Manager - Special Programs

NightDragon Acquisition Corp.; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive health insurance

Generous PTO and Holidays

Parental Leave

401(k) retirement plan

Stock options

Free lunch benefit

Job summary

NightDragon Acquisition Corp. is looking for a Special Programs Manager to oversee the administrative and operational functions of the Special Programs team in Austin, Texas. You will manage project tracking, resources, and budgets while providing technical direction during prototype reviews.

The ideal candidate will have experience managing fast-paced engineering teams, especially in robotics or aerospace. Strong communication skills and a bachelor's degree in engineering are required. Benefits include comprehensive medical insurance, generous PTO, and competitive salary.

Qualifications

• Experience managing small, fast-moving engineering or R&D teams, ideally in robotics or aerospace.
• Comfort partnering with senior technical and product leaders to evaluate new opportunities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills to align cross-functional stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day administrative management of the Special Programs team.
• Plan and track prototype builds and field testing.
• Collaborate with VP of Product and CTO to prioritize new ideas.

Skills

Managing small engineering teams

Technical literacy in robotics

Budget planning and execution

Collaborating with product leaders

Excellent communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Job description

Saronic Technologies is a leader in revolutionizing autonomy at sea, dedicated to developing state‑of‑the‑art solutions that enhance maritime operations through autonomous and intelligent platforms.

Saronic Special Programs is a small pathfinding team chartered to rapidly prototype new ideas. Special Programs is responsible for generating new ideas, building and testing physical prototypes, and validating future products which continue Saronic's mission to redefine maritime superiority.

Job Overview

We are seeking a Special Programs Manager to serve as the administrative and operational backbone of our team. You will be responsible for keeping projects on track, managing resources and budgets, and creating the conditions for a small, talented group of engineers to move quickly. While this is not a hands‑on engineering role, you will provide high-level technical direction during prototype reviews and partner closely with the VP of Product and CTO to evaluate and shape the next wave of ideas the team will pursue.

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day administrative management of the Special Programs team, including scheduling, staffing, budgets, procurement, vendor coordination, and progress reporting.

• Plan and track prototype builds, field testing, and demonstrations, ensuring milestones, deliverables, and resources stay aligned across electrical, mechanical, and software contributors.

• Offer focused technical input during design reviews and prototype check‑ins — enough to challenge assumptions, unblock the team, and translate progress to non‑engineering stakeholders.

• Collaborate directly with the VP of Product and the CTO to surface, scope, and prioritize new ideas the team should consider pursuing, and keep Special Programs work synchronized with the broader product roadmap.

• Represent Special Programs internally to functions such as Growth, Finance, and Engineering, and externally as needed to suppliers and Government or commercial customers.

Qualifications

• Experience managing small, fast-moving engineering or R&D teams, ideally in robotics, aerospace, defense, or another hardware-intensive environment.

• Working technical literacy across some combination of autonomy, embedded systems, robotics, electrical engineering, or mechanical engineering — enough to lead substantive conversations with engineers without being the deepest expert in the room.

• Demonstrated ability to plan and execute against budgets, schedules, and resource constraints with limited overhead.

• Comfort partnering with senior technical and product leaders to evaluate new opportunities and translate ambiguous ideas into structured plans.

• Experience supporting prototype hardware development, field testing, or Government demonstrations is strongly preferred.

• Familiarity with defense acquisition, export controls, or classified program management is a plus.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to keep cross‑functional stakeholders aligned.

• High emotional intelligence, with the ability to keep teammates aligned.

• Strong organizational instincts and a bias toward action in ambiguous, low‑process environments.

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, or equivalent professional experience.

• Comfort operating with high uncertainty, minimal resources, compressed timelines, and aggressive goals and schedules.

Physical Demands

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.

• Occasional standing and walking within the office, lab, and prototype spaces.

• Manual dexterity to operate a computer keyboard, mouse, and other office equipment.

• Visual acuity to read screens, documents, and reports.

• Occasional reaching, bending, or stooping to access file drawers, cabinets, or office supplies.

• Lifting and carrying items up to 20 pounds occasionally (e.g., office supplies, packages).

• Occasional travel to field test sites and Government demonstrations.

Benefits

• Medical Insurance: Comprehensive health insurance plans covering a range of services.

• Dental and Vision Insurance: Coverage for routine dental check‑ups, orthodontics, and vision care.

• Saronic pays 100% of the premium for employees and 80% for dependents.

• Time Off: Generous PTO and Holidays.

• Parental Leave: Paid maternity and paternity leave to support new parents.

• Competitive Salary: Industry-standard salaries with opportunities for performance‑based bonuses.

• Retirement Plan: 401(k) plan.

• Stock Options: Equity options to give employees a stake in the company's success.

• Life and Disability Insurance: Basic life insurance and short‑ and long‑term disability coverage.

• Additional Perks: Free lunch benefit and unlimited free drinks and snacks in the office.

If this role is based in the United States, it requires access to export‑controlled information or items that require “U.S. Person” status. As defined by U.S. law, individuals who are any one of the following are considered to be a “U.S. Person”: (1) U.S. citizens, (2) legal permanent residents (a.k.a. green card holders), and (3) certain protected classes of asylees and refugees, as defined in 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).

Saronic does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, age, national origin, marital status, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other reason prohibited by law in provision of employment opportunities and benefits. We are also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.