Program Manager

Karman Space and Defense; Huntington Beach (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

401(k) match

Paid time off

Health Savings Account (HSA)

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)

Life and AD&D insurance

Disability insurance

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Karman Space and Defense in Huntington Beach, CA seeks a Program Manager to lead complex defense programs from planning to delivery, ensuring cost, schedule, and quality objectives are met. You will coordinate across engineering, operations, and contracts while interfacing with customers and senior leadership.

The role requires a DoD Secret clearance (or ability to obtain) and a strong background in aerospace/defense program management, with opportunities to drive program growth and performance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor-level or higher in engineering, business program management, or related field.
• 5+ years supporting or managing aerospace/defense programs.
• DoD Secret security clearance or ability to obtain one.

Responsibilities

• Lead programs from planning through production and delivery, ensuring cost, schedule, technical, quality, and contractual goals are met.
• Coordinate execution across engineering, operations, quality, supply chain, contracts, finance, and test.
• Serve as primary interface with customers, prime contractors, government stakeholders, suppliers, and leadership.
• Identify and mitigate technical, programmatic, supply-chain, cost, and schedule risks.
• Lead program reviews and communicate financial performance and corrective actions.
• Support design reviews, test-readiness reviews, and production readiness reviews.
• Manage statements of work, contract changes, and customer requests.
• Support proposals, estimates, negotiations, and follow-on opportunities.

Skills

Program management

Aerospace/defense experience

Leadership

Customer interface

Education

Bachelor of Science in Engineering or Business Program Management

Master of Science or MBA

Job description

If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact this employer to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

Program Manager

Full Time Technical Huntington Beach, CA, US

Salary Range: $140,000.00 To $160,000.00 Annually

Karman Space & Defense is a leader in the rapid design, development, and production of critical, next-generation system solutions that align with the U.S. Department of War and its allies’ core mission priorities, and meet the accelerating demand for access to space. Building on nearly 50 years of success, we deliver Payload & Protection Systems, Aero/Hydrodynamic Interstage Systems, and Propulsion & Launch Systems to more than 80 prime contractors supporting over 130 space and defense programs.

In this role, you will lead complex defense programs from initial planning through production and delivery, ensuring they meet cost, schedule, technical, quality, contractual, and customer objectives. You will coordinate execution across engineering, operations, quality, supply chain, contracts, finance, and test teams while serving as a primary interface with customers and internal leadership. Your work will directly support the delivery of integrated missile, propulsion, launch, payload, and defense‑system hardware that meets stringent mission requirements.

Responsibilities

• Leads assigned programs through planning, development, qualification, production, delivery, and contract completion.
• Owns performance against cost, schedule, technical, quality, contractual, and customer objectives.
• Develops and maintains integrated program plans, schedules, budgets, milestones, resource requirements, and performance metrics.
• Coordinates cross‑functional execution across engineering, operations, quality, supply chain, contracts, finance, and test.
• Serves as a primary program interface for customers, prime contractors, government stakeholders, suppliers, and internal leadership.
• Identifies technical, programmatic, supply‑chain, cost, and schedule risks and drives mitigation and recovery plans.
• Leads recurring program reviews and communicates financial performance, risks, decisions, dependencies, and corrective actions.
• Supports design reviews, test‑readiness reviews, qualification activities, production readiness reviews, and customer acceptance events.
• Manages contractual deliverables, statements of work, program changes, customer requests, and scope changes.
• Supports proposals, estimates, contract negotiations, follow‑on opportunities, and program‑growth activities.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Business Program Management, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and directly relevant experience.
• 5+ years of experience supporting or managing aerospace, defense, advanced manufacturing, or similarly complex technical programs.
• A current U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Secret security clearance or the ability to obtain and maintain one.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master of Science or Master of Business Administration degree.
• Experience managing Department of Defense, U.S. government, allied‑defense, or prime‑contractor programs.
• Experience with missile systems, propulsion, launch systems, payload integration, separation systems, energetic devices, or related flight hardware.
• Experience managing programs from development through qualification and production.
• Knowledge of government contracting and fixed‑price, cost‑reimbursable, or incentive‑based contract structures.
• Experience with Earned Value Management, cost‑account management, or similar financial‑performance methods.
• Experience supporting proposals, estimates, negotiations, contract modifications, or follow‑on program capture.
• Project Management Professional certification or equivalent formal program‑management training.
• Experience with program scheduling, enterprise resource planning, or product lifecycle management systems.
• Experience leading engineering teams to develop mechanical and pyrotechnic components and systems.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid time off
• Health Savings Account (HSA) with company contribution
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Company-paid life and AD&D insurance
• Short‑and long‑term disability coverage
• Tuition reimbursement

Karman Space and Defense is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law.