ASSISTANT PROGRAM MANAGER-R&D - PROGRAM MANAGER-R&D - B-52 Programs - Oklahoma City, OK

Southwest Research Institute; Oklahoma City (OK); On-site; USD 120,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

Southwest Research Institute in Oklahoma City seeks a seasoned Program Manager to lead a complex B-52 aerospace program, overseeing cost, schedule, scope, risks, and stakeholder engagement. The role interfaces with Government customers, program offices, and leadership to ensure on-time, within-budget delivery.

You will drive schedule performance, manage earned value, plan customer meetings, and shape follow-on work through ROMs and proposals, while coordinating cross-functional teams for

Qualifications

• Requires a Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or related engineering degree field.
• 8+ years: Progressive program or project management experience on complex aerospace/defense programs with leadership responsibility.
• 8 years: Direct B-52 program experience with knowledge of government program offices and stakeholder community.
• 8 years: Managing cost, schedule, scope, risk, staffing, milestones, and multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• 5+ years: Supporting capture and business development activities including ROMs, proposals, pricing, and negotiations.
• A valid/clear driver’s license is required.

Responsibilities

• Own day-to-day program execution, including cost, schedule, scope, risks, staffing, deliverables, customer actions, subcontractor coordination, and internal reporting.
• Develop and maintain detailed Microsoft Project schedules, milestones, dependencies, critical paths, resource plans, and recovery actions.
• Use schedule performance to actively drive program execution.
• Manage program earned value, budgets, forecasts, ETC/EAC, variances, and performance metrics.
• Communicate program health clearly to technical leadership and Government customers.
• Plan and lead customer meetings, technical reviews, milestone reviews, program updates, and executive briefings.
• Communicate complex technical, schedule, cost, and risk information clearly to diverse audiences.
• Support Department growth by identifying customer needs, developing ROMs and proposals, shaping follow-on scope, presenting solutions, and building strategic relationships.

Skills

Program management

Earned value management

Leadership

Customer engagement

Cost/schedule/risk management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical/Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Microsoft Project

Job description

16-01553

Who We Are:

The Strategic Aerospace Department within the Defense & Intelligence Solutions Division delivers cutting-edge engineering services to enhance the warfighter’s capabilities across bomber, tanker, and heavy aircraft platforms. We specialize in world-class research, design, and support, providing innovative solutions to modern challenges and legacy systems for the U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command, Department of Defense, allied nations, and the U.S. Government, ensuring mission readiness and technological superiority.

Objectives of this Role:

• Lead execution of a complex B-52 aerospace program, providing disciplined program management, technical coordination, customer engagement, and leadership from contract award through successful delivery and closeout.
• Build and maintain trusted relationships with B-52 Government customers, program office leadership, operators, and stakeholders while serving as a primary interface for program execution, decisions, risks, and priorities.
• Use the managed program as a platform for growth by identifying, shaping, and developing follow-on opportunities that expand scope, create new work, and support Department marketing and business development objectives.
• Lead capture activities including ROMs, proposals, technical and cost inputs, customer briefings, negotiations, and presentations.
• Help convert emerging customer needs into funded efforts from initial concept through award.
• Apply rigorous earned value, schedule, risk, cost, scope, and performance management to drive multidisciplinary engineering teams toward successful milestone completion and Government acceptance.

Daily and Monthly Responsibilities:

• Own day-to-day program execution, including cost, schedule, scope, risks, staffing, deliverables, customer actions, subcontractor coordination, and internal reporting across a multidisciplinary engineering team.
• Develop and maintain detailed Microsoft Project schedules, integrated milestones, dependencies, critical paths, resource plans, and recovery actions.
• Use schedule performance to actively drive program execution.
• Manage program earned value, budgets, forecasts, ETC/EAC, variances, work authorization, performance metrics, and corrective actions.
• Communicate program health clearly to technical leadership and Government customers.
• Plan and lead customer meetings, technical reviews, milestone reviews, program updates, and executive briefings.
• Communicate complex technical, schedule, cost, and risk information clearly to diverse audiences.
• Support Department growth by identifying customer needs, developing ROMs and proposals, shaping follow-on scope, presenting solutions, and building strategic relationships that lead to new awards and expanded business.

Requirements:

• Requires a Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or related engineering degree field. Other degree disciplines may be considered with sufficient, directly relevant B-52 engineering project/program management experience.
• 8+ years: Progressive program or project management experience on complex aerospace, defense, avionics, integration, development, sustainment, or modernization programs with demonstrated responsibility for delivery.
• 8 years: Direct B-52 program experience with demonstrated knowledge of the platform, Government program offices, customer organizations, acquisition environment, leadership interfaces, and stakeholder community.
• 8 years: Managing cost, schedule, scope, risk, staffing, technical milestones, Government deliverables, and multidisciplinary engineering teams on aerospace or defense programs. Applying earned value management, program financial controls, forecasting, ETC/EAC analysis, variance analysis
• 5+ years: Supporting capture and business development activities including ROM development, proposal writing, pricing coordination, customer presentations, opportunity shaping, negotiations, and transition from pursuit to award.
• A valid/clear driver's license is required.

Special Requirements:

Work assignment is in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Applicant selected will be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information. Applicant must be a U.S. citizen.

Military Friendly: Your military experience may apply to this position

An Equal Employment Opportunity Employer: race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, and veteran status.