Space Systems Project Manager

Darwin Recruitment; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Darwin Recruitment seeks an experienced Space Systems Project Manager to lead spacecraft development programmes from concept through qualification and launch readiness. You will coordinate engineering, production, and supply chain teams, manage schedules and budgets, and drive risk mitigation across multiple workstreams in a fast-paced environment.

The role is based in the Seattle area with travel to the Tukwila facility and up to 25% travel for supplier activities and launch campaigns; remote

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related field.
• At least 3 years of technical project or programme management experience.
• Experience with complex mechanical hardware and integrated systems.
• Strong scheduling using Microsoft Project.
• Experience with integrated product development teams.
• Proficiency with JIRA for planning and tracking.
• Willingness to travel up to 25%.

Responsibilities

• Lead the planning and execution of spacecraft structures programmes, managing the complete design, procurement, manufacturing, and test lifecycle.
• Develop and maintain integrated programme schedules in collaboration with engineering, production, supply chain, and programme management teams.
• Coordinate daily priorities and resolve scheduling conflicts across multiple workstreams.
• Manage engineering task planning, programme risks, resource allocation, and subsystem development schedules.
• Work closely with engineering teams to monitor compliance with technical requirements while identifying opportunities to improve performance, cost, and delivery schedules.
• Track engineering deliverables, action items, design release status, and programme milestones.
• Partner with procurement teams to coordinate supplier activities and ensure timely delivery of hardware.
• Coordinate qualification testing, structural analysis, and verification activities to support programme objectives.
• Drive technical communication across engineering teams and leadership to support design, qualification, production, and launch planning.
• Guide engineering teams through major programme reviews, including PDR, CDR, TRR, and production readiness milestones.
• Support supply chain partners by communicating engineering changes, technical dependencies, and delivery expectations.
• Identify opportunities to improve development processes, programme efficiency, and decision‑making throughout the product lifecycle.
• Manage qualification and component test schedules while ensuring testing activities are properly planned, executed, and documented.
• Produce programme reports and maintain documentation supporting spacecraft qualification and flight readiness.
• Monitor overall programme schedules, identify critical path activities, and proactively manage risks.
• Support launch campaign planning and execution, including verification activities and site testing.
• Develop training materials and become a subject matter expert for satellite launch site testing activities.

Skills

Project management

Scheduling

Stakeholder management

Leadership

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related field

Tools

JIRA

Microsoft Project

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Space Systems Project Manager to lead the planning, coordination, and execution of spacecraft development programmes, supporting the full lifecycle of satellite hardware from early concept through design, procurement, manufacturing, testing, and launch readiness.

This role is ideal for a proactive, technically minded project manager who thrives in fast-paced, evolving environments and is comfortable managing complex engineering programmes with multiple stakeholders. You’ll work closely with Systems Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Production, Supply Chain, and Launch teams to deliver critical spacecraft hardware while balancing technical performance, cost, schedule, and risk.

The successful candidate will play a key role in managing structural subsystem development and launch verification activities, driving cross‑functional collaboration and ensuring programmes remain on track from initial requirements through qualification, vehicle integration, and launch.

This position is primarily based in South Lake Union, WA, with regular time spent at the Tukwila production facility. Remote candidates will also be considered, provided they are willing to travel up to 25%, including launch campaigns (up to three trips per year of approximately two weeks each) and visits to engineering and production facilities.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the planning and execution of spacecraft structures programmes, managing the complete design, procurement, manufacturing, and test lifecycle.
• Develop and maintain integrated programme schedules in collaboration with engineering, production, supply chain, and programme management teams.
• Coordinate daily priorities and resolve scheduling conflicts across multiple workstreams.
• Manage engineering task planning, programme risks, resource allocation, and subsystem development schedules.
• Work closely with engineering teams to monitor compliance with technical requirements while identifying opportunities to improve performance, cost, and delivery schedules.
• Track engineering deliverables, action items, design release status, and programme milestones.
• Partner with procurement teams to coordinate supplier activities and ensure timely delivery of hardware.
• Coordinate qualification testing, structural analysis, and verification activities to support programme objectives.
• Drive technical communication across engineering teams and leadership to support design, qualification, production, and launch planning.
• Guide engineering teams through major programme reviews, including Preliminary Design Review (PDR), Critical Design Review (CDR), Test Readiness Reviews (TRR), and production readiness milestones.
• Support supply chain partners by communicating engineering changes, technical dependencies, and delivery expectations.
• Identify opportunities to improve development processes, programme efficiency, and decision‑making throughout the product lifecycle.
• Manage qualification and component test schedules while ensuring testing activities are properly planned, executed, and documented.
• Produce programme reports and maintain documentation supporting spacecraft qualification and flight readiness.
• Monitor overall programme schedules, identify critical path activities, and proactively manage risks.
• Support launch campaign planning and execution, including verification activities and site testing.
• Develop training materials and become a subject matter expert for satellite launch site testing activities.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a related technical discipline, or equivalent practical experience.
• Minimum of three years’ project or programme management experience within a technical or engineering environment.
• Experience managing projects involving complex mechanical hardware, wire harness assemblies, and integrated hardware/software systems.
• Strong experience developing and managing detailed schedules using Microsoft Project.
• Experience working within integrated product development teams.
• Proficiency with JIRA for project planning and task management.
• Experience managing programme budgets, resources, and delivery schedules.
• Willingness and ability to travel up to 25% in support of supplier activities, integration, testing, and launch campaigns.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience managing aerospace or spacecraft structures development programmes.
• Strong leadership, organisational, and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience coordinating software development alongside hardware programmes.
• Experience presenting technical or programme updates to customers or executive stakeholders.
• Hands‑on experience working in hardware development or engineering test environments.