Mission Manager

Cowboy Space Corp.; San Carlos (CA); On-site; USD 165,000 - 225,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity in Cowboy Space Corp.

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) retirement savings plan

Paid time off

Paid holidays (10 per year)

Paid parental leave

Relocation assistance

Daily lunch and stocked kitchen

Job summary

Cowboy Space Corp. is hiring a Mission Manager to lead execution and problem solving in their innovative rocket and satellite projects based in San Carlos, CA. The ideal candidate should have strong technical project management experience, promoting collaboration across teams to ensure program success.

This exciting role offers a competitive salary ranging from $165,000 to $225,000 per year, along with benefits such as equity, medical insurance, and retirement plans. If you are detail-oriented and ready to tackle challenges, we encourage you to apply.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in technical project management.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex programs from inception to delivery.
• Experience in fast-moving, ambiguous environments.

Responsibilities

• Drive program execution by managing schedules and deliverables.
• Ensure alignment between engineering and operations teams.
• Lead problem-solving efforts to ensure timely resolution of challenges.
• Build and manage integrated mission schedules and resource plans.
• Coordinate personnel across multiple workstreams.
• Establish accountability across teams and remove blockers.
• Thrive in ambiguity and own outcomes.

Skills

Technical project management

Creative problem solving

Detail-oriented

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Cowboy Space Corp. is building the infrastructure to power and connect the orbital economy. Our satellites operate in Low Earth Orbit to collect sunlight and enable a new class of capabilities—from powering on-orbit compute, to transmitting energy via infrared lasers (space-to-earth and space-to-space), powering on-orbit compute to delivering secure, high-bandwidth optical data. By rethinking how energy and data are generated and distributed in space, we’re unlocking entirely new ways to operate both in orbit and on Earth.

Founded in 2024 by Baiju Bhatt (co-founder of Robinhood), Cowboy Space Corp. is backed by leading investors and built by a team from top aerospace and defense organizations. We’re moving quickly to solve complex technical challenges and build a new category of space infrastructure.

About the Role

Cowboy Space is looking for a Mission Manager. Our Mission Manager will serve as the mission specialists, driving results and challenging the status quo.

Our ideal candidate has a passion for finding solutions, is a highly detail-oriented self-starter, and is hungry to do work that matters. This role is located onsite in San Carlos CA.

Responsibilities

• Drive program execution by managing schedules, milestones, risks, dependencies, and deliverables

• Drive mission execution across cross-functional teams, ensuring alignment between engineering, operations, leadership, and external stakeholders

• Lead problem-solving efforts by identifying risks, gathering the right stakeholders, driving decision-making, and ensuring timely resolution of complex technical and operational challenges

• Build and manage integrated mission schedules, resource plans, priorities, and dependencies to ensure successful delivery against major milestones

• Coordinate personnel and cross-functional contributors across multiple workstreams to maintain execution velocity in a fast-paced environment

• Establish accountability across teams and proactively remove blockers to keep mission objectives on track

• Serve as a mission-driven operator who thrives in ambiguity and takes ownership of outcomes, not just tasks

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree with 5+ years of experience.

• 5+ years of technical project management experience.

• Demonstrated ability to drive complex programs from inception through delivery with a high degree of ownership and accountability

• Proven track record of creative problem solving and operating effectively in fast-moving, ambiguous environments

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading a team is a plus

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for this position is $165,000 – $225,000 annually. The actual base salary offered will depend on factors such as job-related skills, experience, qualifications, and internal equity.

• Equity in Cowboy Space Corp.

• Employees and their eligible dependents may enroll in medical, dental, and vision insurance

• 401(k) retirement savings plan

• Paid time off

• 10 paid holidays per calendar year

• Paid parental leave

• Relocation assistance if applicable

• Daily lunch in the office and a fully stocked kitchen with beverages and snacks

ITAR Requirements

• Export Control Requirement: To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), applicants must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about ITAR here.

Disclaimer

This job description is a summary of the primary duties and responsibilities of the job and position. It is not intended to be a comprehensive or all-inclusive listing of duties and responsibilities. Contents are subject to change at Cowboy Space Corp.’s discretion.

Cowboy Space Corp. is an equal employment opportunity employer. We consider individuals for employment or promotion according to their skills, abilities and experience. Cowboy Space Corp. is committed to complying with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religious creed, age, national origin, ancestry, physical, mental or developmental disability, sex (which includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and medical conditions relating to pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding), veteran status, military status, marital or registered domestic partnership status, medical condition (including cancer or genetic characteristics), genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, as well as any other category protected by federal, state or local laws.