Technical Program Manager

Wild West Systems, Inc.; Leander (TX); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Wild West Systems, Inc. is seeking a Technical Program Manager to serve as the primary integration point between engineering execution and program delivery. This hybrid role oversees schedule, budget, and customer relationships while maintaining technical credibility in design reviews and engineering trade-offs.

You will drive hardware programs from development through test and delivery, ensuring alignment with contract requirements and successful program execution across multiple milestones.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5+ years in defense program management, systems engineering, or hybrid PM/engineering roles.
• Experience managing hardware development programs (not pure software/IT).
• Working knowledge of DoD acquisition processes, CDRLs, and contract types.

Responsibilities

• Own program schedule and budget, with risk register and deliverables across one or more counter-UAS/kinetic effector programs.
• Serve as primary customer POC for program status, TIMs, and deliverable reviews.
• Manage subcontractors, vendors, and supply chain dependencies against milestones.
• Prepare and present program reviews, including CDRLs, status reports, and risk mitigation plans.
• Manage contract compliance (CPFF, FFP, OTA) with contracts/finance.

Skills

Defense program management

Systems engineering

Hybrid PM/engineering

Contract knowledge

Reading engineering drawings

Customer-facing coordination

Education

PMP certification

Job description

Company Overview

Wild West Systems is an American defense technology company with the mission to equip the civilized world with superior and affordable arms and advanced technologies to dominate the battlefield of present and future threats in a new era of asymmetrical warfare. We fuse versatile domain experience with novel approach and creativity to change the paradigm of defense - both for military arenas and civilian soft targets. We're an early-stage startup, rapidly moving and growing.

Wild West Systems is an American defense technology company with the mission to equip the civilized world with superior and affordable arms and advanced technologies to dominate the battlefield of present and future threats in a new era of asymmetrical warfare. We fuse versatile domain experience with novel approach and creativity to change the paradigm of defense - both for military arenas and civilian soft targets. We're an early-stage startup, rapidly moving and growing.

Position Profile

WWS is seeking a Technical Program Manager to serve as the primary integration point between engineering execution and program/contract delivery. This is a hybrid role for someone who can own a program's schedule, budget, and customer relationship while also being technically credible enough to sit in design reviews, understand engineering trade-offs, and help the team make sound technical-schedule decisions. You'll be the person who keeps hardware programs - from early development through test and delivery - on track, on budget, and aligned to contract requirements.

Key Responsibilities

Program Management

• Own program schedule, budget (EVM or lightweight equivalent), risk register, and deliverables across one or more counter-UAS / kinetic effector programs
• Serve as primary customer POC for program status, technical interchange meetings (TIMs), and deliverable reviews
• Manage subcontractors, vendors, and supply chain dependencies against program milestones
• Prepare and present program reviews (internal and customer-facing), including CDRLs, status reports, and risk mitigation plans
• Manage contract compliance (CPFF, FFP, OTA) in coordination with contracts/finance

Program Engineering Management

• Partner directly with engineering leads on system architecture, design maturity, and technical risk tracking
• Translate engineering realities (test failures, design changes, supply chain substitutions) into schedule/cost impact assessments
• Drive requirements management and verification/validation planning (test plans, acceptance criteria)
• Participate in design reviews (PDR/CDR/TRR) as a technical stakeholder, not just a scribe
• Identify and resolve conflicts between engineering scope creep and program baseline

Compliance & Process

• Ensure program execution aligns with ITAR/EAR, CMMC, and DFARS requirements as applicable
• Support proposal development and capture activities with realistic technical/schedule inputs
• Maintain configuration management and documentation discipline across the program lifecycle

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years in defense program management, systems engineering, or a hybrid PM/engineering role
• Demonstrated experience managing hardware development programs (not pure software/IT)
• Working knowledge of DoD acquisition processes, CDRLs, and contract types
• Ability to read and engage with engineering drawings, test data, and technical requirements documents
• U.S. Citizen

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with counter-UAS, munitions, kinetic effectors, or related weapons systems programs
• PMP or equivalent certification
• Familiarity with CMMC Level 2 requirements and FFL/FEL-regulated environments
• Prior startup or small-defense-contractor experience (comfort with ambiguity and wearing multiple hats)