DoW Skillbridge - Senior Program Manager

InvestedintheMission; Berthoud (CO); On-site; USD 125,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Unlimited PTO

Parental Leave

Medical Insurance

Vision Insurance

401k with Company Match

Disability Insurance

Equity Grants

Job summary

Ursa Major is seeking a DoW Skillbridge Senior Program Manager to lead a critical internship program for transitioning service members. You will drive on-time delivery, coordinate cross‑functional inputs, and manage risks while engaging with government customers.

This role emphasizes leadership, compliance, and clear communication in a defense-focused environment. Ideal candidates bring an engineering background and extensive program management experience in defense or aerospace, with a track

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering.
• 8+ years’ experience in program management or aerospace leadership.
• Must comply with ITAR/EAR regulations and/or program requirements.
• Proven program management experience in defense, national security, or aerospace domains.
• Proven experience leading a team to field integrated products in real environments.

Responsibilities

• Drives program progress from market need to sustainment and obsolescence.
• Manages customer relationships and ensures satisfaction.
• Defines program objectives and aligns resources for execution.
• Oversees budget, schedule, and KR health; prepares program reviews.
• Owns program schedule and coordinates inputs across the company.
• Assesses risks and opportunities, drives mitigations.
• Identifies opportunities to strengthen the business and realizes them.
• Drives technical and operational objectives while ensuring on-time delivery.
• Serves as primary customer POC and manages contract scope and deliverables.
• Collaborates to write and deliver technical documents; supports BD inputs.

Skills

Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace or Mech

8+ years program management

ITAR/EAR compliance

Defense/aerospace leadership

Leadership of cross-functional teams

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering

Job description

The future of aerospace and defense starts here.

Ursa Major was founded to revolutionize how America and its allies access and apply high-performance propulsion, from hypersonics to solid rocket motors, satellite maneuvering and launch. We design and deliver propulsion and defense systems that solve the most urgent and critical national security demands.

The DoW Skillbridge - Senior Program Manager is an internship program for a transitioning service member who is a leader who drives customer requirements, schedules, resources, and overall program progress to ensure customer satisfaction and our business success. The Senior Program Manager owns on-time execution of customer deliverables, can excel as a technical liaison, and can bring together complex technical and operational inputs to meet program milestones.

DoW Skillbridge Participants must be active duty service members in good standing with Command Approval who are within 180-days of retirement from service with expectations of receiving Honorable or General Discharge (candidates within 9-months of retirement are encouraged to apply).

Responsibilities:

• Drives program progress, from identification of market need through sustainment and obsolescence
• Manages the customer relationship and is responsible for customer satisfaction
• Responsible for defining program objectives and aligning resources required to execute
• Responsible for the program budget, schedule, and Key Results (KRs) and their performance; regularly monitors and reports on program health, including ownership of Program Review material preparation and presentation
• Owns the schedule for the program. Responsible for pulling inputs from across the company and re-baselining as changes occur.
• Owns evaluation of technical and program risks/opportunities, drives mitigations of risk and realization of opportunities
• Identifies and helps realize program or product opportunities to strength the business
• Drives program technical and operational objectives, while ensuring program progress and on-time delivery
• Serve as the primary customer point of contact (POC), manage contract scope, prepare material for and hosting regular customer check-in meetings, and lead the preparation of contract deliverables
• Collaborates with team members to write, review, and deliver technical deliverables
• Support business development and capture efforts with programmatic inputs, including cost and schedule. NOTE: Ethical adherence is paramount. Participants are allowed to interact with government entities, analyze market conditions/contracts/opportunities, and support business development in general. Participants are not allowed to take official DoW/Service action that would affect Ursa Major’s financial interests or represent Ursa Major directly to the DoW/Service or lobby on our behalf.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering
• 8+ year’s experience of program management or aerospace leadership
• Must be able to perform work subject to ITAR/EAR regulations and/or program requirements
• Proven program management experience, preferably in the defense, national security, or aerospace domains
• Proven experience leading a team of peers to field integrated products to real operating environments
• Adaptive and introspective, willing to learn, teach, lead, and follow

Preferred Experience:

• Advanced degree in a technical field
• Experience with Department of Defense (DoD) and Government Contracts
• Leadership and team building skills to include fostering collaborative and positive cultures, formal and informal influencing skills, and team empowerment and motivation expertise
• Problem solving skills and knowledge of program management tools and procedures
• Excellent oral and written communication skills

Colorado law requires us to tell you the base compensation range of this role, which is $125,000 - $160,000, determined by your education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities. The salary range for this role is intentionally wide as we are evaluating individuals based on their unique experience and abilities to fit our needs. Most importantly, we are excited to meet you and see if you are a great fit for our team. What we can’t quantify for you are the exciting challenges, supportive team, and amazing culture we enjoy.

Benefits Include: (Please note, Interns are not eligible for benefits)

• Unlimited PTO - Vacation, Sick, Personal, and Bereavement
• Paid Parental and Adoptive Leave
• Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance
• Tax Advantage Accounts (HSA/FSA)
• Employer Paid Short and Long Term Disability, Basic Life, AD&D
• Additional Benefit Options Including Voluntary Life and Emergency Medical Transport
• EAP Program
• Retirement Savings Plan - 401k with Company Match
• Equity Grants in the Company

NOTE: Research suggests that women and BIPOC individuals may self-select out of opportunities if they don't meet 100% of the job requirements. We encourage anyone who believes they have the skills and the drive necessary to succeed here to apply for this role.

Must be a U.S. Person (this includes U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents).

Eligibility to obtain and maintain a U.S. Security Clearance.

We’re an equal-opportunity employer. You will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status.