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Sr. Program Manager

Company:
Pacific Defense
Location:
El Segundo, CA, 90245
Posted:
May 16, 2025
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Description:

Due to the classified nature of our work, U.S. citizenship is required. Candidate must meet the eligibility to obtain and maintain a DoD Top Secret / SCI Security Clearance.

Location: El Segundo, CA; Sunnyvale, CA

About Us

Pacific Defense is a leading developer of advanced electronics systems for the U.S. Department of Defense and commercial customers. Our team specializes in Open Systems Architecture solutions for the non-kinetic fight, providing cost-effective, modular, and rapidly reconfigurable systems to customers in record time. We deliver sensing and effects solutions for land, air, sea, and space domains, leveraging open standards and rapid prototyping methodologies to bring innovative capabilities to the market. Pacific Defense has built an excellent reputation in the defense industry and is expanding our team to tackle new challenges and opportunities. Join us and accelerate your career!

Pacific Defense is seeking a Sr. Program Manager with experience managing advanced R&D, development, and production programs for Military and Government customers. The Sr. Program Manager will be responsible for program execution (Cost, Schedule, Technical). The Sr. Program Manager will work closely with Pacific Defense leadership to ensure tactical execution aligns with the business strategic goals and objectives.

This requires someone comfortable working with minimal oversight in a cutting edge, fast paced, multi-discipline R&D engineering/prototyping/production environment with the ability to successfully transition designs to production. The position manages programs and their underlying projects involving Comms/Digital/Embedded HW&SW designs, PCB manufacturing, board assembly and test, mechanics, software, FPGA, DSP, and systems engineering and test.

This person will lead aggressive schedules, assess schedule & technical risks, deliver programs on time, guide engineering teams’ priorities, manage cost, and interface with program Military and Government customers. This is a unique position in which the selected candidate will be given the opportunity to be hands-on with day-to-day activities, while playing a key strategic role in business execution as well as directly shaping strategy!

Requirements

Significant experience throughout the program lifecycle from development through sustainment to include: proposal development, requirements decomposition, generation of system and subsystem statements of work and subcontracts, risk management, and continuous improvement efforts including implementation for cost reduction and performance improvement efforts

Experience with multiple contracting vehicles – CP, FFP, FPI, T&M

Ability to develop, manage, adapt detailed and execute program management plans – Schedule, Cost, Staffing, Opportunity / Risk management, Development, I&T and Production

Ability to hold teams accountable and ensure on time deliveries to both internal and external customers

Experience taking a program thru the Requirements, Development, I&T, Verification and transition to Production

Experience leading and managing technical teams

Experience taking a design thru Environmental Qualifications and ensuring the product

Ability to work with both internal and external customers. Develop relationships and use to support execution and growth.

Demonstrated success in working well in a team and collaborative and distributed environment

Ability to collaborate with ability to work in a fast pace dynamic environment

Knowledge of embedded systems – Hardware and Software

Knowledge of Defense relevant communications systems

Demonstrated success in managing manpower planning, project reviews, scheduling and budget control

Prior program experience managing complex systems (Communications/Signals Intelligence/RF/C5ISR or similar programs with both software and hardware content)

Demonstrated experience transitioning a design to production

Ability to work closely with Engineering, Operations and Manufacturing to manage deliveries

Experience with MOSA Open systems

Existing or Ability to obtain a clearance (Secret)

Preferred Experience

Minimum of five (5) years of experience as a program manager with a successful track record of managing cost, schedule, technical execution

Responsibilities

Provide leadership to the program team engineers. Assure communication and cooperation among team members and resolves areas of conflict.

Serve as the primary interface with the customer on all matters involving contract execution

Coordinate with Management on issues pertaining to contract requirements, changes, and interpretations

Develop and implement plans and schedules to execute contracts/subcontracts. Allocate and control contract budgets for labor, material, travel, and purchased services. Report program status and forecasts to senior management and customers as applicable.

Identify, manage risks and opportunities throughout the program life cycle

Develop and implement corrective action plans when deviations from budgets and/or schedules are evident

In conjunction with Contracts department:

Assure that conduct of contract requirements is executed in accordance with appropriate regulations and Company policies and procedures (i.e.: federal acquisition regulations)

Assure a timely closeout of completed programs to ensure that all obligations are satisfied and program documentation is properly recorded

Responsible for meeting the following program objectives: technical performance, cost and schedule, risk management, AOP and Profit and Loss (P&L)

Coordinate efforts to support mission and cross business strategy and objectives

Lead proposals and development of RFPs and RFIs

Work closely with Engineering teams to work solutions and drive issues to closure

Project related travel, primarily within the United States, will be required on occasion to support project activities

Education

Engineering degree required, BSEE or BSCS or BSME

Master of Engineering (preferred)

Program Management Certification (preferred)

Benefits

Pacific Defense provides competitive salaries and immediately vested 401K match. We provide 100% coverage options for the employee, and 75% coverage for dependents’ medical, dental, vision, and life insurance premiums, as well as a flexible spending account for incidental health care expenses. We offer paid time off and federal holidays to spend time with family, pursue outside interests, or just get some extra rest.

Pacific Defense is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected factor.

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