Hardware Development Project Manager

IMPERX; Boca Raton (FL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

IMPERX in Boca Raton, FL seeks an experienced Hardware Development Project Manager to lead cross-functional teams across hardware, firmware, and software development for commercial and aerospace/defense programs.

You will manage schedules, costs, risks, and deliverables using MS Project, ensuring compliance with military and quality standards, design reviews, and production readiness.

Qualifications

• U.S. Person eligibility and ITAR compliance.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business Management, or related field.
• 7–10 years of project management experience, with at least 5 years in aerospace/defense or other regulated industries.
• Experience leading hardware, firmware, and software development teams.
• Strong MS Project skills.
• Experience across the full product development lifecycle.

Responsibilities

• Lead program planning and execution for multiple concurrent projects.
• Coordinate hardware, firmware, and software teams across functions.
• Monitor costs, schedules, risks, and quality to meet contractual obligations.
• Deliver customer updates and executive-level program status reports.

Skills

Project planning

Risk management

Leadership

Regulatory compliance

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business Management, or related technical discipline

Tools

Microsoft Project

Job description

We are seeking an experienced and results-oriented Hardware Development Project Manager to lead the planning, execution, and delivery of complex commercial and aerospace and defense development programs. This role oversees cross-functional teams responsible for the design, development, procurement, integration, testing, and deployment of hardware, firmware, and software.

The ideal candidate has a strong understanding of engineering development lifecycles, program execution within regulated defense environments, and the ability to coordinate technical teams while maintaining cost, schedule, scope, and quality objectives. Experience managing projects involving aerospace and defense customers, system integration, and compliance-driven development is highly desirable.

The Project Manager will report to the Director of Engineering, utilizing Microsoft Project and other program management tools to develop schedules, coordinate meetings, monitor progress and costs, manage risks, and communicate program status to stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities:

Program Planning & Execution

• Support leadership in project proposal generation including scope, budget, and scheduling from an integrated master schedule viewpoint
• Lead multiple concurrent commercial, aerospace and defense development projects from initiation through delivery
• Develop and maintain detailed project schedules, resource plans, milestones, and critical paths using Microsoft Project
• Define project scope, objectives, deliverables, and success criteria in collaboration with engineering leadership and customers
• Monitor project performance against cost, schedule, technical, and quality requirements
• Ensure project deliverables meet contractual obligations and customer expectations

Cross-Functional Team Collaboration

• Coordinate activities across hardware engineering, firmware development, software development, procurement, manufacturing, quality, and test teams
• Facilitate communication and collaboration among technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Drive issue resolution and remove barriers impacting program execution
• Lead regular project status meetings and customer-facing updates

Requirements:

Compliance Management

• Support requirements management and traceability throughout the development lifecycle
• Ensure projects adhere to applicable military, aerospace, regulatory, and quality standards
• Coordinate program activities related to design reviews, Preliminary Design Reviews (PDR), Critical Design Reviews (CDR), Test Readiness Reviews (TRR), and production readiness activities
• Track compliance-related deliverables and verification milestones

Risk & Opportunity Management

• Identify project risks, dependencies, and technical challenges early in the development lifecycle
• Develop and execute risk mitigation and contingency plans
• Manage project change requests and evaluate impacts on cost, schedule, and technical performance
• Escalate critical issues appropriately while recommending actionable solutions
• Serve as the primary interface between customers, executive leadership, and project teams
• Prepare and present program status reports, schedule updates, risk assessments, and performance metrics
• Support proposal development, project planning, and customer reviews
• Foster strong customer relationships through proactive communication and program transparency

Development Lifecycle Oversight

• Oversee projects involving:
• Electronic and Mechanical hardware design and development
• Embedded firmware development
• Application and system software development
• System integration and verification testing
• Qualification and compliance testing
• Ensure successful transition between development phases, including design, integration, verification, production, and deployment

Documentation & Reporting

• Maintain project documentation, schedules, action item logs, risk registers, and decision records
• Generate executive-level reports and dashboards reflecting project health and forecasts
• Ensure data accuracy and schedule integrity within Microsoft Project and associated reporting tools

Required Qualifications:

• Must be eligible to access export-controlled information and meet U.S. Person requirements under ITAR
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business Management, Program Management, or a related technical discipline
• 7-10 years of project management experience, with at least 5 years supporting aerospace, defense, or other highly regulated industries
• Demonstrated experience managing technical development projects involving hardware, firmware, and software engineering teams
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft Project for planning, resource management, scheduling, and critical path analysis
• Experience managing projects throughout the full product development lifecycle
• Understanding of systems engineering principles, requirements management, and verification processes
• Experience with risk management, budget tracking, and stakeholder communications
• Excellent leadership, organizational, presentation, and communication skills

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience managing programs involving embedded systems, camera sensors, imaging systems, and camera communications equipment
• Familiarity with traditional Waterfall development methodologies
• Knowledge of configuration management and change management processes
• Analytical thinking and attention to detail
• Strong technical writing and documentation skills
• Ability to synthesize complex data into clear conclusions
• Cross-functional collaboration and communication
• Problem-solving in regulated environments

Travel:

• Travel is generally not anticipated for this position. In rare instances, domestic travel may be required to support customer requests, meetings, or program activities