Senior Program Manager

Salientmotion; Torrance (CA); On-site; USD 175,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Job summary

Salient Motion is hiring a Senior Program Manager to lead our commercial and defense actuation programs. You will turn customer requirements and engineering ideas into qualified hardware for demanding applications, owning execution end-to-end and coordinating a small but skilled cross-functional team.

Reporting to the Chief Strategy Officer, you will shape schedules, manage priorities, and keep customers aligned while navigating ITAR/EAR and DFARS requirements in a startup-like environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, or related field.
• 6–8+ years of program management in aerospace/defense or high-tech hardware.
• Direct experience on defense or government programs.
• Knowledge of ITAR/EAR, DFARS, and CMMC.
• Experience with cost, schedule, and technical performance on hardware development; EVM.
• Lean environment where processes are still being built.
• Strong systems thinking and ability to connect technical detail to business goals.
• Proven cross-functional team leadership.
• Excellent communicator with engineers, executives, and customers.
• Willingness to wear multiple hats and shift priorities quickly.

Responsibilities

• Own the program from requirements and early design through qualification, production, and sustainment.
• Build and maintain integrated master schedules, budgets, and risk and opportunity registers.
• Connect engineering, supply chain, operations, and quality to keep the team moving through phase gates.
• Interface with customers as the primary facing lead for defense primes and government stakeholders.
• Execute programs in accordance with ITAR/EAR, and DFARS requirements.
• Drive qualification readiness with engineering and quality to deliver compliant hardware.
• Operate with startup agility to balance speed, cost, and quality.
• Report program health to executives with actionable recommendations.

Skills

Program management

A&D experience

ITAR/EAR

DFARS

EVM

Lean environment

Systems thinking

Cross-functional leadership

Excellent communicator

Adaptable

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Applicants must be U.S. Citizens or U.S. Permanent Residents (Green Card holders) to meet customer and regulatory requirements.

Who We Are

We are pioneering modular motion technologies to power the next generation of innovation for Industrial, Aerospace and Defense. If you're excited about disrupting legacy industries, and passionate about building the financial infrastructure behind cutting‑edge hardware, let's chat!

We are at the forefront of innovation, crafting exclusive motion control components that propel the industrial, aerospace, and defense sectors into the future.

A couple other things:

• We offer a lot of autonomy
• We like to run lean for impact
• We have great benefits
• We are well funded, and already generating revenue
• We're currently in Torrance, CA, but will be moving into a new facility in Hawthorne, CA in the summer!

About the Role

We are hiring a Senior Program Manager to lead our commercial & defense actuation programs. This is a role for someone who makes things happen: turning customer requirements and engineering innovation into qualified, delivered hardware for demanding actuation applications. You will own program execution end to end, coordinate a small but highly skilled cross‑functional team, manage technical and contractual priorities, and keep commercial, prime and government customers aligned and confident in our progress. In our environment you will not just track schedules; you will help build them, shape decisions, and step in wherever needed to deliver. This role reports directly to the Chief Strategy Officer and carries meaningful executive visibility.

What You’ll Do

• Own the program. Drive actuation programs from requirements and early design through qualification, production, and sustainment, holding accountability for scope, schedule, cost, and technical performance.
• Lead hands‑on. Build and maintain integrated master schedules, budgets, and risk andopportunity registers, then roll up your sleeves to resolve issues in real time.
• Be the hub. Connect engineering, supply chain, operations, and quality so the team staysaligned and moving through each phase gate.
• Interface with customers. Serve as the primary customer‑facing lead for defense primesand government stakeholders, translating requirements into clear deliverables and maintaining transparency on progress, risks, and recovery plans.
• Manage controlled work. Execute programs in accordance with ITAR/EAR, and DFARSrequirements, and support mitigation activities as the company scales its classified programcapability.
• Drive qualification readiness. Partner with engineering and quality to navigate qualification and airworthiness requirements and deliver compliant, verifiable hardware.
• Operate with startup agility. Identify bottlenecks early and drive solutions that balancespeed, cost, and quality without heavy process overhead.
• Report to leadership. Communicate program health to executives with clarity and action‑oriented recommendations.

What You Need

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, or a related field.
• 6‑8+ years of program management experience in aerospace and defense or high‑tech hardware, including direct experience on defense or government programs.
• Working knowledge of defense contracting and compliance frameworks, including ITAR/EAR, DFARS, and CMMC
• Demonstrated success managing cost, schedule, and technical performance on hardware development programs, including EVM or equivalent program controls.
• Comfort operating in a lean environment where processes are still being built.
• Strong systems thinking and the ability to connect technical detail to business and contractual objectives.
• Proven ability to lead cross‑functional teams without heavy hierarchy.
• Excellent communicator who earns trust with engineers, executives, and customers alike.
• Willingness to wear multiple hats and adjust priorities quickly.

Nice to Have

• PMP or equivalent experience
• Experience with actuation systems or electromechanical components

What We Have to Offer

• We offer competitive compensation: $175,000 to $200,000 base salary + equity
• Exceptional healthcare benefits — Medical is 100% covered by the company
• Life Insurance (2x Salary) 100% covered by the company
• Flexible PTO, 401K, Financial Wellness Resources, and more

Clearance and Eligibility

This position requires access to information and technology controlled under U.S. export control laws. Applicants must qualify as a U.S. Person under ITAR (22 CFR 120.62) and EAR, meaning a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, lawful permanent resident, or protected individual. Candidates must be eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. government security clearance; an active clearance is preferred.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Salient Motion is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to a workplace free of discrimination and harassment, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Employment offers are contingent on the ability to satisfy U.S. export control and, where applicable, security clearancerequirements.