Program Planner, U.S. Government Programs

York Space Systems; Greenwood Village (CO); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

100% employer-paid medical insurance

Company holidays and floating holidays

Unlimited PTO

Generous 401(k) match

Job summary

York Space Systems in Greenwood Village, CO, seeks a Program Planner to support U.S. Government missions, coordinating schedules, cross-functional teams, and rapid decision-making in a fast-paced defense startup.

You will work closely with Program Managers, engineers, and operations to deliver milestones, analyze data, and drive efficient execution on-site in Colorado.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in project planning in fast-paced/high-tech/defense environment.
• Strong technical aptitude regarding the satellite development lifecycle and DoD/government programs experience is valued.
• Ability to break down complex problems and coordinate teams to deliver solutions quickly.

Responsibilities

• Translate forecasts and work scopes into a time-phased production plan.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (engineering, production, finance, supply chain) to manage schedules.
• Identify risks and implement mitigation strategies with program managers.
• Develop and maintain schedule performance metrics and provide data-driven insights.
• Support proposals for future satellite missions.

Skills

Oral communication

Written communication

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Microsoft Project

Job description

Program Planner, U.S. Government Programs

Greenwood Village, CO, 6060 South Willow Drive, Greenwood Village, Colorado, United States of America

Job Description

York Space Systems was founded to radically improve spacecraft affordability and reliability, transforming, and enabling next- generation space mission operations worldwide. Today, York is one of the most innovative aerospace companies, specializing in end-to-end customer solutions and the rapid production of spacecraft platforms. York’s complete Space Segment Solution includes spacecraft production, payload integration, system integration & test, launch services, ground segment services, and mission operations, enabling customers to leverage York’s existing technology solutions to get to orbit rapidly and responsively. We’re looking to expand our team across the board.

Are you ready to accelerate your career and help deliver game-changing satellites to U.S. government customers at commercial speed? We are seeking a highly motivated and results-oriented Program Planner to support our critical satellite missions.

In this fast-paced environment, the Planner works directly with our Program Managers, gaining hands-on experience by tackling daily operational challenges, coordinating cross-functional teams, and making rapid, data-driven decisions that drive mission success. This role is ideal for an aspiring Program Planner looking to take the next step and absorb the "get it done" culture of a high-growth defense startup.

This role will be fully on-site in our Greenwood Village, Colorado office.

Key Responsibilities and Focus Areas

The Planner will support Programs across all aspects of program execution, focusing on rapid delivery and operational efficiency:

Accelerated Program Execution Support

• Life-Cycle Coordination: Assist in managing the schedules for entire program lifecycle from contract negotiation support through design, build, test, and on-orbit operations, focusing on efficient delivery timelines that challenge traditional aerospace schedules.
• Creative Problem Solving: Identify no/low-cost solutions to keep the program on track and support the challenge of lengthy engineering solutions to drive efficient changes.
• Workflow Management: Assist in implementing and evolving agile program planning methodologies that adapt to changing customer.
• Data Analysis & Reporting: Own and maintain key schedule performance metrics, tracking progress and program health with real-time data visualization tools.
• Risk Mitigation: Analyze data trends to identify and proactively mitigate program risks, communicating insights across the team and to the Program Manager.
• Financial Tracking: Support budget management efforts, track program milestones, and assist in maintaining program financial targets with a constant focus on increasing efficiency.

High-Impact Team Interaction

• Cross-functional Coordination: Coordinate schedules with cross-functional integrated teams of engineers and operators (engineering, production, finance, and supply chain).
• Mentorship & Culture: Absorb institutional knowledge from the Program Management team and embody the company’s high-performance, ownership-driven culture.
• Communication Flow: Facilitate clear communication of complex technical and programmatic information between engineers, the Program Manager, and diverse internal/external stakeholders across both unclassified/classified environments.
• Business Support: Contribute to proposals for future satellite missions.
• Creative Problem Solving: Find creative and no/low-cost recommendations to keep your program on track. Challenge lengthy or difficult engineering solutions for the team to drive towards effective and efficient changes.

Daily Work Responsibilities

• Translate projected forecasts, incoming volume, and work scopes into a production plan with a time-phased build schedule.
• Work with customer base to determine weekly inbound forecast and develop models to improve accuracy.
• Identify key performance indicators of forecast accuracy that align with key program milestones.
• Ensure the interaction of a firm’s functional managers, and track and maintain the forecast through timely and accurate feedback.
• Schedule demand based on the product mix and provide accurate commitment dates to customer service team across multiple programs.
• Create and manage schedules for programs and summarize them at the enterprise level.
• Collaborate with Program Managers to identify resources (human and physical) that are necessary for each program.
• Help to identify and mitigate risks, look across programs to identify systemic challenges and solution development.
• Develop strong relationships across the organization through effective communication.
• Facilitate communication and acceptance of key milestones across the organization using graphics and data products.
• Engage with program managers effectively through strong presentation and interpersonal skills.
• Support program managers in customer or supplier engagement if requested.
• Identify opportunities for continuous improvement across the program management organization.
• Other Duties as Assigned.

This role will not have direct reports.

Qualifications

Required for the Role

• 3+ years of relevant experience in project planning within a fast-paced, high-tech, or defense environment. Bachelor’s degree required.
• Strong technical aptitude or fluency regarding the satellite development lifecycle, from system design to testing phases. Experience supporting programs for DoD or other government agencies is highly valued.
• Proven ability to break down complex problems into manageable tasks and coordinate teams to deliver solutions quickly and effectively.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Project scheduling and analysis.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Must be a U.S. Citizen and either hold or be able to obtain a U.S. government security clearance, often at the TS/SCI level.
• Willingness to work full-time in office in Greenwood Village, CO.

Preferred for the Role

• Prior hands-on experience in satellite or space system operations/testing.
• Experience in a high-growth startup environment is highly valued.
• Familiarity or experience with modern Agile methodologies (e.g., Scrum, SAFe) applied to hardware.
• CAM and Agile Project Management certifications preferred.

In compliance with local law, we are disclosing the compensation, or a range thereof, for roles in locations where legally required. Actual salaries will vary based on several factors, including but not limited to external market data, internal equity, location, skill set, experience, and/or performance.

Benefits

• 100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance (subject to spousal surcharge).
• Company holidays, floating holidays, and sick time.
• Unlimited PTO.
• Generous 401(k) match.

York Space Systems provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, military or protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. Must have permanent authorization to work in the United States. This policy applies to all terms and conditions or employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training. YORK SPACE SYSTEMS IS AN EEO EMPLOYER.