Program Manager

SAIC; El Segundo (CA); On-site; USD 160,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

SAIC’s Horizon 2 program seeks a Program Manager to lead a complex Space Combat Power systems acquisition for the US Space Force, based in El Segundo, CA.

You will apply advanced PM principles to shape and deliver next‑gen capability, coordinating space, ground, and mission segments with rapid acquisition frameworks and WAS compliance.

Qualifications

• Bachelors and 15+ years of related experience; Masters and 13+ years.
• Must have an in-scope security background investigation (T5 or SSBI) and SCI eligibility.
• Willing to undergo a Polygraph examination and access to Sensitive Compartment Information.

Responsibilities

• Support the Government Program Manager guiding acquisition strategies, schedules, resources, contracting, and budgeting.
• Oversee all aspects of program execution including milestones, risk management, testing, and contractor management.
• Drive cross‑functional communications for seamless space, ground, and segment integration.
• Organize TIMs and staff meetings to track progress and address risks.
• Apply configuration and change management to ICDs, milestones, and performance goals.
• Evaluate contractor designs and milestone reviews, assessing progress and risks.
• Manage independent reviews to validate system effectiveness.
• Provide guidance on funding commitments and expenditures to ensure on‑time delivery.
• Advocate for rapid delivery within WAS framework for space systems.

Skills

Program management

DoD / government acquisition

Leadership

Risk management

Budgeting & financial oversight

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

Job description

Description

SAIC’s Horizon 2 program is seeking a highly skilled and dynamic Program Manager to lead a complex systems acquisition and perform project management within the Space Combat Power systems portfolio. This role requires extensive expertise in government weapon systems acquisition, program management, strategic planning, and program integration to support the U.S. Space Force (USSF) Space Systems Command (SSC). This position is located in El Segundo, CA .

You will serve as a critical embedded member of the Government applying advanced project management principles to shape and deliver the next generation capability. The role emphasizes leveraging tailored, rapid acquisition frameworks while integrating space, ground, and mission segments. Your management expertise will be instrumental in driving program planning, risk mitigation, financial oversight, and execution excellence in alignment with the evolving Warfighting Acquisition System (WAS) philosophy.

Fun stuff you will do on the job:

• Support the Government Program Manager guiding acquisition strategies, program schedules, resource allocation, contracting actions, and budgeting to align with mission objectives and priorities.




• Oversee all aspects of program execution, including delivery milestones, risk management, testing, system integration, and contractor management.




• Drive cross-functional communication to ensure seamless integration of government and contractor teams across space, ground, and communication segments.




• Organize and execute periodic technical interchange meetings (TIMs) and staff meetings to track progress, identify risks, and course-correct as necessary.




• Apply advanced configuration and change management practices to ensure consistency and traceability across all program artifacts, including Interface Control Documents (ICDs), Performance Goals, and milestones.




• Evaluate contractor system designs and milestone reviews, providing timely assessments of technical progress, risks, and the ability to achieve mission requirements.




• Manage independent technical and programmatic reviews to validate system effectiveness.




• Provide expert guidance on funding commitments, obligations, and expenditures, ensuring effective utilization of resources with a focus on on-time project delivery.




• Advocate for deliberate risk-taking, speed in delivery execution, and adherence to the Warfighting Acquisition System (WAS) for rapid capability fielding.

Qualifications

This is you:

• Bachelors and fifteen (15) years or more of related experience; Masters and thirteen (13) years or more experience.




• Must have an in-scope security background investigation (T5 or SSBI), adjudicated for SCI eligibility and enrolled in the Continuous Evaluation program (if applicable).




• Must be willing to be nominated for access to Sensitive Compartment Information and Special Access Programs and willing to consent to a Polygraph examination.




• Program Management or leadership experience on complex systems.




• Demonstrated leadership skills in the Aerospace or DoD working across space, ground segment organizations to coordinate and identify system integration requirements that ensure end-to-end mission performance requirements are met.




• Experience serving as a team, project or program manager on performance-based contracts for the U.S. Government, experience developing cost and schedule deliverables and managing to baseline costs and schedules to include the identification and management of risks, demonstrated experience working with Air Force/DoD customers in an acquisition environment, with space and/or ground systems.




• Experience writing and delivering documents and briefings.




• Demonstrated interpersonal skills to enable working, interfacing, and interrelating with diverse personnel and dynamic teams.

Target salary range: $160,001 - $200,000. The estimate displayed represents the typical salary range for this position based on experience and other factors.

REQNUMBER: 2618370

SAIC is a premier technology integrator, solving our nation's most complex modernization and systems engineering challenges across the defense, space, federal civilian, and intelligence markets. Our robust portfolio of offerings includes high-end solutions in systems engineering and integration; enterprise IT, including cloud services; cyber; software; advanced analytics and simulation; and training. We are a team of 23,000 strong driven by mission, united purpose, and inspired by opportunity. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, SAIC has annual revenues of approximately $6.5 billion. For more information, visit saic.com. For information on the benefits SAIC offers, see Working at SAIC. EOE AA M/F/Vet/Disability