Sr. Program Manager - Hybrid Power & Aircraft

Odys • Long Beach, CA

6d • $150,000 - $200,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

Odys Aviation is seeking a senior Program Manager to own execution across active power generation and aircraft development programs. The portfolio includes internally funded R&D and customer-funded engagements for aircraft hybrid propulsion, nuclear power conversion, expeditionary power systems, data centers, and other industrial power users.

The role manages multiple concurrent programs, including Department of Defense efforts, from award through delivery. The Program Manager owns cost, schedule, and scope; aligns engineering, supply chain, and test teams to committed dates; and serves as the primary point of contact for customers, primes, and government sponsors. This is a hands-on position close to hardware, with additional support for capture and proposal activities and for developing the quality and program processes needed to scale.

Requirements

• B.S. in Engineering, or equivalent technical background paired with program management depth.
• At least 7 years managing hardware development programs in aerospace, defense, energy, or industrial hardware.
• Demonstrated ownership of multiple concurrent programs, including at least one taken from award through delivery.
• Direct experience managing DoD-funded programs (SBIR/STTR, OTA, prime subcontract, or similar) and their deliverable, reporting, and compliance requirements.
• Working familiarity with hybrid or electrified power system development, including engines or turbines, generators, power electronics, energy storage, thermal management, and integration and test.
• Experience managing hardware supply chain risk, including long-lead items, custom fabrication, and supplier recovery.
• Technical fluency sufficient to work effectively with engineers, customers, and primes.
• Fluency with scheduling and program tracking tools such as MS Project, Smartsheet, Jira, or equivalent.
• Clear written and verbal communication, with sound judgment about what leadership and customers need to hear and when.
• Bias toward action, comfort with ambiguity, and a track record in fast-paced, iterative hardware environments.

Nice To Haves

• Prior hands-on engineering experience in a hardware role.
• Experience with aircraft or UAS development programs, including certification or airworthiness pathways.
• Experience with expeditionary or tactical power for defense customers.
• Active or recently held security clearance.
• Experience standing up or maturing a quality management system at a growing company.
• Experience negotiating and administering FAR/DFARS-based contracts and subcontracts.
• PMP or equivalent formal program management training.
• Familiarity with PLM and ERP/MRP systems.

Responsibilities

• Own cost, schedule, scope, and risk across concurrent internal R&D and customer-funded programs.
• Build and maintain integrated master schedules connecting engineering milestones with long-lead procurement, build, and test windows.
• Serve as the primary interface to customers, primes, and government sponsors; lead program reviews, provide status and technical reporting, and negotiate scope and schedule changes.
• Manage Department of War program execution end to end, including contract deliverables (CDRLs), milestone and payment events, period-of-performance tracking, and coordination with contracting officers and technical points of contact.
• Translate statements of work into work breakdown structures, staffing plans, and budgets, and track actuals against them.
• Partner with supply chain on long-lead procurement, supplier selection and follow-up, bill-of-materials readiness, and recovery plans when parts slip.
• Drive cross-functional execution across propulsion, aircraft, power electronics, manufacturing, and test teams; surface blockers early and hold owners to dates.
• Maintain risk and opportunity registers with actionable mitigations, and escalate issues with recommendations.
• Help implement and mature quality and program processes, including configuration management, document control, change control, gate reviews, and corrective action.
• Manage government-program compliance obligations, including export control, data rights, property, and reporting requirements.
• Communicate program health clearly and honestly to leadership, supported by underlying data.
• Support capture and proposal activity as the program pipeline grows.

What This Job Offers

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