Senior Program Manager – Space & Directed Energy

Optical Engines, INC.; Colorado Springs (CO); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

4 weeks PTO per year

9 paid holidays per year

Health, Vision and Dental paid 100%

401k with company matching

Tuition assistance for continuing ed

Job summary

Optical Engines in Colorado Springs is seeking a seasoned Program Manager to lead multiple R&D programs, mainly in Directed Energy and NewSpace. You will oversee scope, cost, schedule, performance, and customer satisfaction while ensuring policy and contract compliance.

You will work with Program Technical Leads and engineering teams to develop and manage program plans, resources, schedules, budgets, risks, and progress metrics, using ERP tools for cost and BOM control.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in a technical program environment.
• 5+ years leading Government/Military, Directed Energy, Aerospace, or Space programs.
• Proven experience working with customers.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex programs with cross-functional teams.
• Strong communication, negotiation, and leadership skills.
• Experience with budgets, schedules, and performance metrics.
• Experience with risk management and issue resolution.
• Proficiency with program management tools (MS Project, Jira, ClickUp, Excel).
• Ability to work under pressure and maintain professional relationships.

Responsibilities

• Lead program planning, budgeting, scheduling, and performance tracking.
• Prepare and present program status reports to Management and customers.
• Coordinate with technical leads and engineering teams on plans and resources.
• Develop documentation to ensure efficient execution of multiple projects.
• Provide regular written and verbal reports to peers and management.
• Implement business and operations systems to support program execution.
• Collaborate with finance and supply chain to track progress and set goals.

Skills

Program management

Customer liaison

Budget management

Risk management

Cross-functional leadership

MS Project

Jira

ClickUp

Excel

ERP systems

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

Tools

MS Project

Jira

ClickUp

Excel

ERP software

Job description

Optical Engines in Colorado Springs is seeking a seasoned Program Manager to lead multiple R&D programs, mainly in Directed Energy and NewSpace. You will oversee scope, cost, schedule, performance, and customer satisfaction while ensuring policy and contract compliance.

You will work with Program Technical Leads and engineering teams to develop and manage program plans, resources, schedules, budgets, risks, and progress metrics, using ERP tools for cost and BOM control.