Space Optics Hardware Project Manager for End-to-End Delivery

Randstad New Zealand; Lower Hutt; On-site; NZD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Randstad New Zealand is seeking a pragmatic Project Manager for a global leader in space and defense optics. You will shape the delivery workflow, build project controls from scratch, and drive schedules from raw materials through to final release in a hands-on role.

You will collaborate with scientists, technicians, engineers, and business leaders to ensure alignment with budget and scope, with occasional travel to Australia and on-site deployments as required.

Qualifications

• 4–8 years in project engineering, project controls, or project management.
• Strong experience in hardware, physical engineering, manufacturing, or R&D environments (not pure software). Engineers wanting to pivot into project management are encouraged to apply.
• Proficient in project planning tools, expense tracking and structured process design.
• Adaptable, highly organized, resilient, and motivated by establishing structure in a dynamic technical environment.

Responsibilities

• Build work breakdown structures, schedules, and baselines using project planning software.
• Connect high-level project schedules into daily DevOps task priorities while maintaining meticulous documentation.
• Track technical expenditures, maintain cost baselines, and close financial feedback loops across active contracts.
• Coordinate complex optics projects from raw material/unmolded states through stage-gate polishing and final release.
• Partner closely with scientists, technicians, engineers, and business leaders to align technical progress with budget and scope.
• Occasional, focused travel—including onboarding visits with senior project managers in Australia and potential trips to site installations.

Skills

Project management

Hardware engineering

Manufacturing

DevOps

Scheduling

Education

Secondary School/High School

Job description

Randstad New Zealand is seeking a pragmatic Project Manager for a global leader in space and defense optics. You will shape the delivery workflow, build project controls from scratch, and drive schedules from raw materials through to final release in a hands-on role.

You will collaborate with scientists, technicians, engineers, and business leaders to ensure alignment with budget and scope, with occasional travel to Australia and on-site deployments as required.