Senior Technical Project Manager

Ltaresearch; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Excellent health insurance

Life/AD&D insurance

Parental leave

Generous PTO & holidays

401(k) matching

Wellness stipend

Cell phone stipend

Education stipend

Airship events

Job summary

Lighter Than Air is seeking a Senior Technical Project Manager to plan, execute, and oversee the development and integration of complex aerospace systems in Sunnyvale, CA. You will lead cross‑functional teams through design reviews, testing, and integration while managing schedules and risk.

The role requires strong leadership, excellent communication, and a background in engineering with 5+ years of aerospace project management.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or related field.
• 5+ years managing technical projects in aerospace or related fields.
• Proficiency with PM software (Project, Jira, Smartsheet, Wrike).
• PMP, CAPM or similar credentials preferred.
• Experience with design reviews (PDR/CDR), integration, and testing.
• Strong leadership and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and manage project plans, scope, and schedules.
• Collaborate with SMEs to define technical deliverables.
• Lead day-to-day technical operations including hardware integration, software testing, and safety-critical verification.
• Coordinate with cross-functional engineering teams to resolve technical challenges.
• Mitigate schedule risks using technical knowledge and problem-solving.
• Maintain technical documentation including system design records and testing protocols.
• Ensure compliance with aviation regulatory requirements.
• Use PM tools to align resources and schedules across teams.
• Evaluate AI-assisted scheduling and resource-planning tools for fit.

Skills

Project management

Leadership

Technical communications

Cross-functional collaboration

AI tools familiarity

Schedule risk management

PMP/CAPM certification

Onsite coordination

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or related field

Master's degree preferred

Tools

Project

Jira

Smartsheet

Wrike

Job description

The Senior Technical Project Manager will apply engineering and project management principles to plan, execute, and oversee the development and integration of complex aerospace systems. This position requires a strong understanding of the aerospace domain and technical expertise in managing complex engineering projects.

Responsibilities

• Develop and manage project plans, scope, and schedules for the development and testing of aerospace systems.
• Collaborate with subject matter experts to define technical deliverables and ensure successful execution of engineering tasks.
• Lead day-to-day technical operations, including hardware integration, software testing, and safety‑critical system verification.
• Coordinate with cross‑functional engineering teams to identify and resolve technical challenges during development and testing phases.
• Proactively identify and mitigate schedule risks by leveraging technical knowledge and problem‑solving skills.
• Oversee the creation and maintenance of technical documentation, including system design records, testing protocols, and milestone tracking.
• Ensure compliance with aviation regulatory requirements and standards.
• Utilize project management tools to align resources and schedules across teams.
• Evaluate and pilot AI‑assisted scheduling and resource‑planning tools, assessing fit for the team's workflows.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline or related technical field.
• 5+ years of professional experience managing technical projects in aerospace, aviation, or related engineering fields.
• Proficiency with project management software (e.g., Project, Jira, Smartsheet, Wrike).
• Exceptional leadership and organizational skills, with acute attention to detail.
• Strong technical communication skills, including the ability to create professional presentations for leadership and stakeholders.
• Ability to build and maintain positive working relationships across multidisciplinary teams.
• Ability to work onsite Monday through Friday across two nearby California locations, while supporting remote staff at the Nevada and Ohio offices.
• Master's degree in engineering or project management (preferred).
• Experience managing programs through the full development lifecycle, including design reviews (PDR/CDR), integration, and test.
• Track record of deploying project management or resource‑planning tools that measurably improved schedule visibility and cross‑team coordination.
• Familiarity with applying AI tools to scheduling, resource planning, or documentation workflows.
• Certifications such as PMP, CAPM, or similar project management credentials.

Benefits

• Relocation assistance
• Excellent medical, dental, and vision insurance through a PPO plan (100% premium paid for individuals, ~70% for dependents)
• Company‑paid life, AD&D, long‑term disability, and short‑term disability insurances
• Parental leave
• Generous PTO + 10 paid holidays
• 401(k) matching up to 6%
• Lunch and snacks provided every day, including accommodations for all dietary restrictions
• Monthly wellness stipend
• Monthly cell phone stipend
• Yearly education stipend to obtain certifications or take classes in your field
• Fun events, swag, and the occasional airship ride
• An opportunity to change the world and work with some of the smartest and the most talented experts from different fields

Equal Opportunity Statement

Lighter Than Air is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants are considered without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital status, veteran status or any other discriminatory factors prohibited by law.