Swarm Aero · 6 hours ago
Director of Program Management
Oxnard, California, United States
Full-time
Onsite
Director/Executive
$200K/yr - $280K/yr
10+ years expSwarm Aero is redefining air power, building the largest swarming UAV and most versatile swarming aircraft network in the world. The Director of Program Management will lead and scale program execution across the aircraft development portfolio, ensuring complex aerospace programs are delivered on schedule and aligned with company priorities.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)DronesGovernmentHardwareMilitaryNational SecuritySoftware
No H1B
U.S. Citizen Only
Responsibilities
Own overall program strategy, planning, and execution for one or more aircraft development programs, with accountability for schedule, milestones, risks, dependencies, and outcomes
Build, maintain, and continuously refine integrated program plans spanning airframe, propulsion, avionics, software, manufacturing, supply chain, and flight test
Serve as the primary integrator across engineering, manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and leadership to ensure alignment on priorities, sequencing, and tradeoffs
Establish and lead the program operating rhythm, including technical reviews, milestone gates, cross-functional syncs, and executive-level readouts
Provide clear, concise, and credible program status to senior leadership, including risks, mitigation strategies, and decision-ready tradeoffs
Proactively identify program, technical, and organizational risks; drive structured risk-reduction plans in partnership with technical and functional leaders
Coordinate and manage critical external dependencies, including suppliers, partners, test ranges, and certification or regulatory interfaces as applicable
Lead execution through major transition points (prototype to flight test, flight test to production readiness), ensuring clear ownership, readiness criteria, and exit conditions
Define and implement scalable, lightweight program management processes appropriate for a fast-moving aerospace startup
Act as a force multiplier for engineering and operations teams by removing blockers, clarifying priorities, and enabling teams to focus on high-value execution
Mentor and scale program management capability over time, including hiring, developing, and setting standards for future program managers as the organization grows
Qualification
Required
10+ years of experience leading program management for complex hardware-intensive systems, preferably in aerospace or adjacent regulated industries
Direct experience supporting aircraft, UAVs, or aerospace vehicle development programs (manned or unmanned)
Deep understanding of engineering development lifecycles, including design, build, test, iterate, and transition to production
Demonstrated ownership of cross-functional technical programs with real delivery accountability and schedule ownership
Proven ability to operate effectively in ambiguous, fast-changing environments with incomplete or evolving requirements
Strong executive communication skills, with experience presenting program status, risks, and tradeoffs to senior leadership
Ability to partner closely with engineers and technical leads without needing to be the primary technical decision-maker
Preferred
Experience leading or supporting flight test campaigns, certification efforts, or production ramp-ups
Background in aerospace engineering, systems engineering, or a related technical discipline
Familiarity with earned value concepts, risk management frameworks, and integrated master scheduling, applied pragmatically
Experience in startups, skunkworks, or rapid prototyping environments
Active or eligible security clearance (if applicable)
Benefits
Comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, vision, and 401k
PTO and Paid Sick Time
Monthly Wellness Stipend
Daily catered lunch to office
Paid Parental leave
Company
Swarm Aero
Swarm Aero is redefining air power to do more with more.
11-50 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Early StageTotal Funding
unknownKey Investors
Construct Capital
2024-08-03Seed
2023-04-14Seed
2022-05-01Pre Seed
Leadership Team
Danny Goodman
Co-Founder & CEO
Oliver Palmer
Co-Founder & COO
Company data provided by crunchbase