Staff Technical Program Manager

IonQ•Louisville, CO

13d•$152,000 - $190,000

About The Position

IonQ is seeking a Staff Technical Program Manager to lead planning and execution of complex technical projects advancing current and next-generation spacecraft. The role leads cross-functional engineering teams and manages program scope, schedule, budget, and risk to ensure alignment with technical requirements and business priorities. The manager partners with engineering leads and stakeholders to turn objectives into actionable plans, resolve dependencies, and drive delivery, using strong technical judgment and independent ownership. The position also contributes to improving program management practices and sharing knowledge with other program managers and team members, supporting accountability and collaboration. It requires experience delivering hardware development programs in the aerospace domain.

Requirements

8+ years of relevant experience in technical program management, engineering program execution, or a related field.
Bachelor’s degree in engineering, systems, or a related technical discipline.
Experience leading complex spacecraft, subsystem, or aerospace hardware development programs across lifecycle phases such as design, qualification, production, and delivery.
Ability to manage multiple related projects aligned with business and technical priorities, driving clarity, accountability, and measurable progress.
Experience managing program budgets, including labor forecasting, materials procurement, and subcontractor coordination.
Ability to translate complex technical requirements into actionable work plans and manage dependencies across engineering disciplines, suppliers, and supporting functions.
Ability to independently drive execution, adapt, and escalate issues requiring broader decisions.
Ability to assess resource constraints and recommend prioritization and tradeoffs based on program objectives, schedule, and business impact.
Strong problem-solving and data-driven decision-making skills, including identifying critical-path activities, risks, and opportunities to improve execution.
Ability to influence cross-functional teams without direct authority, support team accountability, and share program management practices.
Familiarity with Waterfall, Agile, and Scrum project management frameworks and the ability to apply approaches suited to program needs.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including communicating program status, risks, and decisions to technical teams, leadership, and stakeholders.
Proficiency with project management tools and collaboration platforms such as MS Project, Smartsheet, Jira, and Confluence.
Ability to manage technical development and/or R&D scope, including schedules, budgets, risks, and deliverables.
Active Top Secret security clearance is required.
U.S. citizenship is required for this position because eligibility for a Top Secret clearance is limited to U.S. citizens.
The position requires access to information subject to U.S. export control regulations (ITAR/EAR).

Responsibilities

Lead planning and execution of complex technical projects advancing current and next-generation spacecraft.
Lead cross-functional engineering teams and manage program scope, schedule, budget, and risk.
Partner with engineering leads and stakeholders to translate program objectives into actionable plans, resolve dependencies, and drive delivery.
Manage program budgets, including labor forecasting, materials procurement, and subcontractor coordination.
Translate technical requirements into work plans and manage dependencies across engineering disciplines, suppliers, and supporting functions.
Assess resource constraints and recommend prioritization and tradeoffs based on program objectives, schedule, and business impact.
Identify critical-path activities, risks, and opportunities to improve execution, using data-driven decision-making.
Influence cross-functional teams, support team accountability, and share effective program management practices.
Communicate program status, risks, and decisions to technical teams, leadership, and other stakeholders.
Contribute to improving program management practices and sharing knowledge with program managers and team members.