Program Manager (NASA JSC)

Socket.dev; Webster (TX); On-site; USD 154,000 - 278,000; Full time

Job summary

Leidos has a contingent opening for a Program Manager supporting NASA contracts in the Exploration, Environment & Earth Intelligence Division. You will lead performance, budgets, and staffing while coordinating with CO/COR and customer leadership.

The role emphasizes strategic program leadership, risk and financial management, and development of multiproject plans across spaceflight software and simulation domains. US citizenship required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field with at least 15 years' relevant technical and/or supervisory/management experience.
• A minimum of 5 years' program management experience supporting a technical program or large task order valued at $30M+ annually.
• Experience managing IDIQ contracts, including FFP and cost-reimbursable CLINs/Tasks.
• Experience overseeing simulation/modeling and aerospace software development activities.
• Experience supporting AS9100 or equivalent quality systems.
• Strong leadership in financial, risk, and change management.
• Proven ability to lead multifunctional teams in a matrixed org and build partnerships.
• Experience supporting business development and executive-level communication.

Responsibilities

• Serve as single point of accountability for overall contract performance including scope, cost, schedule, staffing and quality.
• Act as primary contact for CO, COR, and customer technical leadership.
• Build relationships to ensure customer satisfaction and contract success.
• Plan and manage multiple teams across technical scope areas for spaceflight/software related work.
• Assess software requirements and flight software safety-critical and non-safety critical aspects.
• Oversee contract labor, equipment, and supplies budgets; coordinate with leaders and partners.
• Ensure compliance with quality, safety, OCI, property, and IT security obligations.
• Maintain optimal program structure with skilled personnel across disciplines.
• Manage external relationships with partner companies and clients.
• Communicate program status per contract requirements and with Leidos management.
• Support proposal, recompete, and new business opportunities; mentor staff.

Skills

Program management

Leadership

Communication

Budgeting

Risk management

Stakeholder management

Strategic planning

Team building

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/CS

Tools

Simulation software

Modeling tools

Spaceflight software

Software lab management

Job description

Leidos has a contingent opening for a Program Manager (PM) supporting the Exploration, Environment & Earth Intelligence Division within Leidos. This position will execute and implement strategy, support services and overall contractor activities and deliverables for NASA contracts. The PM serves as the primary point of contact for the customer and provides technical supervision, and manages contractor personnel assigned to the program. The PM is responsible for assessing the market for new and innovative projects and professional services, and in partnership with business development, supports activities for on-contract growth and new business opportunities. The ideal candidate will live near NASA JSC.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Serving as the single point of accountability for overall contract performance, managing scope, cost, schedule, staffing, and technical quality.

• Primary point of contact for the Contracting Officer (CO), Contracting Officer's Representative (COR), and customer technical leadership.

• Building strong relationships with customers ensuring complete customer satisfaction

• Planning, organizing and managing multiple teams led by managers and/or supervisors to meet contact requirements across multiple technical scope areas:

  • Supporting systems engineering & integration, and analyses for simulation and spaceflight software
  • Developing and maintaining simulation models, applications and products (including virtual reality products) for training and engineering analysis.
  • Maintaining and verifying spaceflight software (including software lab management)
  • Developing and testing models and hardware for guidance, navigation, communication and advanced robotics, and supporting advanced spaceflight software R&D
  • Assessing software requirements/designs/certification/etc. for space vehicle system management, and developing human-rated safety-critical and non-safety critical spaceflight software

• Working with task and functional leaders, other companies and support personnel, defining approach and schedules with assigned personnel, and establishing budgets for contract labor resources, equipment, and supplies.

• Oversight of contract management tasks to meet quality, safety, OCI, property management, and information/IT security obligations defined per contract provisions.

• Ensuring that the program organizational structure is optimal and staffed with the appropriate levels of skills across multiple disciplines within a contract.

• Managing external relationships with other companies and clients.

• Communicating program status to customer per contact requirements and to Leidos Management.

• Support proposal, recompete, and business-growth activities, including identification of adjacent mission work and positioning for follow-on task orders.

• Mentoring and developing employees for future career growth opportunities.

Required Education and Experience:

• Bachelor degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field with at least 15 years' relevant technical and/or supervisory/management experience. A minimum of 5 years' program management experience supporting a technical program, contract, or large, multifaceted task order with an annual value of $30M or greater is required.

• Experience managing IDIQ contracts, including Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) and cost-reimbursable CLINs/Task Orders.

• Management experience overseeing simulation and modeling and/or aerospace software development activities.

• Experience supporting AS9100 or equivalent quality management systems.

• Demonstrated leadership in financial and business management, performance and process management, resource management, risk assessment and management, and organizational change management.

• Experience leading multifunctional teams in a matrixed organization and building strategic alliances and partnerships to accomplish customer and program objectives.

• Experience supporting business development processes and activities.

• Excellent written, verbal, and executive-level communication skills, with demonstrated ability to present to and interact effectively with stakeholders at all organizational levels.

• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills, including mentoring, coaching, collaboration, and team building, combined with strong analytical, planning, organizational, and problem‑solving skills and the ability to manage competing priorities.

Desired Skills:

• NASA and/or space industry experience within the last 3 years

• Project Management Professional Certification (PMP) or Program Management Professional Certification (PgMP)

• Strong knowledge and understanding of business needs with the ability to establish/maintain high level of customer trust and confidence

• Ability to focus on details while maintaining a broader perspective

Must be able to obtain a Public Trust Clearance; due to contract requirements, U.S. Citizenship or U.S. Permanent residency is required.

If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo — because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 — and moving faster than anyone else dares.

Original Posting:

September 18, 2026

For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above.

Pay Range:

Pay Range $154,050.00 - $278,475.00

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline onlyand not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.