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Technical Program Manager, Spacecraft Development

Rockville, MD or Hawthorne, CA

Quantum Space is redefining mobility and maneuverability in space. Our high-mobility spacecraft platforms support national security, civil, and commercial missions with unmatched flexibility and propulsion capability. We build fast and iterate quickly.

Who We're Looking For

We are seeking a Senior Technical Program Manager, Spacecraft Development who combines deep aerospace technical expertise with exceptional program execution leadership. This role is ideal for a systems engineer, spacecraft integration lead, or mission architect who has grown into full technical, cost, and schedule ownership of complex spacecraft or payload programs.  As a Senior Technical Program Manager, you will lead mission execution from early concept development through launch and on-orbit operations while serving as a key technical interface with customers and internal stakeholders.

Where You'll Make an Impact

  • Own full technical, cost, and schedule accountability for spacecraft, payload, and subsystem development programs
  • Define, mature, and negotiate mission concepts, including:
    • Payload integration studies
    • Mission analysis
    • System architecture trades
    • Concept of operations development
  • Lead cross-functional execution across:
    • Systems engineering
    • Vehicle engineering
    • Avionics
    • Software
    • Propulsion
    • Thermal
    • AI&T
    • Manufacturing and supply chain
  • Develop and maintain:
    • Integrated master schedules (IMS)
    • Program plans and milestones
    • Technical documentation and interface requirements
    • Spacecraft capability and mission architecture documentation
  • Serve as the primary customer-facing technical and programmatic lead during:
    • Early mission formulation
    • Technical interchange meetings (TIMs/TEMs)
    • SRR, PDR, CDR, and milestone reviews
    • Proposal and capture activities
  • Lead technical negotiations and ensure customer requirements align with Quantum Space capabilities
  • Identify program risks, dependencies, and resource constraints and drive mitigation plans to closure
  • Support mission-level engineering activities including:
    • Requirements development
    • Payload-to-bus compatibility
    • Architecture studies
    • Mission assurance planning
  • Contribute to proposal development, business capture, and growth of the company’s mission portfolio
  • Bring execution discipline and mission assurance rigor to a fast-paced, rapidly evolving commercial space environment

What It Takes

  • Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Physics, or a related technical discipline
  • 10+ years of experience leading spacecraft, satellite, or aerospace development programs
  • Direct experience designing, integrating, testing, or operating spacecraft or space systems
  • Strong technical background in:
    • Systems engineering
    • Spacecraft integration & test (I&T)
    • Mission architecture
    • Payload integration
  • Experience leading hardware-intensive aerospace programs through formal milestone reviews
  • Strong understanding of:
    • Spacecraft subsystems
    • Space system architectures
    • Mission modeling and simulation
    • Program execution under cost and schedule constraints
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Ability to engage credibly with customers, executives, and engineering teams
  • Ability to travel up to 25%

Nice-To-Have Experience

  • Master’s degree or higher in Engineering or related discipline
  • 15+ years of aerospace or space industry experience
  • Experience supporting National Security Space programs or government customers
  • Experience with:
    • Satellite constellation analysis and simulation
    • Electro-optical, RF, infrared, communications, or PNT payloads
    • Mission assurance and export control requirements (ITAR)
    • Rapid development or prototype-to-production environments
    • Proposal development and government capture activities
  • Familiarity with national security ground systems, networking, tasking, planning, and mission operations architectures
  • Active U.S. Top Secret or TS/SCI clearance, or eligibility to obtain one

What You’ll Get

  • Ownership – Leadership ownership of high-visibility national security and commercial space missions
  • Exposure – Opportunity to help shape the future of Quantum Space as we scale from prototype to production
  • Growth – Build trusted partnerships across leadership, engineering, and business teams. Opportunities for training and development. 
  • Compensation – Competitive salary, equity, and comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, vision, generous leave, HSA, 401(k) matching, and equity sharing

Location: Rockville, MD or Hawthorne, CA 

Base Salary: 

The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors. Actual salary offer may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are included in the majority of full time offers; and are considered part of Quantum Space's total compensation package.

Additional Requirements

To comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, applicants must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, protected individual under 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

 

Apply now and help build the next generation of spacecraft.

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