PROGRAM MANAGER

Socket.dev; Baton Rouge (LA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Bascom Hunter seeks an experienced Program Manager to lead aerospace and defense development and production programs. You will steer scope, schedule, cost, quality, performance, customer commitments, qualification, and production transitions.

You will guide cross-functional teams across Engineering, Manufacturing, Test, Quality, Supply Chain, and Contracts, interfacing with customers and suppliers to ensure successful program outcomes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Program Management, Business, Operations, Physics, or related technical discipline.
• 5+ years of Aerospace & Defense, government contracting, engineering, or technical program-management experience.
• Experience managing complex technical or hardware-development programs through multiple lifecycle phases.
• Working knowledge of Earned Value Management / EVMS.
• Experience developing/maintaining Work Breakdown Structures and Integrated Master Schedules.
• Familiarity with MIL-STD-881 or equivalent product-oriented WBS methodologies.
• Experience with critical-path scheduling, variance analysis, recovery planning, budgets, forecasts, and EACs.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary engineering, manufacturing, supply-chain, quality, and test teams.
• Experience managing multiple priorities and customer-facing program execution.
• Strong government contracting knowledge and customer-facing skills.
• Proficiency with scheduling software (e.g., Microsoft Project).
• U.S. Citizenship required.

Responsibilities

• Lead programs from contract award through development, qualification, delivery, production transition, and closeout.
• Translate SOWs, specifications, and contractual requirements into executable program plans.
• Develop and maintain product-oriented WBS in line with MIL-STD-881 principles.
• Develop and maintain IMS with schedule logic, critical path, dependencies, milestones, procurement, test, and production activities.
• Apply EVMS to measure cost and schedule performance and identify adverse trends.
• Develop budgets, forecasts, EACs, and recovery plans for variances.
• Maintain traceability of requirements, verification activities, and deliverables.
• Coordinate resource planning with functional leaders to align with schedule.
• Plan major reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, PRR) as applicable.
• Establish and maintain risk and opportunity management with mitigations.
• Monitor suppliers, long-lead items, and external dependencies affecting performance.
• Interface with customers for status, risks, and issues.
• Ensure FAR/DFARS/ITAR/EAR and quality systems compliance.
• Support proposal cost estimating and contract negotiations.
• Assist strategic planning and long-term customer relationship development.
• Provide clear direction to cross-functional teams and escalate issues.

Skills

EVMS

WBS & IMS

MS Project

Scheduling

Leadership

Government contracting

Cost management

Education

Bachelor's degree (Engineering/PM/Business)

Tools

Microsoft Project

Deltek Costpoint

Job description

Program Manager – Aerospace & Defense

Location: On-Site – Baton Rouge, LA, Frederick, MD or Glendale, AZ
Travel Requirement: Up to 20%
Clearance Requirement: U.S. Citizenship Required; eligibility for a DoD Security Clearance may be required

About Bascom Hunter

Bascom Hunter is a technology-driven engineering and manufacturing company serving Aerospace & Defense markets. We develop and manufacture mission-critical systems and components for demanding applications, with a focus on technical performance, reliability, and disciplined execution.

Position Overview

Bascom Hunter is seeking an experienced Program Manager to lead complex Aerospace & Defense development and production programs. The Program Manager is responsible for execution across scope, schedule, cost, quality, technical performance, customer commitments, qualification, and production transition.

This role leads cross-functional teams across Engineering, Manufacturing, Test, Quality, Supply Chain, Configuration Management, Finance, and Contracts and serves as a primary interface with customers and key suppliers.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead assigned programs from contract award through development, qualification, delivery, production transition, and closeout.
• Translate Statements of Work, specifications, contractual requirements, and customer deliverables into executable program plans.
• Develop and maintain product-oriented Work Breakdown Structures (WBS) consistent with MIL-STD-881 principles.
• Develop, baseline, and maintain Integrated Master Schedules (IMS), including schedule logic, critical path, major dependencies, customer milestones, procurement, test, qualification, and production activities.
• Apply Earned Value Management (EVM) principles to measure cost and schedule performance and identify adverse trends.
• Develop and maintain program budgets, labor and material forecasts, Estimates at Completion (EACs), and recovery plans for cost or schedule variances.
• Maintain traceability of customer requirements, verification activities, and contractual deliverables through program completion and customer acceptance.
• Coordinate resource and capacity planning with functional leaders to ensure engineering, manufacturing, procurement, and test support aligns with the program schedule.
• Plan and support major program and technical reviews including SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, and PRR, as applicable.
• Establish and maintain program risk and opportunity management, including accountable mitigation actions.
• Maintain disciplined scope, schedule, cost, and technical baseline control and evaluate customer-requested changes before commitment.
• Monitor critical suppliers, subcontractors, long‑lead items, and external dependencies that may affect program performance.
• Serve as a primary customer interface for program status, schedule, risks, deliverables, contractual commitments, and programmatic issues.
• Ensure contractual and program execution activities comply with applicable FAR/DFARS requirements, ITAR/EAR export controls, customer requirements, and internal quality systems.
• Support proposal development, cost estimating, Basis of Estimate preparation, and contract negotiations for new and follow‑on opportunities.
• Support strategic planning, resource allocation, and long‑term customer relationship development for assigned programs and business areas.
• Provide clear direction to cross‑functional teams and elevate issues requiring functional or executive action.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Program Management, Business, Operations, Physics, or a related technical discipline.
• 5+ years of relevant Aerospace & Defense, government contracting, engineering, or technical program‑management experience.
• Experience managing complex technical or hardware‑development programs through multiple phases of the product lifecycle.
• Working knowledge of Earned Value Management / EVMS.
• Experience developing and maintaining Work Breakdown Structures and Integrated Master Schedules.
• Familiarity with MIL-STD-881 or equivalent product‑oriented WBS methodologies.
• Experience with critical‑path scheduling, variance analysis, recovery planning, program budgets, forecasts, and EACs.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary engineering, manufacturing, supply‑chain, quality, and test teams.
• Experience managing multiple priorities and concurrent program activities.
• Strong understanding of government contracting and customer‑facing program execution.
• Strong written, verbal, organizational, and presentation skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Project or comparable scheduling software.
• U.S. Citizenship required.

Preferred Qualifications

• 8+ years of Aerospace & Defense program‑management, engineering, manufacturing, or technical‑leadership experience.
• Experience managing multimillion‑dollar Aerospace & Defense development or production programs.
• Experience working with the Department of Defense, defense prime contractors, or aerospace OEMs.
• Working knowledge of EIA-748 EVMS principles and DoD acquisition processes.
• Experience with Firm‑Fixed‑Price and cost‑type contracts.
• Familiarity with applicable military and aerospace qualification standards and formal customer design reviews.
• Familiarity with FAR/DFARS, ITAR/EAR, AS9100, configuration management, CDRLs/SDRLs, and government contracting requirements.
• Experience with Deltek Costpoint, ERP/MRP, PLM/PDM, or similar enterprise systems.
• Advanced degree or PMP certification is a plus.

Why Join Us?

• Work on technically challenging Aerospace & Defense programs supporting mission‑critical applications.
• Operate in a hands‑on environment with direct interaction across engineering, manufacturing, customers, and suppliers.
• Have meaningful responsibility for program execution, customer relationships, and the continued growth of the organization.

All positions at Bascom Hunter are subject to background investigations. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background investigation, including criminal history and identity verification.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Bascom Hunter is an equal opportunity employer. We recruit, employ, train, compensate, and promote without regard to race, religion, sex, color, national origin, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, veteran status, status as a protected veteran, or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state, and local law.