Your Mission

GITAI moves fast through vertical integration. We keep core technical ownership in-house, build directly with our engineering teams, and use external suppliers only where they help us move faster without giving up control of the mission. Your mission is to make procurement a force multiplier for that model. This is not a role for someone who simply buys off-the-shelf solutions or hands problems to vendors. You will help GITAI secure the parts, materials, services, manufacturing capacity, and supplier commitments needed to accelerate internal development, prototyping, testing, and delivery. The VP of Program Management will own upstream program context, supplier direction, and major program priorities. Engineers will own technical direction and design decisions. You will own the concrete procurement and commercial execution layer: supplier engagement, RFQs, T&Cs, purchase orders, delivery follow-up, commercial risk, and supplier commitments. This role supports U.S. government defense programs, including space defense work. It requires strong judgment, practical negotiation skill, and the ability to operate from the position of a fast-moving startup without the leverage of a large prime contractor.

What You'll Drive

• Own procurement execution for assigned space defense programs, including RFQs, purchase orders, supplier follow-up, delivery tracking, and commercial issue resolution.
• Turn engineering and program needs into executable supplier actions, while keeping technical ownership, schedule control, and mission risk inside GITAI.
• Negotiate supplier terms that protect GITAI, including payment terms, delivery terms, cancellation terms, IP-related terms, warranty, liability, inspection, acceptance, and other commercial risks.
• Review supplier quotes, T&Cs, order documents, and commercial proposals to identify risks before they become program problems.
• Work with engineering and program leadership to understand technical context, urgency, supplier tradeoffs, and what must be protected in each transaction.
• Push suppliers to move quickly while keeping them engaged. Know when to press, when to trade, when to compromise, and when to escalate.
• Support procurement activity in export-controlled and government program environments, including ITAR/EAR awareness, controlled technical information, and supplier access risks.
• Support defense program execution by tracking flow-down requirements, deliverables, acceptance terms, compliance risks, and supplier commitments.
• Maintain clear visibility into open POs, supplier commitments, delivery risk, lead times, commercial blockers, and next actions.
• Help build procurement practices that are strong enough for defense work but light enough for a vertically integrated startup that needs speed.

What We're Looking For

• A degree in engineering, supply chain management, manufacturing, operations management, or a closely related field is required.
• Experience in procurement, supplier management, contracts, supply chain, or commercial execution in a hardware, aerospace, defense, robotics, or deep tech environment.
• Experience working at an early-stage startup, ideally Series B or earlier, where teams were small, processes were incomplete, and supplier negotiation required judgment, persistence, and creativity rather than large-company leverage.
• Experience supporting U.S. government, defense, aerospace, or Space Force-related programs.
• Working knowledge of ITAR, EAR, export-controlled environments, controlled technical data, supplier access risks, and foreign person restrictions.
• Experience negotiating supplier-facing terms, including T&Cs, PO terms, payment terms, delivery terms, cancellation terms, and commercial risk allocation.
• Ability to work with engineers, understand technical program context, and translate program needs into supplier actions without becoming a bottleneck or a pass-through messenger.
• Good judgment on when supplier support accelerates vertical integration and when it creates dependency, loss of control, compliance risk, or downstream program risk.
• Clear and direct communication with suppliers and internal teams. You should be able to state the issue, the risk, the tradeoff, and the next action.
• Comfort with ambiguity, changing requirements, short timelines, incomplete process, and high program urgency.
• U.S. citizenship is required. Candidates must be able to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance if required for the program.
• Strong plus: experience with FAR, DFARS, government contract flow-downs, SBIR, OTA, prime/subcontractor relationships, defense suppliers, prototype procurement, NPI procurement, CNC, PCBA, harnesses, machined parts, test hardware, or specialized engineering services.

Hiring Process

Our hiring process is designed to evaluate whether there is a real working fit before making a full-time offer.

The process will generally include:

1. Remote interview with the Head of HR
2. Take-home assignment
3. Onsite interviews at GITAI's office in Torrance, CA
4. Two-week onsite temporary employment period
5. Full-time hiring decision

The two-week temporary employment period is a required part of the process. During this period, you will work onsite with the team as a paid temporary employee so both sides can evaluate fit in a real working environment. Full-time employment is not guaranteed before the temporary employment period. A full-time offer may be made only after GITAI completes its evaluation during this period.

Please apply only if you are able to participate in the full hiring process, including the two-week onsite temporary employment period. If you are unable to leave your current role, take time away from your current employment, or otherwise make yourself available for this required onsite temporary employment period, this position will not be a fit.

Location & Employment Details

• Location: Torrance, CA (onsite). This is a full-time onsite role based at GITAI's office in Torrance, CA. This position requires working onsite five days per week. Remote or hybrid work is not expected for this role. Occasional travel to supplier sites may be required as needed to support supplier engagement, negotiations, delivery follow-up, inspections, or other program needs.
• Employment Type: Full-time, Exempt
• Compensation: Base salary for this role is expected to range from $110,000 to $145,000 per year. Final title, compensation, and equity will depend on the candidate's experience with technical procurement, supplier negotiation, defense programs, export-controlled environments, and ability to build a strong procurement function for engineering-driven hardware programs.
• Typical Work Hours: Monday to Friday, approximately 9:00am - 6:00pm (onsite). Flexibility is expected based on mission schedules and program needs.

Benefits

• Health Insurance - Platinum medical plan with 100% company-paid medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees; 90% for dependents
• 401(k) Plan - Company match up to 3.5%, with traditional and Roth options
• Equity - Stock option eligibility depending on role
• Relocation Support - Available for qualifying positions
• Time Off - 12 paid holidays per year, 12 days of paid vacation per year, and paid sick leave (in accordance with applicable law)
• Office Perks - Free snacks and drinks, plus regular team events

No agency submissions, please.

Compensation may include base salary or hourly pay and, depending on the position, equity. Actual compensation will be determined based on experience, skillset, and other job-related factors.

LA salary range

$110,000-$145,000 USD