Senior Program Manager – Aerospace Defense & IRAD Leader

Plainsvc; Addison (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Coverage

Dental and Vision Plans

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Flexible Work Schedule

On-site Perks

Professional Growth

Job summary

Firehawk Aerospace in Addison, TX is seeking a mid/senior Program Manager to own end-to-end execution across USG contracts, SBIRs, and IRADs, coordinating cross-functional teams in engineering, supply chain, and manufacturing to deliver complex propulsion programs on schedule.

You will build PM structures, drive risk mitigation, manage customer relationships, and translate technical complexity into clear leadership updates, while navigating fast-paced environments under ITAR requirements.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of program or project management experience in aerospace/defense hardware.
• Experience managing multiple programs concurrently with accountability for outcomes.
• Hands-on experience with sub-task level PM tools, not just milestone tracking.
• Experience managing USG contracts (SBIR, OTA, or formal contracts) with deliverables and milestones.
• Experience delivering major design reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR).
• Strong cross-functional coordination across engineering, supply chain, and ops.
• Ability to set up/run programs with minimal direction in startup/ambiguous environments.
• Crisp communicator translating technical complexity to leadership and government customers.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end execution across multiple programs — USG contracts, SBIRs, IRADs — managing cost, schedule, performance, and risk.
• Define and drive program approach and glide-paths at contract startup, building structure quickly and with intent.
• Build and maintain a task-level program structure in PM tools that keeps cross-functional teams focused.
• Lead cross-functional coordination across engineering, supply chain, manufacturing, and external partners.
• Own USG customer relationships — communication, CDRL delivery, milestone reporting, and status briefs.
• Surface and mitigate program risk with mitigation plans attached.
• Translate technical/programmatic complexity into clear status for leadership/government stakeholders.
• Manage supplier and partner performance tracking and delivery accountability.
• Introduce and sustain PM processes that add value to the team.
• Report progress and flag impacts to leadership with speed and clarity.

Skills

Program management

Cross-functional coordination

US Government contracts

Crisp communicator

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or related field

Advanced degree a plus

Tools

JIRA

Planner

Smartsheet

Microsoft Project

Job description

Firehawk Aerospace in Addison, TX is seeking a mid/senior Program Manager to own end-to-end execution across USG contracts, SBIRs, and IRADs, coordinating cross-functional teams in engineering, supply chain, and manufacturing to deliver complex propulsion programs on schedule.

You will build PM structures, drive risk mitigation, manage customer relationships, and translate technical complexity into clear leadership updates, while navigating fast-paced environments under ITAR requirements.