Senior Technical Program Manager

Company Overview

Near Earth Autonomy is creating a future where autonomous flight is commonplace and safe.  Our technology enables aircraft ranging in scale from sub-meter to full scale to autonomously inspect, map, survey, and transport. We are serious about system design, development, real-world testing, and delivering to customers working, useful systems. 

Job Responsibilities and Duties

The Senior Technical Project Manager position falls within Near Earth Autonomy’s Program Management Office (PMO). The PMO is responsible for ensuring the successful completion of projects and meeting project goals on time and on budget. PMO operations align with the standard project management life cycle, which consists of five phases: initiating, planning, executing, monitoring/controlling, and closing. 

This Senior Technical Project Manager position is responsible for managing multiple projects involving engineering development, maturation, and implementation of autonomous technologies for unmanned aerial vehicle applications. Working with project technical leads, the Project Manager defines activities, schedules, and budgets, overseeing coordination to successfully complete projects and fulfill company agendas. Business development via cultivation of project sponsor/stakeholder relationships is also expected. 

Summary of responsibilities includes:

• Work with technical leads to facilitate the creation of project plans, including budgets, schedules, work breakdowns, and tasks necessary to achieve threshold/goal objectives.
• Assist in defining and monitoring dependencies, requirements, and resource allocations.
• Coordinate activities with other managers and engineering personnel to ensure successful completion of tasks.
• Assist with configuration management, information management, test data support, documentation management, integrated logistics support, and quality assurance activities across project lifecycles.
• Identify issues within and between projects, including resource and priority conflicts.
• Track and communicate expenditures, schedule status, resourcing, technical progress, and the path forward toward the fulfillment of milestones and deliverables.
• Document and convey progress/status to internal stakeholders and external customers via quad charts, monthly reports, and presentations.
• Interface with senior management, technical leads, and engineering personnel in support of various company initiatives.

Areas for growth include:

• Management of a portfolio of projects as a program in fulfillment of company and customer agendas.
• Identifying improvements to the PMO including processes, procedures, policies, and plans for more effective and efficient operations.
• Development of comprehensive project plans, including technical scope, cost estimates, and schedule projections, to support strategic planning, product roadmapping, business development, and proposal activities.
• Assist product managers in identifying capabilities and features and developing projects fulfilling strategic roadmaps. 
• Supervising assigned staff.

Qualifications and Skills

• Bachelor's degree or higher, preferably in an engineering-related field.
• Minimum of 3-5 years of experience in aerospace, robotics, or commercial software enterprises.  
• Strong written and oral communication skills and ability to balance multiple projects and priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Prior experience contributing to R&D and/or technology maturation efforts in DoD environments is preferred.
• Prior involvement within the DoD acquisition lifecycle, particularly related to a Program of Record, or experience managing commercial productization and/or software certification, is preferred.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification or equivalent is a plus.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office software applications, including Microsoft Project, is a plus.
• Experience using Google Suite preferred. 
• Familiarity with Systems Engineering principles is a plus.
• Due to the nature of Near Earth's funding, this position is restricted to US citizens.

Benefits

• Stock options
• 401(k) plan
• Health, dental, and vision benefits
• Life insurance; long-term and short-term disability benefits