Senior Director, Radar Technical Program Manager

LeoLabs, Inc.; Menlo Park (CA); On-site; USD 230,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

LeoLabs, Inc. is seeking a Senior Director, Radar Technical Program Manager to lead the integrated technical execution of our most complex radar, hardware, production, and infrastructure programs.

You will cohere the Radar organization around a single execution plan spanning systems engineering, RF/electromechanical engineering, software, supply chain, manufacturing, and site development. You will translate product objectives and customer commitments into credible engineering plans, identify

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, physics, computer science, or related technical field, or equivalent experience.
• 12+ years of experience in engineering, systems engineering, or technical program management.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary systems from concept to deployment in hardware-heavy environments.
• Experience with complex electronic, RF, or electromechanical systems in aerospace/defense/space contexts.
• Ability to build integrated engineering plans and manage milestones, resources, and risks.

Responsibilities

• Lead multidisciplinary radar, hardware, manufacturing, deployment, and operational-readiness programs from definition through completion.
• Translate product requirements and customer commitments into program definitions with clear scope and milestones.
• Own the integrated program baseline and cross-functional commitments for scope, schedule, cost, readiness, and risk.

Skills

Executive communication

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering/physics/computer science

Tools

PLM

ERP

Scheduling software

Engineering work management systems

Job description

Why LeoLabs?

At LeoLabs, we’re building theliving map of activity in space.Through our proprietary global radar network and AI-enabled analytics platform, we collect millions of measurements daily on more than 25,000 objects in low Earth orbit (LEO).Our radar-powered intelligence protects billions in assets, monitors adversarial behavior, and ensures safe operations for commercial and government missions.

We’re not just building technology, we areredefining global security, safety, and transparency in space. As orbital activity accelerates and threats grow more complex, LeoLabs is atrusted partner for Space Domain Awareness, Space Traffic Management, and Satellite Operations for top-tier space operators and allied defense organizations.

If you’re looking to work on mission-critical challenges at the forefront of aerospace, national security, and AI, your impact starts here.

LeoLabsis seeking a Senior Director, Radar Technical Program Manager to lead theintegratedtechnical execution of our most complex radar, hardware, production, and infrastructure programs.

This roleis a senior technical leadership role responsible forcoalescingthe entire Radar organization around a single, credible execution planwhich will bevisibleacross the enterprise.The roleoperatesacrossthe Radar organization, spanningradarsystems engineering, RF andelectromechanical engineering,software andembedded systems,supply chain,manufacturing,EHS,site development, integration, test, operations, and maintenance.

You willalsopartnerclosely with Product, customer-facingProgramManagement,Finance, and othercross-functional teams.You will translate productobjectivesand customer commitments into credible engineering plans,identifysystem-level dependencies, resolve blockers, andown theintegratedexecutionplanof recordfrom development through operational deployment.

You will initially lead several high-priority initiatives and, as the portfolio grows,build and leada small team of technically credible program leaders.

Successin this rolerequires technical depth, engineering judgment, systems thinking, practical hardware-development experience, and the ability to engage credibly with senior engineers while driving complex programs to measurable outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

Lead Complex Technical Programs

• Lead multidisciplinary radar, hardware, manufacturing, deployment, and operational-readiness programs from definition through completion.
• Translate product requirements, technicalobjectives, customer commitments, and operational needs into program definitions withclearscope, success criteria, major milestones, interfaces, dependencies, and decision points.
• Drive execution through ambiguity, evolving requirements, incomplete information, and aggressive schedules whilemaintainingaccountability for overall program outcomes.

Ownthe RadarProgram Plan of Record

• Coordinate execution across Radar Systems, Hardware Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Global Infrastructure, Radar Operations,Product, and customer-facing Program Management.
• Own the integrated technical program baseline and cross-functional commitments for scope, schedule, cost, readiness, and risk. Establish change control and drive escalation and recovery,and ensure decisions are made byappropriate functionalauthority.Productretainsroadmap and prioritization authoritywhileengineering leadersretaintechnical design authority.
• Build schedules that reflect engineering maturity, critical paths, long-lead materials, supplier and site dependencies, resource contention, and schedule risk.
• Assess the downstream schedule and resource effects of architecture changes,componentsubstitutions, test failures, supplier delays, and scope changes, and update the plan of record accordingly.

Lead Technical Readiness, Risk, and Change Management

• Define and leadtechnical and deployment readinessreviewsacross the product lifecycle, fromrequirementsandarchitecturethroughdesign release, prototype builds, verification and validation,product readiness, site integration,acceptance, and operational handoff.
• Establish entry and exit criteriaand ensure reviews evaluate technical and deployment maturity, test evidence, configuration status, documentation, and residual risk.
• Partner with the responsible engineersand functionalleadersto ensuretechnicaldecisionsand changesare evidence-basedand made by theappropriate authority.
• Manage technical risks, issues, assumptions, dependencies, changes, and decisions; surface material problems early and drive root-cause analysis and recovery planning.
• Partner with customer-facing Program Management tomaintaintraceability fromcontractual milestones and customeracceptance criteriatotechnical baselines, verificationrequirements andevidence, and executable delivery plans.

