Technical Program Manager, Satellite

Xona Space Systems; Burlingame (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Xona Space Systems is seeking a Technical Program Manager, Satellite, to drive the execution of our hardware-focused satellite program. You will own key workstreams, coordinate across engineering teams, and ensure milestones are met while managing risks and supplier deliverables.

You will work closely with program leadership and hardware teams to keep development on track, influence process improvements, and support a rapidly scaling spacecraft program in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of experience in technical program management, project management, systems engineering, or related roles supporting complex hardware/software development.
• Experience supporting a technical development program involving hardware, embedded software, systems integration, testing, manufacturing, or external suppliers.
• Strong systems-thinking and organizational skills to track interdependencies across mechanical, electrical, software, and integration workstreams.

Responsibilities

• Satellite Schedule Management: Maintain and drive the satellite development schedule across bus subsystems and payload; track milestones and flag risks.
• Cross-Functional Coordination: Coordinate across avionics, RF/payload, ground software, and production teams; translate progress into shared plans and actions.
• Supplier & Partner Coordination: Track bus-vendor and payload-supplier deliverables and synchronize external commitments with internal milestones.
• Risk & Issue Resolution: Maintain risk register and issue tracker; escalate blockers with context and recommended paths.
• Program Reporting: Prepare and deliver regular program-status updates to leadership with schedule health and open risks.
• Meeting & Action Management: Organize and facilitate working sessions; capture decisions and drive closure.
• Process Improvement: Propose lightweight, effective program-management processes for a fast-moving small team.

Skills

Technical Program Management

Cross-Functional Coordination

Scheduling

Risk Management

Hardware Development

Systems Engineering

Tools

Wrike

MS Project

Smartsheet

Jira

Job description

Xona is the navigational intelligence company bringing real-time, centimeter-level certainty to any device, anywhere on Earth.

With Pulsar – the world’s most advanced PNT satellite infrastructure in Low Earth Orbit – Xona will offer a future-proof, backwards-compatible global positioning system optimized for absolute precision, superior power, and robust protection.

Role Overview

As Technical Program Manager, Satellite, you’ll support the execution of our satellite program across bus and payload, working closely with our program lead and engineering teams to keep a complex, fast-moving hardware program on track. You’ll own key program management workstreams, drive coordination across teams, and build deep familiarity with the hardware and development lifecycle.

You’ll have meaningful ownership, proximity to the hardware, and the opportunity to contribute to how program management operates as Xona scales. If you want to work closely with engineering teams, help drive a complex hardware program forward, and contribute to something genuinely new in space, this role is for you!

Responsibilities

• Satellite Schedule Management: Maintain and drive the satellite development schedule across bus subsystems (power, GNC, structure) and payload (electrical, antennas, RF). Track progress against milestones, manage dependencies and critical-path items, and flag schedule risks early.

• Cross-Functional Coordination: Coordinate across avionics, RF/payload, ground software, and production teams -- translating technical progress into shared plans, clear accountability, and actionable next steps.

• Supplier & Partner Coordination: Work alongside the Supply Chain team and technical leads to track bus-vendor and payload-supplier deliverables, follow up on open items, and help keep external commitments synchronized with internal milestones.

• Risk & Issue Resolution: Maintain the risk register and issue tracker, surface risks early, and work directly with technical leads to resolve blockers before they affect the schedule. Escalate material issues to the program lead with context, impact, and a recommended path forward.

• Program Reporting: Prepare and deliver regular satellite program-status updates to leadership, maintaining a clear and accurate picture of schedule health, milestone progress, open risks, action items, and upcoming decisions.

• Meeting & Action Management: Organize and facilitate program working sessions and cross-functional meetings; capture decisions and action items; and drive follow-through to closure.

• Process Improvement: Help develop and improve lightweight, effective program-management processes suited to a small team moving quickly. Contribute ideas and practical improvements as the company scales.

Required Qualifications

• 3–5 years of experience in technical program management, project management, systems engineering, engineering operations, or a related role supporting complex hardware and/or software development.

• Experience supporting a technical development program involving hardware, embedded software, systems integration, testing, manufacturing, and/or external suppliers.

• Strong systems-thinking and organizational skills, with the ability to track interdependencies across mechanical, electrical, software, and integration workstreams while maintaining focus on the critical path.

• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain schedules, track risks and action items, and communicate program health clearly.

• Proactive and self-directed: you identify gaps, keep work moving, and know when to seek input or escalation.

• Clear communicator who can work credibly with engineers and summarize status cleanly for leadership.

• Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, evolving environment with lightweight processes and shifting priorities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting a satellite, spacecraft, launch-vehicle, aerospace, defense, robotics, telecommunications, or similarly complex hardware program.

• Familiarity with satellite bus subsystems, RF communications, GNSS, PNT systems, navigation payloads, or mission operations.

• Exposure to the hardware development lifecycle, including design reviews such as PDR/CDR, integration, test, manufacturing, and launch or operational readiness.

• Experience coordinating deliverables with suppliers, vendors, or technical partners.

• Proficiency with scheduling tools such as Wrike, MS Project, Smartsheet, Jira, or similar.

• PMP, CAPM, Agile, or other PM certifications are nice to have, but not a substitute for practical program execution experience.

For U.S. Roles:

To comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the United States (i.e. Green Card holder), or other protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).

For U.K. Roles:

To comply with U.K. regulations, this role requires Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks, and successful candidates must be eligible to obtain UK Security Clearance (SC).

For Canada Roles:

Successful candidates must obtain and hold a security clearance at the reliability status level, and pass security assessment for the Canadian Controlled Goods Program (CGP) and ITAR.

We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.