Program Manager

Singularity Defense Corp.; Gardena (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Singularity, an aerospace and defense startup in Gardena, CA, seeks a Program Manager to lead fast-paced U.S. military and FMS programs.

You will translate contracts into executable plans, maintain baselines, and drive cross-functional execution across engineering, test, manufacturing, and logistics to meet customer missions. You will own the day-to-day controls, coordinate with government stakeholders, and ensure alignment with contract terms, milestones, and data rights.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience managing complex defense programs.
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business, program management, or related field.
• Experience managing cost, schedule, risk, requirements, deliverables, and cross-functional execution on a U.S. DoD contract or prototype effort.
• Hands-on experience building and maintaining integrated master schedules, work breakdown structures, risk registers, program review materials, and executive-level status reporting.
• Experience coordinating engineering development, hardware manufacturing, software integration, test planning, and supplier execution within an aggressive schedule.
• Working knowledge of Department of War acquisition and contracting processes, including Statements of Work, CDRLs, Government-furnished property or information, and formal review gates.
• Ability to convert ambiguous customer objectives into clear work packages, accountable owners, measurable completion criteria, and executable near-term priorities.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to brief senior Government, military, and company leaders with clarity and credibility.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance as required.
• Ability to travel approximately 15% to customer sites, integration facilities, suppliers, military ranges, and test events as program execution requires

Responsibilities

• Translate contracts and technical requirements into an integrated master schedule and deliverable plan.
• Maintain baselines, track actuals, forecast variances, and drive mitigation plans.
• Plan and coordinate program reviews and government acceptance packages.
• Maintain issue and risk registers with owner and due date.
• Prioritize programs and apply scalable PM processes across efforts.
• Coordinate IPTs across engineering, test, manufacturing, supply chain, and finance.
• Synchronize requirements, interfaces, and schedule with engineering and test leadership.
• Support planning for sensor, C2, fire-control interfaces and external networks.
• Manage subcontract planning, SOWs, and delivery tracking for hardware/software.
• Ensure baseline changes and artifacts are captured and traceable.
• Provide executive status updates with progress, forecast, risks, and actions.

Skills

Program management

Cost management

Schedule management

Risk management

Cross-functional leadership

Customer interface

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

MS Project

Earned Value

PM software

Job description

Singularity is an aerospace and defense startup headquartered in Gardena, CA. Our founding team hails from SpaceX, Anduril, and Lockheed Martin, and we are backed by Joint Staff-level military leadership and several Silicon Valley firms. Our first product is a low-cost air defense system built for immediate deployment worldwide. With a world-class business development and leadership team already in place, we are well positioned to capitalize on already overwhelming demand.

About the Role

We are looking for a Program Manager to help lead execution of fast-paced U.S. military and FMS programs involving tactical counter-air, integrated fires, and command-and-control integration. Reporting to the Director of Program Management, you will own the day-to-day program controls that turn contract scope, technical baselines, test plans, customer commitments, and business priorities into an executable plan. The position will be primarily aligned to U.S military programs while retaining the flexibility to support other FMS programs as they are awarded. This is a hands-on role for a disciplined leader who can manage cost, schedule, risk, deliverables, and cross-functional execution across multiple efforts without losing focus on the primary customer’s mission.

Key Responsibilities

Program Execution & Controls

• Integrated Program Execution: Translate contracts, Other Transaction Authority agreements, Statements of Work, milestones, and technical requirements into an integrated master schedule, work breakdown structure, deliverable register, and near‑term resource plan.
• Cost, Schedule, & Risk: Maintain program execution baselines, track actuals and forecasts, identify cost and schedule variance, and drive mitigation or recovery plans before issues affect customer commitments.
• Milestone Management: Plan and coordinate program reviews, payable milestone evidence, entrance and exit criteria, action closure, and Government acceptance packages.
• Decision Discipline: Maintain decision, action, assumption, dependency, and risk registers so every major issue has an owner, due date, and documented impact to the baseline.
• Multi-Program Support: Prioritize assigned programs while applying scalable program‑management processes to other awarded efforts based on company needs and leadership direction.

