Senior Program Manager, Aerospace and Defense
Leads Divergent's aerospace and defense programs end to end — managing cost, schedule, and performance with defense primes and DoD stakeholders, building program management tools, and expanding use of the DAPS additive manufacturing/robotic assembly platform. Requires 10+ years of A&D program management and aerospace structures expertise (FEA).
- Compensation
- $134.6K–$247K / yr
- Location
- Torrance, United States
- Work setup
- Onsite
- Seniority
- Senior
- Employment
- Not specified
- Experience
- 10+ years
- Category
- Project management
- Posted
Skills
Must have
- Active Secret Clearance desired; Top Secret Clearance preferred
- Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field
- Minimum 10 years of program management experience in the aerospace and defense industry
- Strong technical background in aerospace structures, including familiarity with finite element analysis (FEA)
- Knowledge of additive manufacturing applications and robotic assembly systems
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with internal and external stakeholders
- Proven track record managing complex programs with multiple stakeholders and dependencies
- Experience with DoD acquisition cycles and federal acquisition regulations (FAR)
- Experience supporting airworthiness certification documentation and engaging with DoD airworthiness stakeholders (e.g., AFTC, FAA)
- Experience with fast iteration hardware prototyping programs
Nice to have
- Advanced degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field
- Previous technical leadership experience such as Chief Engineer or IPT Lead
- PMP certification or equivalent
Full description
Divergent is building the new industrial age. Every day, our teams design, manufacture, and assemble advanced systems for some of the world’s most demanding industries. Our integrated engineering and manufacturing platform transforms complex designs into production-ready solutions, helping customers move faster, build smarter, and deliver critical systems when they matter most. Divergent is a qualified Tier 1 supplier to global automotive OEMs and supports leading U.S. aerospace and defense companies.
Join us and help push the boundaries of what can be built.
Purpose
We are seeking a highly-skilled and experienced Senior Program Manager to oversee Divergent’s aerospace and defense (A&D) efforts. As one of the early hires in the A&D division, this individual will own defense programs focused on deploying Divergent’s technology on new and legacy defense programs. This individual will also lead programs that focus on the expansion of Divergent’s capabilities enabling the utilization of DAPS™ for a broader set of defense applications. The ideal candidate will have a strong technical background in aerospace structures, with a particular emphasis on aerial defense systems such as unmanned aerial systems or missiles. The Senior/Principal Program Manager will be responsible for leading programs with defense primes and Department of Defense (DoD) stakeholders to execute Divergent's programs efficiently and effectively.
The Role
- Manage all aspects of aerospace and defense programs, from inception to completion, ensuring on-time delivery of program deliverables and within cost, schedule, and performance requirements
- Lead cross-functional team by providing strategic technical guidance and programmatic constraints on cross-functional teams consisting of engineering, manufacturing, and customer personnel
- Set framework and analysis parameters with internal engineering teams and customer teams to characterize programmatic, technical, and risk trades
- Build and utilize Divergent program management tools, systems, and templates to draft proposals, write-up statements of work, and track program performance (cost, schedule, and performance)
- Monitor program performance against established metrics and milestones, identifying areas for improvement and implementing corrective actions as necessary
- Formulate program strategy across a portfolio of customers, identifying new development opportunities, technology risks, and partnerships that Divergent should focus on
- Develop and maintain relationships with defense primes, subcontractors, and DoD stakeholders to facilitate program success and build new contracting opportunities
Basic Qualifications
- Active Secret Clearance desired; Top Secret Clearance preferred.