Assistant Program Manager Test & Evaluation (Journey) | PMA-259

AVIAN; Patuxent Highland (MD); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee Ownership

Real Growth

Purpose-Driven Work

Culture of Collaboration

Comprehensive Benefits Package

Flexible Leave Benefits

Job summary

AVIAN is seeking an Assistant Program Manager Test and Evaluation/Lead Test Engineer for the PMA-259/Air-to-Air program. The role combines program management support with hands-on T&E leadership in a dynamic, employee-owned company serving Navy and DoD customers.

Qualifications include a technical bachelor’s degree, 3+ years experience (master’s may substitute for 2 years), and a Top Secret DoD clearance with U.S. citizenship. Salary range is $120,000–$180,000 with competitive benefits.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in a technical field; 3+ years of experience; Master’s may substitute for 2 years of work experience; U.S. citizenship required; Top Secret DoD clearance required.

Responsibilities

• Support Program Management or project management services in planning and scheduling.
• Identify depth of testing required for active phase of projects.
• Travel and work with geographically diverse test teams.
• Communicate with test teams.
• Support Operational Test Readiness Review and external agency interactions.
• Participate in acquisition/test and evaluation functions as necessary.
• Write Test and Evaluation Management Plans and Master Test & Evaluation Strategy.
• Provide T&E technical advice.
• Lead Test Plan Working Groups as needed (WIPT/TPWG).
• Participate in program reviews and system verifications.

Skills

APMT&E experience

Lead Test Engineer

Education

Bachelor's Degree in a technical field

Job description

Overview

AVIAN (pronounced *a-v-yin*) is looking for an Assistant Program Manager Test and Evaluation/Lead Test Engineer employee for the PMA-259/Air-to-Air program. The Air-to-Air Program Office (PMA-259) is responsible for the procurement, development, and sustainment of the air-to-air weapons systems.

Join a Company Where You Can Make a Real Impact – and Own a Piece of the Future

Are you energized by the idea of helping a company grow smarter, serve our customers better, and connect more deeply? Do you thrive in an environment where your ideas matter, your voice is heard, and your work drives real results? If so, we’d love to meet you.

We’re a mid-sized, employee-owned company on a mission to create meaningful value for both our employees and our customers. That means we’re not just looking for someone to fill a seat — we’re looking for someone who wants to build, innovate, and evolve with us.

Our company primarily serves the Navy and other Department of Defense clients, offering a dynamic environment where your expertise will make a difference.

Responsibilities

• Support Program Management or project management services in the form of planning and scheduling
• Identify and support appropriate types of depth of testing required for the active phase of projects
• Ability to Travel and work with geographically diverse test teams
• Communicating and working with test teams
• Operation Test Readiness Review support and external agency interactions
• Participating in other acquisition/test and evaluation functions as necessary
• Writing Test and Evaluation Management Plans/Master Test & Evaluation Strategy
• Provide T&E technical advice
• Experience holding Test Plan Working Groups including WIPT and TPWG as needed
• Participate in program technical reviews, Deficiency Reviews, System Verifications Review and others as necessary
• Support technical studies, analyses, and planning to refine test verification methods and approaches

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in a technical field
• 3+ years of experience (see below)
• A Master's Degree may substitute for 2 years of work experience
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret Department of Defense security clearance.
• Due to the sensitivity of customer-related requirements, U.S. Citizenship is required.

Required Experience

• Previous APMT&E experience or Lead Test Engineer Experience
• AIM-9x/AIM-120 and/or weapons experience a plus

The salary range for this role is $120,000-$180,000 (The offered rate will be based on the selected candidate’s knowledge, skills, abilities, and/or experience and in consideration of internal parity.)

About being a part of Team AVIAN

As an employee-owner, you’ll be a catalyst for progress — helping us find new opportunities with current or new customers, company efficiencies, streamline processes, and bring people and ideas together in smarter ways. Whether it’s helping us optimize workflows, enhancing the employee experience, or delivering more impactful solutions to our customers, your inputs will have reach and relevance across the organization.

Taking care of each other is a cornerstone of our AVIAN philosophy. Being part of the AVIAN team means being part of a team that takes pride in being expansive in our community because our impact doesn’t stop in the workplace. We actively engage in community initiatives, empowering our employees to make a meaningful difference.

You’ll Succeed Here If You...

• See opportunities where others see routine
• Are curious, collaborative, and passionate about making things better
• Enjoy connecting dots across teams, tools, and tasks
• Believe in doing the right thing the right way — even when no one’s watching
• Play an active role in our growth, using your ideas and initiative to shape how we work, serve, and succeed together
• Embrace a “one team” mindset knowing we are stronger together through trust, transparency and teamwork.
• Understand the power of ownership — and are excited to be part of an employee-owned culture

Why Join Us?

• Employee Ownership: We’re not just building a company — we’re building a legacy. As an employee-owner, you’ll share in our success and have a direct stake in our future.
• Real Growth: We’re expanding, evolving, and exploring new ways to serve. Your contributions will shape our direction and help us grow stronger.
• Purpose-Driven Work: Every improvement you help make is one that adds value — not just for us, but for the people and missions we support.
• Culture of Collaboration: We’re big enough to take on meaningful challenges, but small enough that everyone still knows your name.
• Comprehensive Benefits Package: Designed to support your health, financial security, and overall well‑being, our health and wellness benefits include medical, dental, and vision coverage, along with telemedicine services and a TRICARE supplement for veterans.
• Flexible Leave Benefits: we prioritize a balanced, supportive environment that allows you to thrive both personally and professionally and offer flexible and paid time off, 11 paid holidays, paid sick leave, maternity and bonding leave, and military training leave.

AVIAN is a service-based organization. As an equal opportunity employer, our policy of business is to seek the most qualified candidate for each talent opportunity without regard to race, creed, color, sex, age, religious belief, marital status, national origin, ancestry, sexual preference, physical or mental handicap, lawful political affiliation or veteran’s status.

Responsibilities- Support Program Management or project management services in the form of planning and scheduling- Identify and support appropriate types of depth of testing required for the active phase of projects- Ability to Travel and work with geographically diverse test teams- Communicating and working with test teams- Operation Test Readiness Review support and external agency interactions- Participating in other acquisition/test and evaluation functions as necessary- Writing Test and Evaluation Management Plans/Master Test & Evaluation Strategy- Provide T&E technical advice- Experience holding Test Plan Working Groups including WIPT and TPWG as needed- Participate in program technical reviews, Deficiency Reviews, System Verifications Review and others as necessary- Support technical studies, analyses, and planning to refine test verification methods and approaches