Program Manager

Element Materials Technology; Los Angeles, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Element Materials Technology in Los Angeles is seeking a hands-on Program Manager to lead customer aerospace programs focused on precision cleaning, contamination control, and hardware processing. You will interface with engineering, operations, quality, and customers to ensure on-time delivery within scope and in full compliance with NASA, DoD, and commercial standards.

The role requires strong technical fluency, operational discipline, and the ability to manage high-stakes hardware through

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Aerospace, Chemical, or related field).
• 5–10+ years of experience in aerospace, defense, or space industry.
• 3+ years in program/project management roles.
• Strong understanding of quality systems.
• Proven ability to manage complex, technically demanding programs.

Responsibilities

• Lead full lifecycle program management from contract award through delivery.
• Maintain program schedules, milestones, and deliverables.
• Align customer requirements with internal execution and budgets.
• Drive on-time delivery with strict quality and contamination control standards.
• Coordinate with engineering, operations, and quality teams for validation and improvement.
• Manage budgets, margins, and contract changes.

Skills

Program management

Aerospace experience

Quality systems

Customer interface

Risk management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering

Job description

Overview

The Program Manager (PM) is responsible for leading customer programs related to precision cleaning, contamination control, and processing of aerospace and spaceflight hardware. This role sits at the intersection of engineering, operations, quality, and customer interface, ensuring that all programs are executed on time, within scope, and in full compliance with stringent industry and customer requirements (e.g., NASA, DoD, and commercial space standards).

This is a hands-on role requiring strong technical fluency, operational discipline, and the ability to manage high-stakes hardware through tightly controlled cleaning and verification processes.

Salary: $90,000- $120,000/yr DOE

Responsibilities

Program Leadership & Execution

• Own full lifecycle program management from contract award through delivery
• Develop and maintain program schedules, milestones, and deliverables
• Ensure alignment between customer requirements and internal execution
• Drive on-time delivery while maintaining strict quality and contamination control standards
• Identify risks early and implement mitigation strategies

Customer Interface

• Serve as the primary point of contact for customers
• Lead technical discussions, status reviews, and program updates
• Translate customer specifications into actionable internal requirements
• Manage scope changes, pricing impacts, and contract modifications

Technical Oversight

• Develop deep understanding of precision cleaning processes (e.g., aqueous, solvent, ultrasonic, vacuum bakeout)
• Ensure compliance with applicable standards (e.g., IEST, ASTM, NASA contamination control requirements)
• Partner with engineering and quality teams on process validation, nonconformance resolution, and continuous improvement
• Review and approve technical work instructions, travelers, and acceptance criteria

Operations Coordination

• Coordinate across production, quality, lab/testing, and logistics teams
• Balance capacity, throughput, and priority programs
• Drive efficiency improvements without compromising compliance or cleanliness levels
• Support scheduling and resource planning

Quality & Compliance

• Ensure programs meet internal and external quality management requirements
• Support audits (customer, regulatory, internal)
• Participate in root cause analysis and corrective actions for program-related issues
• Maintain documentation traceability and configuration control

Financial & Contract Management

• Manage program budgets, margins, and cost tracking
• Support quoting and proposal development
• Identify opportunities for upsell or expanded scope within existing accounts

Skills / Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Aerospace, Chemical, or related field)
• 5–10+ years of experience in aerospace, defense, or space industry
• 3+ years in program/project management roles
• Strong understanding of quality systems
• Proven ability to manage complex, technically demanding programs

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with precision cleaning, contamination control, or high-spec manufacturing environments
• Experience supporting spaceflight programs
• Familiarity with standards such as: IEST-STD-CC1246 (cleanliness levels)
• Familiarity with standards such as: ASTM G93 / G94 (cleaning for oxygen service)
• Familiarity with standards such as: NASA-STD-6016 / NASA-STD-5008
• Experience in cleanroom operations (ISO Class 5–8 environments)
• Background in materials, surface chemistry, or contamination engineering

Company Overview

Element is one of the fastest growing testing, inspection and certification businesses in the world. Globally we have more than 9,000 brilliant minds operating from 270 sites across 30 countries. Together we share an ambitious purpose to ‘Make tomorrow safer than today’.

When failure in use is not an option, we help customers make certain that their products, materials, processes and services are safe, compliant and fit for purpose. From early R&D, through complex regulatory approvals and into production, our global laboratory network of scientists, engineers, and technologists support customers to achieve assurance over product quality, sustainable outcomes, and market access.

While we are proud of our global reach, working at Element feels like being part of a smaller company. We empower you to take charge of your career, and reward excellence and integrity with growth and development.

Industries across the world depend on our care, attention to detail and the absolute accuracy of our work. The role we have to play in creating a safer world is much bigger than our organization.

Diversity Statement

At Element, we always take pride in putting our people first. We are an equal opportunity employer that recognizes diversity and inclusion as fundamental to our Vision of becoming “the world’s most trusted testing partner”.

All suitably qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment on the basis of objective work related criteria and without regard for the following: age, disability, ethnic origin, gender, marital status, race, religion, responsibility of dependents, sexual orientation, or gender identity or other characteristics in accordance with the applicable governing laws or other characteristics in accordance with the applicable governing laws.

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)