Engineering Program Manager

Socket.dev; El Segundo (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

Amca is seeking a Program Manager to lead aerospace programs from concept to delivery, interfacing with U.S. Government customers and internal engineering teams.

You will own schedules, contracts, and mission success, driving proposals, design, integration, testing, and fielding. This hands-on leadership role operates in a fast-growing startup environment, guiding multiple programs of varying size and complexity, bridging engineering, program management, and customer engagement to deliver

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant technical field is required.
• Excellent communication and technical writing skills, including CDRLs and data packages.
• 6+ years of aerospace/defense or national security program experience.
• Demonstrated success managing complex engineering programs to cost and schedule.
• Deep familiarity with USG programs, acquisitions, and operational concepts.
• Understanding of U.S. Government contracting and acquisition processes.

Responsibilities

• Lead program leadership as primary customer interface and align requirements with Amca's roadmap.
• Manage cost, schedule, and technical performance from award through integration, test, and deployment.
• Lead proposal efforts and contract negotiations to ensure feasibility and compliance with FAR/DFARS.
• Collaborate with engineering to translate mission needs into product requirements and guide design reviews.
• Lead program reviews, present schedule briefings, and maintain relationships with government stakeholders.
• Identify risks early and develop mitigation plans to maintain schedule fidelity under tight timelines.
• Shape new opportunities and architectures by collaborating with government and industry partners.

Skills

Program management

Aerospace/defense experience

US government acquisition knowledge

Technical writing

CDRLs & data packages

Security clearance eligibility

Communication skills

Multidisciplinary leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering / Systems Engineering / related field

Job description

Amca is building America’s new industrial base. Since the 1990s, our ability to build new aviation and military systems and maintain the ones we already have has eroded. Today, the gap between what the nation needs to produce and what it is capable of producing is the largest it has been in generations.

To help close that gap, Amca rapidly develops and manufactures new critical components and subsystems required to build and sustain the planes, military vehicles, and core infrastructure America needs. Today, we operate seven factories nationwide, including our advanced prototyping and testing headquarters in El Segundo, and deliver avionics, hydraulic, and electrical components for platforms such as the F-35, F-16, F/A-18, 737MAX, 787, A320neo, A321, Mk-48, and M1 Abrams.

Overview

As a Program Manager, you will lead the execution of advanced aerospace programs from initial concept through delivery, serving as the primary interface with U.S. Government customers and internal engineering teams. You will own program schedules, contractual commitments, and mission success, driving efforts from proposal through design, integration, test, and fielding.

This is a hands‑on program leadership role in a rapidly scaling startup environment where you will be tasked to lead multiple ongoing programs of varying sizes and complexity. You will operate at the intersection of engineering, program management, and customer engagement, ensuring that Amca's aerospace systems meet the needs of our customers.

Responsibilities

• Program Leadership: Serve as the primary customer interface, ensuring alignment between mission requirements and Amca's technology roadmap.
• Program Execution: Manage cost, schedule, and technical performance from contract award through integration, test, and deployment, delivering on all contractual milestones.
• Proposal & Contract Management: Lead proposal efforts and contract negotiations, ensuring technical feasibility, cost effectiveness, and compliance with FAR/DFARS requirements.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with engineering to translate mission needs into product requirements, guide design reviews, and manage technical or contractual changes.
• Customer Engagement: Lead program reviews, present technical and schedule briefings, negotiate requirements, and maintain strong relationships with government stakeholders.
• Risk Management: Identify program risks early, develop mitigation plans, and maintain schedule fidelity under aggressive timelines.
• Strategic Development: Shape new opportunities and architectures by collaborating with government and industry partners to inform future aerospace capabilities.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related technical field.
• Excellent communication and technical writing skills, including preparation of CDRLs and technical data packages.
• 6+ years of experience in aerospace, defense, or national security programs.
• Proven track record of excellence and achievement.
• Deep familiarity with USG programs, acquisitions, and operational concepts.
• Strong understanding of U.S. Government acquisition processes, contracting, and operational concepts.
• Demonstrated success managing complex, multi-disciplinary engineering programs to cost and schedule.
• U.S. citizenship with the ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret/SCI clearance.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Experience in a fast-moving environment with compressed timelines.
• Familiarity with government acquisition processes, requirements decomposition, and systems verification.
• Familiarity with rapid prototyping, OTA contracts, and accelerated development environments.
• Active Top Secret/SCI clearance.

Amca offers a generous benefits package. Please refer to the bottom of our Careers page (amca.com/careers) for more details.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Additional Eligibility Requirements

This position may require access to classified information or restricted U.S. Government sites, systems, or information, as determined by the Company and/or applicable U.S. Government requirements. If the position is so designated, your employment in the role may be contingent upon your ability to obtain and maintain the required U.S. Government security clearance or other government authorization, and to satisfy any citizenship or other eligibility requirements imposed by applicable law, regulation, executive order, or government contract requirements. You will be notified if and when such requirements apply.

Annual Salary Range: $150,000 – $250,000 USD

This position requires use of information which is subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). All applicants must be U.S. persons within the meaning of ITAR. ITAR defines a US person as: any individual who is granted U.S. citizenship; or. any individual who is granted U.S. permanent residence ("Green Card" holder); or. any individual who is granted status as a "protected person" under 8 U.S.C 1324b(a)(3).

The Advanced Manufacturing Company of America prohibits discrimination or harassment based on the following categories: race, color, religion, religious creed (including religious dress and grooming practices), national origin, ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition (including cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, marital status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), gender, gender identity, gender expression, age (40 years and over), sexual orientation, veteran and/or military status, protected medical leaves (requesting or approved for leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act or the California Family Rights Act), domestic violence victim status, political affiliation, and any other status protected by state or federal law.