Cross‑Functional Integration

• Integrated Product Team Leadership: Coordinate engineering, test, manufacturing, supply chain, quality, contracts, finance, configuration management, logistics, and business operations across a deliverable‑based IPT structure.
• Technical & Test Alignment: Partner with engineering and test leadership to keep requirements, interfaces, design maturity, manufacturing readiness, range planning, safety, verification evidence, and schedule synchronized.
• C2 & System Integration Coordination: Support planning and execution for sensor, command‑and‑control, fire‑control, launcher, interceptor, tactical data link, and external network interfaces, including Government and industry dependencies.
• Supplier & Subcontractor Execution: Support subcontract planning, statements of work, purchase priorities, delivery tracking, and recovery actions for critical hardware, software, and services.
• Configuration & Deliverable Control: Ensure baseline changes, customer direction, technical data, and contract artifacts are captured, reviewed, approved, and traceable.

Customer & Contract Interface

• Customer Coordination: Serve as a principal day‑to‑day program interface with customer program, technical, contracting, test, range, and operational stakeholders; prepare clear status, decision, and issue packages.
• Additional Program Support: Build and maintain credibility with other Government stakeholders when assigned to support active or newly awarded programs.
• Contract Execution: Work with contracts, finance, and technical leads to align execution with contract terms, milestones, data rights, reporting requirements, and acceptance criteria.
• Government Dependencies: Track Government‑furnished information, equipment, facilities, range access, platform or network interfaces, approvals, and other dependencies required for execution and testing.
• Executive Reporting: Provide concise, decision‑ready updates covering progress, forecast, risks, financial status, dependencies, and recommended actions.

Basic Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience managing complex defense, aerospace, missile, integrated fires, command‑and‑control, autonomy, maritime, or similarly hardware‑intensive development programs
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business, program management, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience
• Experience managing cost, schedule, risk, requirements, deliverables, and cross‑functional execution on a U.S. Department of War contract or prototype effort
• Hands‑on experience building and maintaining integrated master schedules, work breakdown structures, risk registers, program review materials, and executive‑level status reporting
• Experience coordinating engineering development, hardware manufacturing, software integration, test planning, and supplier execution within an aggressive schedule
• Working knowledge of Department of War acquisition and contracting processes, including Statements of Work, CDRLs or equivalent deliverables, Government‑furnished property or information, and formal review gates
• Ability to convert ambiguous customer objectives into clear work packages, accountable owners, measurable completion criteria, and executable near‑term priorities
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to brief senior Government, military, and company leaders with clarity and credibility
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance as required
• Ability to travel approximately 15% to customer sites, integration facilities, suppliers, military ranges, and test events as program execution requires

Preferred Qualifications

The following experience is preferred but not required. Candidates with strong adjacent program‑management and system‑integration experience are encouraged to apply.

• Direct experience supporting U.S Military Program Executive Offices or Project Management Office, particularly PAE Fires or Missile Defense Agency
• Familiarity with the PAE Fires portfolio and the Army integrated fires enterprise, including engagement with PAE Fires or related program, engineering, and integration organizations
• Working knowledge of Integrated Battle Command System (IBCS), Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD), or comparable joint or service command‑and‑control and fire‑control architectures
• Experience coordinating C2 integration involving sensors, tactical data links, engagement planning, fire‑control functions, launchers, interceptors, or external networks
• Understanding of Army air defense, counter‑unmanned aircraft systems, indirect fire protection, or integrated fires mission areas
• Experience with Army or joint test organizations, operational demonstrations, range coordination, safety approvals, and verification or acceptance evidence
• Experience executing prototype Other Transaction Authority agreements, including payable milestones, evidence packages, modifications, and Government acceptance
• Experience managing concurrent development, qualification, manufacturing, software integration, ground test, flight test, and demonstration activities
• Experience with configuration management, earned value or equivalent performance measurement, supply‑chain risk, and production readiness
• Direct experience as a Deputy Program Manager, Program Manager, IPT Lead, or Program Controls Lead in a defense environment
• PMP, DAWIA, or equivalent program‑management or acquisition certification
• Active or recently active U.S. Secret clearance or higher
• Experience supporting a non‑traditional defense contractor or high‑growth defense technology company