Autonomy & Defense Tech Program Lead

Riverside Research; Virginia, Northern (IL, KY); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 225,000; Full time

Job summary

Riverside Research seeks a Program Manager with a strong background in military operations, commercial technology, or DoD acquisition to support the Defense Innovation Unit. You will translate warfighter needs into executable programs and drive prototyping, testing, and fielding with autonomy and AI focus.

This role requires operating with substantial autonomy, building partnerships, and guiding acquisitions through rapid pathways, with relentless emphasis on delivering usable capabilities to

Qualifications

• Minimum 12 years of related experience with a bachelor’s degree, 8 years with a master’s degree, a PhD with 5 years’ experience, or equivalent.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary technical programs with responsibility for outcomes, schedules, budgets, risks, and senior stakeholder expectations.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate between operational, technical, commercial, and acquisition communities.
• Familiarity with DoD acquisition and contracting pathways, including FAR-based contracts, Other Transactions, prize challenges, SBIR, or comparable rapid-acquisition mechanisms.

Responsibilities

• Translate complex operational needs into clear problem statements, technical objectives, evaluation criteria, and executable acquisition strategies.
• Identify and assess commercial technologies, companies, and emerging market capabilities relevant to priority Department needs.
• Build and lead multidisciplinary programs involving military operators, engineers, acquisition professionals, contracting personnel, test organizations, commercial vendors, and senior leaders.
• Manage program outcomes, schedules, budgets, risks, dependencies, and stakeholder expectations from initial problem definition through transition.
• Develop competitive solicitation, prototyping, experimentation, and contracting strategies using the most appropriate acquisition pathways.

Skills

Military operations

Commercial technology

DoD acquisition

Technical program management

Autonomy

Robotics

Artificial intelligence

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree

PhD

Job description

Riverside Research seeks a Program Manager with a strong background in military operations, commercial technology, or DoD acquisition to support the Defense Innovation Unit. You will translate warfighter needs into executable programs and drive prototyping, testing, and fielding with autonomy and AI focus.

This role requires operating with substantial autonomy, building partnerships, and guiding acquisitions through rapid pathways, with relentless emphasis on delivering usable capabilities to