Space Systems Technical Project Manager

BlackSky; Tukwila (WA); On-site; USD 105,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) with employer match

15 days of PTO and paid volunteer leave

Job summary

BlackSky is seeking a Space Systems Project Manager in Tukwila to oversee satellite design, testing, and project management.

The role requires management skills, mechanical design experience, and proficiency with project scheduling tools like MS Project and JIRA. You will interact with engineering teams, handle supplier activities, and ensure projects meet their objectives.

Benefits include comprehensive healthcare, 401(k) matching, and generous PTO policies.

Qualifications

• Three years of direct project management experience or related experience.
• Experience with mechanical design and complex systems.
• Ability to travel up to 25%.

Responsibilities

• Oversee design and test activities for satellite systems.
• Develop integrated plans and schedules with key stakeholders.
• Manage daily tasking and deconfliction of activities.

Skills

Project management

Mechanical design experience

Leadership

Risk management

Budgeting

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in an engineering discipline or equivalent experience

Tools

MS Project

JIRA

Job description

Position

BlackSky is looking for a talented and creative Space Systems Project Manager who is not only comfortable with a high level of ambiguity but can also quickly translate new information into decisive action by a large team through reliance on feedback from stakeholders. This position requires an independent thinker and self‑directed individual who consistently strives to learn, grow, and lead.

This program manager will support a team of Systems and Mechanical engineering teams and work within the broader program architecture of Satellite and Launch programs at BlackSky. The scope of this role is the design, buy, build, test lifecycle within the structures subsystem: from early concept and requirement definition through hardware receipt and readiness for vehicle integration. Additionally, this role will include ownership of our launch verification and test campaigns.

This position is a critical element of BlackSky’s internal programs team. The ideal candidate has demonstrated the ability to manage their own efforts over a broad scope of work as an independent contributor, forging solutions and risk mitigation from a set of critical constraints. The candidate should also have the ability and willingness to lean in, solve new problems, and operate as a team.

The role will be based out of the South Lake Union office with consistent time spent at the production facility in Tukwila. Remote candidates may be considered with willingness to travel to the launch site up to three times per year for two weeks, as well as to BlackSky production facilities as needed, but no more than 25% overall.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the full scope of design, buy, build, and test within the structures subsystem and launch verification and test campaigns, managing both internal and external efforts
• Develop integrated plans and schedules, obtaining buy‑in from key engineering, program management, procurement, and production stakeholders
• Own daily tasking and deconfliction of activities within areas of responsibility
• Support task management for the engineering team including risk, and integrated schedule management for the program for key subsystem development of the satellite and key hardware
• Interface with the engineering teams to evaluate compliance with the specification and opportunities to improve the subsystem to benefit business and schedule performance
• Track action items and schedules across engineering teams, including maintaining accurate logs of design release status
• Coordinate with the procurement team to support ordering and receipt of build‑to‑print parts in support of the broader build schedules
• Align timeline for testing, analysis, and qualification to support structural evaluation of components
• Drive technical communications with the larger technical teams and engineering leadership to shape the development framework to support test, qualification, and launch planning
• Shepherd the engineering team through key milestone reviews including Preliminary Design, Critical Design, Test Readiness, and early production deliveries
• Support supply chain in understanding engineering changes, performance, and key dependencies for supplier test and delivery schedules
• Support the entire development lifecycle for optimization and identify design and decision gates along with developing the associated criteria
• Support qualification testing, testing review, and set up, and own the programmatic timeline for component testing
• Manage reports and support development of standard documentation with respect to satellite qualification and flight testing
• Interface with the full system‑level schedule and identify key milestones to manage risk
• Support development of launch schedules and planning for launch campaigns
• Facilitate and become an expert in satellite site testing, including developing training material for other team members

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in an engineering discipline or equivalent experience
• Three years of direct project management experience or related experience
• Experience working on projects involving significant mechanical and wire‑harness part design and complex systems with hardware and integrated software dependencies
• Highly skilled at MS Project and managing schedules with critical dependencies
• Experience working with integrated product teams
• Experience with JIRA
• Experience managing budgets and resource planning
• Ability and willingness to travel up to 25% to support supplier activities and launch

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with aerospace structures design and manufacturing projects
• Strong team leadership and inter‑team cooperation and organization skills
• Experience with software systems and management of software development efforts
• Experience presenting information to external customers a plus
• Hardware and test lab experience a plus

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, disability, group term life and AD&D, voluntary life and AD&D insurance. BlackSky pays 100% of employee‑only premiums for medical, dental and vision and contributes $100/month for out‑of‑pocket expenses!
• 15 days of PTO, 11 Company holidays, four Floating Holidays (pro‑rated based on hire date), one day of paid volunteerism leave per year, parental leave and more
• 401(k) pre‑tax and Roth deferral options with employer match
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Employee Stock Purchase Program
• Employee Assistance and Travel Assistance Programs
• Employer matching donations
• Professional development
• Awesome swag

The anticipated salary range for Principal level candidates in Washington is $105,000–125,000 per year. The final compensation package offered to a successful candidate will be dependent on specific background and education. BlackSky is a multi‑state employer, and this pay scale may not reflect salary ranges in other states or locations outside of Washington.

BlackSky is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

EEO/AAP/ Pay Transparency Statements

https://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf

https://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/OFCCP_EEO_Supplement_Final_JRF_QA_508c.pdf