GPS Engineering Project/Program Manager

Trimble Inc.; Sunnyvale (CA); Hybrid; USD 139,000 - 191,000; Full time

Job summary

Trimble Inc. in Sunnyvale, CA is seeking a Defense Program Manager to own the military GPS and PNT portfolio, bridging hardware and software with defense partners.

You will lead cross-functional teams through the full product lifecycle, manage schedules and risks, and maintain key customer relationships across the U.S. military services.

This role offers a hybrid work model and a compensation range aligned with market expectations for senior defense program management.

Qualifications

• 4 to 7 years of proven program management experience leading complex hardware and software projects.
• Experience leading full product development lifecycles in defense, aerospace, or high-reliability manufacturing environments.
• Proven customer-facing expertise balancing technical customer demands with internal engineering capacity.
• Strong proficiency with MS Project, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• U.S. Citizenship with the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Security Clearance.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary strategic voice and customer liaison for military clients across the Air Force, Navy, and Army.
• Lead cross-functional engineering and manufacturing teams through the complete product development lifecycle for parallel program efforts.
• Own total program execution, including schedule management, risk mitigation, financial performance, and baseline integrations.
• Drive process operational discipline and scale our growing military GPS and positioning portfolio.
• Oversee key contractual and technical documentation deliverables, including formal SDRL and CDRL data packages.

Skills

Program management

Customer-facing

MS Project

Excel

Word

PowerPoint

Tools

Microsoft Project

Excel

Word

PowerPoint

Job description

Drive Innovation as our Next Defense Program Manager (Military GPS & PNT Solutions)

Are you ready to lead cutting-edge defense technology and safeguard critical missions worldwide? Trimble is looking for a dynamic Program Manager to drive our expanding military GPS and positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) portfolio, bridging advanced hardware and software engineering with vital defense partners.

Corporate: Trimble is a global technology company that connects the physical and digital worlds, transforming the ways work gets done. With relentless innovation in precise positioning, modeling and data analytics, Trimble enables essential industries including construction, geospatial and transportation. Whether it’s helping customers build and maintain infrastructure, design and construct buildings, optimize global supply chains or map the world, Trimble is at the forefront, driving productivity and progress. For more information about Trimble (Nasdaq:TRMB), visit: www.trimble.com.

What Makes This Role Great

In this role, you will sit at the strategic intersection of defense engineering and customer liaison, taking end-to-end ownership of sophisticated military GPS technologies. You will directly influence critical defense capabilities by empowering cross-functional teams, driving product delivery, and maintaining key relationships across the U.S. military services.

Key Exciting Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary strategic voice and customer liaison for military clients across the Air Force, Navy, and Army.
• Lead cross-functional engineering and manufacturing teams through the complete product development lifecycle for parallel program efforts.
• Own total program execution, including schedule management, risk mitigation, financial performance, and baseline integrations.
• Drive process operational discipline and scale our growing military GPS and positioning portfolio.
• Oversee key contractual and technical documentation deliverables, including formal SDRL and CDRL data packages.

Essential Skills & Experience

• 4 to 7 years of proven program management experience leading complex hardware and software engineering projects.
• Demonstrated experience managing full product development lifecycles in defense, aerospace, or high-reliability manufacturing environments.
• Proven customer-facing expertise with a talent for balancing technical customer demands with internal engineering capacity.
• Strong project control proficiency using tools such as Microsoft Project, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• U.S. Citizenship with the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Security Clearance.

Bonus Points For

• Prior technical experience with military GPS systems, navigation platforms, or PNT technologies.
• Hands-on familiarity with defense contracting frameworks, including SDRLs/CDRLs, NDAs, PIAs, and TAA compliance.
• Track record of establishing scalable program management processes in a fast-growing environment.

Logistics

• Location: Sunnyvale, CA (Hybrid / On-site as required)
• Travel Requirement: 10-20%

Why You’ll Love Working With Us At Trimble

we’re not just a company that “does good”—we are a team dedicated to making a tangible, positive Real-World Impact. We build innovative solutions designed to solve the world’s most critical challenges. From construction sites to transportation hubs, our work tangibly improves how people live, build, move, and grow.

• You’ll work on projects that truly matter: Our purpose-driven culture means you’ll be helping to build and deliver solutions that make work faster, safer, and more sustainable for millions of people worldwide. Our impact is tangible, from connected machines that save fuel to data-driven insights that reduce waste.
• Collaborate with like-minded people: Our strong internal culture is a “hidden gem.” You will work with a collaborative, supportive team that shares your purpose and fosters a genuine sense of belonging. We’re a company of “visionary pragmatists” who think boldly and build things that work.
• Be an owner: Trimble thrives on individuals who take initiative and embrace ownership. You’ll find an entrepreneurial spirit where success is often “self-authored,” empowering proactive “doers.”

Program Manager, Project Manager, Defense Contracting, Military GPS, Navigation Systems, PNT, SDRL, CDRL, Systems Engineering, Product Development Lifecycle, Clearances

Compensation

Trimble provides the following compensation range and general description of other compensation and benefits that it in good faith believes it might pay and/or offer for this position. This compensation range is based on a full time schedule. Trimble reserves the right to ultimately pay more or less than the posted range and offer additional benefits and other compensation, depending on circumstances not related to an applicant’s sex or other status protected by local, state, or federal law.

Hiring Range

$138,700.00–$190,700.00

Pay Rate Type

Salary

Bonus Eligible?

Yes

Commission Eligible?

No

• Trimble offers comprehensive core benefits that include Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Disability, Time off plans and retirement plans. Most of our businesses also offer tax savings plans for health, dependent care and commuter expenses as well as Paid Parental Leave and Employee Stock Purchase Plan. If this position is identified above as commission- or bonus-eligible, the terms of the commission plan or discretionary bonus plan for which you are eligible will be provided following the employee start date.

At Trimble, we are committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace where everyone can thrive. Guided by our core values—Belong, Innovate, and Grow—we embrace and celebrate differences, knowing they make us stronger and more innovative. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer, welcoming individuals of all backgrounds and advancing opportunities while embracing race, color, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, disability, veteran status, or any other protected and diverse characteristic. We are committed to offering our candidates and employees with disabilities or sincerely held religious beliefs the ability to seek reasonable accommodations in accordance with applicable law and/or where it would not constitute undue hardship for Trimble. For more, please see Trimble’s Code of Business Conduct and Ethics at https://investor.trimble.com, under Governance->Governance Documents.

Our mission to transform the way the world works starts with transforming how we work together. By actively listening, asking questions, and taking intentional actions, we cultivate a culture that provides equitable opportunities for everyone to contribute and grow.

If you need assistance or would like to request an accommodation in connection with the application process, please contact [e-mail].