Production Program Director-FQ-42

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems; Poway (CA); On-site; USD 155,000 - 289,000; Full time

Job summary

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) is a world leader in remotely piloted aircraft and surveillance systems.

We seek a Program Director to lead major production programs from contract award through delivery, shaping strategy and coordinating across Engineering, Operations, and Supply Chain. The role requires deep program management expertise, strong leadership, and the ability to manage complex production streams while ensuring on‑time, on‑budget delivery and protection of

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s, master’s, or PhD in engineering, science, or related technical field with 15+ years of program administration experience.
• Extensive technical expertise in program management principles and practices, including planning and coordinating complex production workloads.
• Single-point leadership over all production execution activities across PM, Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, and Engineering.
• Experience translating contract and customer requirements into production plans, capacity and staffing needs.
• Proven track record of owning production cost, schedule, and performance baselines to deliver aircraft on time and on budget.
• Experience overseeing transitions from development to full-rate production, including change control and design/process improvements.
• Ability to coordinate long-lead procurement and mitigate supply chain risk.
• Ability to monitor production metrics and drive corrective actions and continuous improvements.

Responsibilities

• Lead major production programs from contract award through delivery.
• Develop and maintain program strategy, roadmap, and execution plans.
• Define design concepts, criteria, and engineering efforts for R&D, testing, integration, and production.
• Coordinate with Supply Chain to ensure material availability and on-time delivery.
• Serve as primary customer and senior management contact for program matters.
• Prepare proposals, budgets, and contract terms; oversee acquisitions and negotiations.
• Identify and mitigate program risks and drive cost-reduction initiatives.
• Provide technical leadership and develop key management and technical talent.
• Drive new business opportunities and partnerships.

Skills

Strong communication

Leadership

Presentation

Interpersonal skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering/science

Master's degree

PhD in engineering/science

Job description

Job Summary

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), an affiliate of General Atomics, is a world leader in proven, reliable remotely piloted aircraft and tactical reconnaissance radars, as well as advanced high-resolution surveillance systems.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Program Director! This position is responsible for the planning, managing and technical performance of significant program to support new production. The Program Director is responsible for leading major production programs from start to finish, overseeing multiple developing products or components that are important to the company’s future growth and strategic objectives. They coordinate the use of new technologies and methods to meet program requirements and typically manage through subordinate managers rather than directly supervising individual staff. The role involves making high-impact decisions, where errors could result in substantial time and resource expenditures.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Leads all phases of major production programs from contract award and conceptualization through completion and aircraft delivery, ensuring cost, schedule, quality, business, and financial objectives are achieved.
• Develops and maintains overall program strategy, roadmap, and execution plans aligned with customer requirements and company objectives, including new program plans and delivery methods that may span multiple products and customers.
• Manages the establishment of design concepts, criteria, and engineering efforts for research, development, testing, integration, and production.
• Works with cross‑functional teams and Supply Chain to ensure material availability, supplier quality, and on‑time delivery, while monitoring and mitigating supply chain risks.
• Serves as the primary customer and senior management contact for all program matters, leading formal program reviews and ensuring timely, accurate program reporting.
• Directs and influences the preparation of proposals, business plans, work statements, operating budgets, and contract terms and conditions, including acquisitions, negotiations, and modifications.
• Identifies and mitigates program risks, leads cost‑reduction and efficiency initiatives, and resolves issues through resource reallocation or changes to scope or specifications.
• Ensures technical leadership and excellence by attracting, developing, and retaining key management, professional, and technical talent.
• Contributes to long‑term Group and Company objectives by leading the development and expansion of new business opportunities, partnerships, and programs.
• Directs the protection and security of proprietary technology and maintains strict confidentiality of sensitive information.

Clearance / Regulatory

• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance, if required by program.
• Ability to work within ITAR and other export control requirements.

We recognize and appreciate the value and contributions of individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences and welcome all qualified individuals to apply.

Job Qualifications

• Typically requires a bachelor’s, master’s, or PhD in engineering, science, or a related technical field, as well as fifteen or more years of progressively complex program administration experience, with at least nine of those years managing programs; may substitute equivalent experience in lieu of education.
• Demonstrates detailed and extensive technical expertise and application of program management principles, concepts, and practices, including organizing, planning, scheduling, and coordinating complex production workloads to meet established deadlines and milestones.
• Justified by the need for single‑point leadership and accountability over all production execution activities, ensuring alignment between Program Management, Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, and Engineering.
• Requires experience serving as the primary interface to Operations or equivalent functional organizations, translating contract and customer requirements into production plans, capacity and staffing needs, and executable build schedules.
• Necessitates a proven track record of owning and managing production cost, schedule, and performance baselines to drive on‑time, on‑budget delivery of contracted aircraft while protecting program margin.
• Supported by experience overseeing transitions from development and low‑rate builds into full‑rate production, including configuration control, change management, and incorporation of design and process improvements.
• Requires demonstrated capability to coordinate long‑lead procurement, supplier performance, and material availability to maintain a stable production flow and mitigate supply chain risk.
• Justified by the need to implement and monitor key production metrics (throughput, yield, rework, on‑time delivery) and to lead corrective actions and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Must be able to develop solutions to complex production and integration problems that require the regular use of ingenuity and creativity.
• Strong communication, leadership, presentation, and interpersonal skills are required to effectively interface with cross‑functional teams, all levels of management, customers, potential customers, and government representatives, and to ensure compliance with contractual, regulatory, export, and quality requirements across the production lifecycle.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in engineering.
• Formal program management certification (e.g., PMP or equivalent) or completion of an internal PM development program.
• Direct experience in unmanned systems, ISR payloads, or similar GA product lines.
• Experience transitioning programs from development/qualification into full‑rate production.
• Experience managing multi‑year, multi‑site, or international production programs.

Job Type: Full-Time Salary

Salary range: 155,370 - 289,320