Technical Program Manager
About the role
You will keep Wardstone’s engineering moving. You’ll own the program schedule, run the status meetings, track dependencies between teams, and escalate risks to the founders. You’ll work across mechanical, propulsion, aerodynamics, GNC, seeker, and avionics to take Hailstorm from design through ground test to flight. Engineering leads own technical decisions; you’ll ensure decisions are made on time with the right people involved and clear communication.
Responsibilities
- Own the schedule: Build and maintain the program schedule from design milestones through ground and flight tests; track critical path and dependencies; manage long-lead parts and procurement.
- Run the program rhythm: Lead weekly status meetings and engineering syncs; organize design reviews, test readiness reviews, and post-test reviews; provide regular status updates to founders and team.
- Manage risks and decisions: Maintain program risk register with engineering leads; track key decisions and interface agreements; escalate blockers early and help resolve conflicts over resources and priorities.
- Coordinate tests and contracts: Coordinate test campaigns with test ranges and facilities; track government contract milestones and deliverables; set up and maintain project tracking tools and processes.
Qualifications
- B.S. in an engineering or technical field, or equivalent experience.
- 5+ years of program or project management experience on hardware programs, preferably in aerospace or defense.
- Experience running schedules for complex, multi-team engineering programs through test.
- Enough technical depth to understand engineering tradeoffs and earn engineers’ trust.
- Clear, direct communication, in writing and in meetings.
- Experience with scheduling and project tracking tools (e.g., Jira, Linear, MS Project, or Smartsheet).
- Must be a U.S. person as defined by ITAR (U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or protected individual). Must be eligible to obtain a U.S. security clearance.
Skills
About Wardstone
Satellites for Missile Defense
Wardstone is a space defense-tech company developing next-generation capabilities to protect the United States and its allies from missiles and other space-based threats. We design, build, and deploy satellites equipped with space-based interceptors to kinetically counter hypersonic and ballistic missiles.
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