Technical Program Manager, USG Space Relays San Francisco

Astranis; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 145,000 - 185,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity in compensation

Comprehensive healthcare

401(k) + matching

Flexible PTO

On-site meals

Job summary

Astranis is seeking a Technical Program Manager for USG Space Relays to lead end-to-end technical execution of multi-spacecraft flight programs from concept to on-orbit demonstration. You will interface with the Director of USG Program Management and collaborate with engineering teams and government stakeholders.

This role requires deep systems engineering expertise, strong scheduling discipline, and experience with government review gates.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a technical discipline (Aerospace, Electrical, Mechanical, Systems, CS, or Physics).
• 7+ years leading technical programs in aerospace/space sectors.
• Experience driving requirements flow-down and V&V campaigns.
• Proven track record with SRR/PDR/CDR/DRR gates and DRD/CDRL lifecycles.
• Ability to coordinate cross-functional teams and communicate with government stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Drive technical baseline execution across all program phases.
• Develop and maintain Integrated Master Schedule; track TPMs (RF margins, mass/power, latency, pointing).
• Lead preparation and closure for major gates (SDRs, Demonstrations).
• Decompose government requirements into actionable segment-level specs.
• Lead verification strategy across space, ground, and operations; ensure ATC readiness.
• Collaborate with PM, Technical Director, and segment leads across SEIT, Space/Ground/Operations.
• Support operations from launch through on-orbit commissioning and maintenance.

Skills

Technical program mgmt

Systems engineering

Government contracting

V&V planning

US citizenship/ clearance

Cross-functional leadership

Education

Bachelor of Science in Engineering

Tools

Smartsheet

Jira

Confluence

MS Project

Job description

Technical Program Manager, USG Space Relays

Astranis builds advanced satellites for high orbits, expanding humanity’s reach into the solar system. Today Astranis satellites provide dedicated, secure networks to highly-sophisticated customers across the globe – large enterprises, sovereign governments, and the US military.

With five satellites on orbit and many more set to launch soon, the company is servicing a backlog of more than $1 billion of commercial contracts. Astranis is the preferred satellite communications partner for buyers with stringent requirements for uptime, data security, network visibility, and customization.

Astranis has raised over $1.2 billion from some of the world’s best investors, including Andreessen Horowitz, Baillie Gifford, Blackrock, Fidelity, Franklin Templeton, and Snowpoint, and employs a team of 500 engineers and entrepreneurs. Astranis designs, builds, and operates its satellites out of its 153,000 sq. ft. headquarters in Northern California, USA.

Technical Program Manager, USG Space Relays

Astranis is developing the next generation relay capability for the USG Government delivering Ka-band space-to-space relay services for Government users. As the Technical Program Manager for this Mission, you will work directly for the Astranis Director of USG Program Management and help lead the end-to-end technical execution of multi-spacecraft flight programs from concept maturation through spacecraft production, ground network deployment, launch, and on-orbit demonstration. This is a dynamic role that will require someone that will be both customer facing as well as engaged with the Astranis engineering teams to assure program excellence.

Role

• Drive technical baseline execution across all program phases
• Develop, baseline, and maintain the Integrated Master Schedule and track critical Technical Performance Metrics (TPMs) including RF link margins, spacecraft mass/power margins, latency, and pointing accuracy.
• Lead technical preparation, delivery, and closure for major customer milestone gates (System Design Reviews, Demonstration Readiness Review, and Demonstration Performance Validation Review) and manage formal Data Requirements Descriptions (DRDs).
• Own overarching systems engineering and technical baseline management for the mission. Decompose and flow down Government Service Requirements Document (SRD) specifications, mission CONOPS, and Ground Service Interface (GSI) boundaries into actionable segment- and unit-level requirements
• Lead the program-level verification and validation (V&V) strategy across space, ground, and operations segments. Manage compliance tracking against tailored Government environmental standards, coordinate pre-launch RF compatibility testing between flight-equivalent Astranis and Government systems, and drive the verification evidence required to achieve Authority to Connect (ATC)
• Partner with the Program Manager, Technical Director, and segment leads across Systems Engineering & Integration (SEIT), Space Segment, Ground Segment, and Mission Operations.
• Support Mission Operations through launch, direct GEO injection, on-orbit commissioning, live customer vehicle service scheduling , and execution of concurrent forward/return links during the 30-day measurement period.
• Drive continuous improvement across Astranis’s USG program management processes, toolsets, and digital collaboration environments, supporting team growth as the USG mission portfolio expands.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, or a related technical discipline.
• 7+ years of technical program management, project management, or systems engineering leadership within aerospace, defense, or commercial space systems.
• Demonstrated track record leading requirements flow-down, ICD development, technical budget tracking, trade studies, and end-to-end V&V campaigns for complex spaceflight systems.
• Proven experience managing U.S. Government (NASA, DoW, or IC) spaceflight programs through formal review gates (SRR, PDR, CDR, DRR, ORR) and formal deliverable lifecycles (DRDs/CDRLs).
• Proven ability to drive cross-functional engineering teams in a rapid, agile, vertically integrated hardware development and manufacturing environment.
• Exceptional written and verbal presentation skills, with demonstrated experience presenting complex technical baseline trades, risk mitigations, and schedule critical paths to Government stakeholders.
• U.S. Citizenship is required (ITAR/EAR compliance). Active Secret/TS clearance and eligibility to obtain a TS/SCI Security Clearance;

Bonus

• Direct experience with NASA SCaN, TDRSS, CSP, NextSTEP programs, or NASA center processes (MSFC, GSFC), including familiarity with NASA-STD guidelines and tailored GEVS qualification.
• Domain understanding of space-to-space RF communications, bent-pipe or regenerative payloads, frequency planning, digital IF/SDR architectures, and dynamic link budget analysis.
• Experience with satellite ground station deployment, data transport, and automated service scheduling interfaces (APIs/GUIs).
• Direct background in spacecraft assembly, integration, environmental testing (TVAC, vibration, acoustic), launch vehicle integration, and on-orbit operations.
• Familiarity with NIST SP 800-53 security controls, CMMC, FedRAMP, Commercial Architecture Security Questionnaire (CASQ), or obtaining USG Authority to Connect (ATC).
• Advanced proficiency in schedule and resource management platforms (Smartsheet, Jira, Confluence, MS Project) and cost account management principles.

What we offer:

All our positions offer a compensation package that includes equity and robust benefits.

Base pay is just one component of Astranis’s total rewards package. Your compensation also includes a significant equity package via incentive stock options, high-quality company-subsidized healthcare, disability and life insurance, 401(k) retirement planning, flexible PTO, and free on-site catered meals.

Astranis pay ranges are informed and defined through professional-grade salary surveys and compensation data sources. The actual base salary offered to a successful candidate will additionally be influenced by a variety of factors including experience, credentials & certifications, educational attainment, skill level requirements, and the level and scope of the position.

$145,000 - $185,000 USD

U.S. Citizenship, Lawful Permanent Residency, or Refugee/Asylee Status Required

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

Our mission and products are built for everyone, regardless of gender, race, creed, or background. We believe in a diverse and inclusive workplace, and we invite all people to join our team and bring their unique perspectives to make us stronger.

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey.Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiringprocess or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in aconfidential file.

As set forth in Astranis’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection.As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measurethe effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categoriesis as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.