Spacecraft Bus & Launch Contracts Lead (CTM)

Sophia Space; Pasadena (CA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Sophia Space in Pasadena, CA, seeks a Contract Technical Manager to own the spacecraft-bus procurement end-to-end — from statement of work and pricing to milestone payments, delivery schedule, and warranty terms — while also leading the technical flow-down and interface control with the supplier.

You will coordinate with the Chief Engineer, payload leads, and Legal/Finance to lock requirements, drive test and acceptance activities, and align bus and rideshare schedules.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in business, engineering, or related field.
• 3–8 years in contracts management, subcontracts management, or technical procurement in aerospace/space systems.
• Demonstrated experience negotiating and managing major hardware contracts — spacecraft bus, launch vehicle, or similar.

Responsibilities

• Own contract negotiation and administration for spacecraft-bus procurement — SOW, pricing, milestones, delivery schedule, warranty terms.
• Author and negotiate contract change orders and SOW amendments as requirements evolve.
• Serve as primary contractual point of contact with bus provider, coordinating with Legal and Finance on redlines, IP terms, liability, and export controls.
• Track milestone payments tied to technical deliverables and test milestones.

Skills

Contract management

Technical procurement

Aerospace industry

Negotiation

SOW & milestones

Interface control documents

ITAR/EAR compliance

Cross-functional collaboration

Technical reading of test data

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, or related field

PMP/CPSM/NCMA certification

Tools

PLM tools

Contract-management software

ITAR/EAR compliance tooling

Job description

Sophia Space in Pasadena, CA, seeks a Contract Technical Manager to own the spacecraft-bus procurement end-to-end — from statement of work and pricing to milestone payments, delivery schedule, and warranty terms — while also leading the technical flow-down and interface control with the supplier.

You will coordinate with the Chief Engineer, payload leads, and Legal/Finance to lock requirements, drive test and acceptance activities, and align bus and rideshare schedules.