Technical Program Manager, Missile Defense

GITAI • Los Angeles, CA

5d • $125,000 - $165,000 • Onsite

About The Position

GITAI is a space robotics company focused on reducing the cost of work in space. They develop robotic systems for orbital, lunar, and defense applications, emphasizing integrated hardware, software, testing, and integration to accelerate development and reduce costs. This role supports GITAI’s Space-Based Interceptor program, coordinating program management and external dependencies to allow engineering teams to focus on their core tasks. The Technical Program Manager will report to the VP of Program Management and will be responsible for managing contractual, technical, regulatory, integration, and launch milestones. This is a hands-on individual contributor role, not a people management or product management position, and is akin to a Mission Manager role in aerospace, focused on removing non-engineering obstacles.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, science, or a related technical field.
• 5+ years of experience managing technically complex programs in aerospace, defense, or another regulated industry.
• Direct experience serving as the bridge between an internal technical organization and government agencies, regulatory authorities, public-sector customers, or other external oversight bodies.
• Experience serving as the primary point of contact for a technically complex program and coordinating stakeholders with different priorities, schedules, responsibilities, and levels of technical understanding.
• A proven record of managing programs with significant external dependencies, including customer decisions, government approvals, partner deliverables, contractual commitments, and technical milestones.
• Experience building and maintaining integrated schedules, action trackers, risk registers, and decision records, and using them to drive execution rather than document it after the fact.
• The ability to reduce technical, commercial, contractual, regulatory, or stakeholder issues to the core decision, define clear options and owners, and drive a practical resolution.
• Experience supporting the negotiation and execution of contracts, statements of work, service agreements, subcontracts, amendments, or other technically complex commercial arrangements.
• Strong technical judgment and the ability to work directly with engineers, understand system interfaces and program risks, and respect clear technical ownership.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience preparing concise decision materials and briefing senior government, regulatory, customer, or company stakeholders.
• A hands-on individual-contributor operating style. You will personally build schedules, run meetings, maintain trackers, prepare decision materials, support negotiations, and drive actions to closure. This is not a delegation-focused or people-management role.
• U.S. citizenship is required, as this role may require eligibility to obtain and maintain a U.S. government security clearance.
• Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the U.S. This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship.
• To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), GITAI Employees must be a U.S. citizen, lawful U.S. permanent resident (i.e., current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State and/or the U.S. Department of Commerce, as applicable.

Nice To Haves

• Experience supporting aerospace, launch, national security, missile defense, or another regulated government program.
• Experience assessing flight opportunities, rideshare missions, hosted payloads, payload compatibility, or mission architecture tradeoffs.
• Experience managing a spacecraft launch campaign, payload integration effort, launch-site operation, or another mission with a fixed operational deadline.
• Experience working with the U.S. Space Force, Missile Defense Agency, Space Systems Command, Space Development Agency, or another Department of Defense organization.
• Familiarity with launch service agreements, payload integration plans, interface control documents, mission assurance, range safety, or flight-readiness reviews.
• Familiarity with ITAR, EAR, FAA, FCC, NTIA, spectrum coordination, export controls, range requirements, or other government approval processes.
• Familiarity with FAR, DFARS, Other Transaction Agreements, government milestone structures, CUI, DD254 requirements, or classified programs.
• Experience with spaceborne sensors, electro-optical or infrared systems, missile warning, missile tracking, or missile defense systems.
• Experience working in an early-stage or high-growth technology company where program processes and operating systems were still being built.
• An active or previously held U.S. government security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Assess launch and rideshare opportunities with Engineering, Finance, Legal, and company leadership by evaluating orbit, schedule, payload constraints, technical compatibility, cost, contractual structure, regulatory requirements, and overall mission risk.
• Own the program coordination for each launch campaign from flight opportunity selection through payload delivery, integration, launch-site operations, launch readiness, and launch execution.
• Serve as the primary working-level point of contact among GITAI, U.S. government customers, launch service providers, other payload organizations sharing the launch, regulatory authorities, test facilities, subcontractors, and other mission partners.
• Build and maintain an integrated mission schedule that connects engineering milestones with contractual commitments, government approvals, partner deliverables, testing, payload integration, shipping, delivery, and launch activities.
• Coordinate mission interfaces, integration requirements, documentation, test readiness, safety reviews, logistics, site access, and partner deliverables, while leaving technical decisions with the responsible engineering leaders.
• Track regulatory, export-control, licensing, spectrum, range, security, and government approval items. Establish clear owners and deadlines, manage dependencies, and escalate delays before they affect the mission schedule.
• Run the operating cadence for assigned programs, including customer and partner meetings, action tracking, decision records, risk reviews, contract deliverables, and executive updates.
• Drive the resolution of issues that cross organizational boundaries, including unclear responsibilities, missed commitments, schedule conflicts, regulatory constraints, interface issues, and contract interpretation.
• Work with Legal, Finance, Supply Chain, Security, Engineering, and company leadership to support the negotiation and execution of launch service agreements, mission support agreements, statements of work, subcontracts, amendments, and other mission-related commitments.
• Prepare concise program updates and decision materials that clearly show current status, critical dependencies, available options, contractual or financial exposure, and decisions required.
• Build lightweight program-management systems that provide control over actions, risks, decisions, and external commitments without creating unnecessary process.
• Travel to customer sites, partner facilities, test locations, integration facilities, and launch sites as required.

Benefits

• 100% paid medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees, with 90% coverage for dependents, plus life insurance
• 401(k) plan with a company match
• Stock options in a rapidly growing startup, giving you a stake in our success
• Financial assistance for relocation is available for candidates residing outside the Los Angeles area
• 12 days of paid time off (PTO) and 12 company holidays annually
• Free snacks and drinks, plus regular social events to foster team spirit

What This Job Offers

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