Senior Program Manager - Ranger SpacecraftThis role is for a senior technologist-turned-program-manager: someone with deep roots in systems engineering, spacecraft I&T, or instrument development who has grown into full technical, cost, and schedule ownership of a space mission. You've led programs through early architectures and trades, major development reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, etc.), and flight. You know how to lead cross-functional teams of 30 to 200+ people, engage credibly in technical reviews, and make hard trade-offs under real constraints.
Where You'll Make an Impact - Own full technical, cost, and schedule accountability for spacecraft and subsystem development
- Lead cross-functional delivery across engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, integration, and test from early development through launch and commissioning
- Develop and maintain integrated program plans, IMS, milestones, and delivery commitments to internal stakeholders and external customers
- Identify program risks, dependencies, and resource constraints - and drive mitigation to closure, not just documentation
- Own customer engagements, milestone reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, etc.), and internal program reporting
- Bring execution discipline and mission assurance rigor to a fast-paced, rapidly evolving commercial environment
- Contribute to proposal development and business capture as the company scales its program portfolio
What It Takes - Bachelor's degree or higher in engineering, physics, or a closely related technical discipline
- 7+ years of project or program management experience on satellite or spacecraft missions, including at least one that reached launch or on-orbit operations
- Technical depth in systems engineering, I&T, or instrument development - enough to engage meaningfully with your engineering team
- Proven ability to lead cross-functional, hardware-intensive programs through formal government or commercial milestone reviews
- Strong experience managing schedules, budgets, and execution trade-offs under real cost and schedule constraints
- Ability to operate effectively in a mission-driven, high-accountability environment where outcomes are visible to the customer from day one
Nice-to-Have Experience - Experience in rapid development, prototype-to-production, or non-traditional acquisition environments
- Proposal development experience - writing or managing competitive responses to government AOs or RFPs
- Familiarity with mission assurance standards, ITAR/export control requirements, and national security mission contexts
- Active U.S. Top Secret or TS/SCI clearance, or clear eligibility to obtain one
What You'll Get - Leadership - Own execution for a high-visibility national security mission with direct customer accountability
- Impact - Deliver systems that directly support critical space and defense objectives from a company that ships
- Growth - Opportunities to scale programs, build teams, and shape how Quantum Space operates as we move from prototype to production
- Compensation - Competitive base salary, meaningful equity, and top-tier benefits including medical, dental, vision, generous leave, HSA, 401(k) matching, and equity sharing
Location: Rockville, MD or Hawthorne CA
Base Salary: $180,000 to $225,000
Additional Requirements
To comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including ITAR, applicants must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, protected individual per 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.
