Technical Program Manager / RF Systems

Quartermaster AI Inc

• $110K — $130K *
Aerospace & Defense
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Physics, or related field, or equivalent RF/hardware experience.
  • 5+ years in technical program management or systems engineering for RF, wireless, or embedded products.
  • Experience delivering in ambiguous environments, creating structure and ownership proactively.
  • Proven ability to manage complex, multi-phase programs with hardware/software integration.
  • Technical fluency in RF, digital hardware, and embedded software.
  • Strong cross-functional networking skills to influence without direct authority.
  • Exceptional communication skills for translating technical details to executive audiences.

Responsibilities

  • Build strategic roadmap and execution plan for RF sensing capability with lead engineers.
  • Lead multiple RF product lines from prototype to production, managing integrated schedules and risks.
  • Manage relationships with contract manufacturers and suppliers for builds, quotes, and procurement.
  • Coordinate blended teams of employees and contractors, defining scope and tracking deliverables.
  • Participate in technical discussions to identify risks and make informed decisions for leadership.
  • Define roles and manage hiring processes to build and grow the engineering team.
  • Establish connections with customers and other teams to ensure alignment on commitments.
  • Drive production readiness through testing, compliance, and field support planning.

Benefits

  • Hybrid work environment with regular office time in Arlington, VA.
  • Flexible working hours to accommodate project deadlines.
  • Opportunities for local travel to lab facilities and contract manufacturers.
Full Job Description
Job Description

Quartermaster is seeking a detail-oriented and proactive Technical Program Manager (TPM) to drive execution across complex, multi-disciplinary RF engineering programs. In this role, you will coordinate efforts across hardware, software, manufacturing, and operations teams to ensure the ruggedized RF sensing systems that will define Quartermaster's future capabilities are delivered on time, on spec, and ready for deployment.

You'll serve as the connective tissue between technical contributors, strategic milestones, and customers while tracking progress, identifying risks and requirements, and enabling decision-making at all levels. You'll contribute technical judgment in engineering discussions, own relationships with contract manufacturers and key suppliers, and connect engineering with customers, growth, operations, and other engineering teams. The role has a direct line to leadership and broad ownership of how the RF capability grows.

Key Responsibilities:
  • Build the strategic roadmap and execution plan for the RF sensing capability with the lead engineers, turning customer needs and leadership goals into programs, milestones, and resourcing decisions.
  • Lead multiple RF product lines from prototype through production ramp and fielding, including integrated schedules, critical path, and risk across hardware, embedded systems, and software tracks.
  • Manage contract manufacturers, design partners, and component suppliers: builds, quotes, first articles, test and acceptance, long-lead and single-source procurement, and scaling capacity to volume.
  • Coordinate a blended team of employees and contractors, defining scope and statements of work, track deliverables, and hold partners accountable.
  • Participate in technical design and test discussions with enough technical depth to spot risks, challenge assumptions, and turn trade-offs into decisions for leadership.
  • Build and grow the team: define roles, write job descriptions, run hiring loops, and onboard new engineers and partners.
  • Build connections with customers, growth, operations, finance, and other engineering teams, making sure commitments to customers match what engineering can deliver.
  • Drive production readiness: manufacturing test, calibration and provisioning throughput, compliance and certification planning, and field support.
Qualifications (Preferred):
  • Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Physics, or a closely related field, or equivalent hands-on RF/hardware engineering experience.
  • 5+ years in technical program management, systems engineering, or hardware engineering on RF, wireless, or embedded hardware products.
  • A record of delivering in ambiguous, low-requirement environments, creating the plan, structure, and ownership rather than waiting for them.
  • Proven track record managing complex, multi-phase programs with hardware/software integration.
  • Technical fluency across RF, digital hardware, and embedded software
  • A strong cross-functional network builder who gets results through influence across teams they don't manage.
  • Exceptional communication and organizational skills, with the ability to translate between technical and executive audiences.
  • Proven track record managing complex, multi-phase programs with hardware/software integration.
  • Strong familiarity with agile, hybrid, and milestone-driven development methodologies
  • Exceptional communication and organizational skills, with the ability to translate between technical and executive audiences.
  • Experience with tools like Jira, Confluence, Gantt software, or other collaboration platforms
  • Ability to obtain a U.S. security clearance.
  • Bonus: background in maritime, aerospace, defense, or field-deployed sensing systems.
Work Environment:
  • Hybrid, with regular time at our Arlington, VA office and occasional local travel to lab facilities in Maryland.
  • Periodic travel to contract manufacturers, partners, and customers.
  • Flexible working hours with occasional deadlines requiring high availability.

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