical and business teams.
- Build and drive detailed engineering program plans, including schedules, resource allocations, and risk mitigation strategies.
- Develop detailed Gantt charts and use agile practices and tools, such as Scrum and Kanban, to plan and drive execution.
- Facilitate cross-functional peer reviews and lead design reviews (PDR/CDR/MRR) across mechanical, electrical, firmware, software, and manufacturing teams.
- Identify and manage interdependencies among engineering disciplines, Supply Chain, and external partners.
- Serve as the primary point of contact for program status, tradeoffs, and decisions; escalate risks and unblock teams as needed.
- Manage the product lifecycle across requirements, architecture, implementation, integration, verification, and release.
- Maintain program-level visibility across concurrent workstreams and actively manage critical-path activities, dependencies, risks, and decisions to deliver commitments.
- Facilitate technical trade studies and decision-making when performance, cost, schedule, or requirements conflict.
- Drive DFMEA activities with engineering and technical individual contributors, incorporating manufacturing feedback into iterative product development.
- Promote the PDP process and advance R&D and waterfall hardware development processes and delivery methods to achieve program goals.
- Coach cross-functional teams on effective program practices and contribute to continuous improvement of program execution and hardware delivery processes.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Benefits
- Annual equity package
- Potential bonuses
- Company benefits
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
