Technical Project Manager, Software

Space Kinetic•El Segundo, CA

4d•$130,000 - $165,000•Onsite

About The Position

Space Kinetic is a dual-use space technology startup building a completely new architecture for space operations—one that brings the advantages of proliferated drone technology to space missions while reducing the ecosystem’s reliance on consumable fuel. In a world where many companies are focused on incrementally improving the status quo, we are focused on creating something entirely different—an architecture underpinned by new first principles to meet the opportunities and challenges of the third space age head-on. Our goal is to move away from one-to-one space architectures, where each satellite has one or a small number of primary payloads attached to the bus, and unlock a one-to-many system in which each satellite carries numerous payloads that can be deployed from their host spacecraft at high velocities without firing a thruster. This is not a role for someone looking for a traditional 40-hour work week. Space Kinetic is building ambitious, first-of-its-kind technology, and that requires urgency, ownership, and a high level of commitment to changing the foundational assumptions for everything we do in space.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field—or equivalent practical experience.
2+ years of experience as a software engineer or in a comparable technical role.
3+ years of experience managing or coordinating software development projects.
Demonstrated experience with project planning, scheduling, cost management, scope management, milestone tracking, and risk mitigation.
Strong technical understanding of software development methodologies, tools, systems, and infrastructure.
Experience tracking project scope, cost drivers, technical dependencies, procurement needs, schedules, and critical-path activities.
Ability to identify and manage technical dependencies, budget risks, schedule risks, procurement needs, execution constraints, and critical-path activities.
Ability to communicate complex technical information, project risks, and tradeoffs clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Experience leading cross-functional planning, scheduling, and risk-management efforts across multiple teams.
Results-oriented approach with an emphasis on clarity, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Ability to succeed in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with evolving priorities.
Strong written and verbal communication

Nice To Haves

Experience in aerospace, robotics, logistics, or other domains with real-time high-reliability software development requirements.
Experience reviewing technical documentation, architecture proposals, or requirements specifications.
Comfort with Jira and other productivity tools for managing backlogs, tracking deliverables, monitoring dependencies, and reporting project status.
Experience managing software and hardware vendors, including technical requirements, vendor evaluation, procurement coordination, and delivery schedules.
Tool Management experience in MS Suite and Project.
Experience working in aerospace, aviation, defense, or another highly regulated industry.

Responsibilities

Keep teams aligned, remove roadblocks, and drive the delivery of mission-critical software capabilities that power our next-generation space systems.
Bring the structure, technical coordination, and process discipline needed to scale our development efforts while enabling software, hardware, systems, and test teams to make fast, high-quality decisions in a complex, interdisciplinary environment.