Support Prototype Development, Production, and Deployment

• Coordinate the transition of radar and hardware products from engineering development into repeatable production.
• Integrate design release, materials,DfX, tooling, test equipment, calibration, quality, labor, capacity, yield, and costtargetsinto credibleproduction plans.
• Partner with Supply Chain to incorporate supplier capability, lead times, material availability, obsolescence, and alternate-sourcereadinessinto program schedules and risk assessments.
• Coordinate technical resolution of issues discovered during prototype, pilot, and production builds, and incorporate lessons intosubsequentdesign and program baselines.
• Integrate site development, regulatory dependencies,logistics, installation, system integration, acceptance testing, and operational readiness into deploymentschedules.
• Defineclear handoff criteriaforRadar Operations andMaintenanceteams andestablishfeedback loopsthatinform sustaining-engineering priorities.

Provide Technical Program Leadership

• Provide concise, forward-looking program reviews to the SVPandothermembers ofLeoLabs’ extended leadership team, including milestone confidence, critical-path changes, key dependencies, resource conflicts, and recovery options.
• Present the technical, schedule, cost, and operational consequences of major decisions andidentifythe decision or supportrequiredfrom leadership.
• Maintain a portfolio-level view of major milestones, dependencies, risks, and capacity constraints.
• Partner with Radarteam businessoperations and FP&A to connect scope and schedule changes to budget, cost, and margin impacts.
• Ensure external commitments are backed by credible technical execution plans.
• Build and lead a scalabletechnical program management functionthat enables engineering and functional leaders tofocus ontechnical quality,organization capacity,and functional execution.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a technically credible, detail-orientedprogram leader who hasoperatedat the intersection of engineering, hardware development, manufacturing, and deployment. You bring enough technical depth to challenge assumptions and understand system-level tradeoffs, combined with the organizational judgement to drive execution across teams without direct authority. You are comfortable operating at both the executive and engineering levels and know how to turn ambiguity into clear decisions, accountable plans, and measurable outcomes.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree inengineering, physics, computer science, or another relevant technical discipline, or equivalent technical experience.
• 12+years of experience in engineering, systems engineering, technical program management, hardware program leadership, or a related field.
• Demonstrated success leading multidisciplinary systems from concept through development, prototype builds, verification, production readiness, integration, deployment, and operational use.
• Experience with complex electronic, RF, or electromechanical systems in aerospace, defense,space,telecommunications, or another hardware-intensive environment.
• Strong understanding of requirements, interfaces, architecture, verification, validation, configuration, and technical risk.
• Experience integrating hardware, software, manufacturing, supplychain, test, infrastructure, and operational workstreams.
• Experience building integrated engineering plans and managing milestones, critical paths, assumptions, resource constraints, and recovery plans.
• Ability to challenge technical assumptions andinfluenceseniorengineeringleaders.
• Exceptional written, verbal, and executive communication skills.
• Eligibility to obtain andmaintaina U.S. personnel security clearance and satisfy applicable U.S. export-control requirements.
• Experience managing international infrastructure, permitting, spectrum, regulatory, or site-acceptance dependencies.
• Familiarity with requirements-management, PLM, ERP, scheduling, and engineering-work-management systems.
• Experience leading, mentoring,and developing technical program managers or other cross-functional program leaders, with the ability to build scalable program-management practices.

What Success Looks Like

• Within 30 days, you willdevelop a working understandingofLeoLabs’ radar systems, active programs, deployments, and operatingmodels, and begin leading one or two priority programs.
• Within 90 days, you willestablishintegrated plans for priority initiatives, create visibility into milestones and critical paths, implement a decision-oriented program review, and introduce practical readiness and risk-management practices.
• Within six months, you will improve coordination across engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, infrastructure, deployment, and operations;establishcredible baselines and forecasts; andbuildappropriate TPMcoverage for priority programs.
• Withintwelvemonths, you willown andoperatea trusted technical program-management capability supporting radar products, commercial hardware,research and development,production, deployment, and sustaining initiatives. Functional leaders will spend less time acting as de facto project managers.LeoLabsleadership will have a credible view of the Radar organization’s full technical execution schedule, risks, and resource constraints.

The base salary range for this position is $$230,000-$250,000+ bonus + stock options + benefits

Compensation Note

The salary range for this position is benchmarked based on the designated primary work location for the role. Final compensation may vary depending on the selected candidate’s work location, applicable market data, experience, qualifications, and other job-related factors.

ITAR Requirements
To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. More information regarding ITAR can be found at DDTC’s website

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identify, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.