Technical Program Manager, Mission Integration

What You’ll Drive

Assess launch and rideshare opportunities by evaluating launch vehicle capabilities, payload constraints, target orbit, schedule, launch-site logistics, pricing, contractual terms, regulatory requirements, and mission risk.
Own the program coordination for each launch campaign from flight opportunity selection through payload delivery, integration, launch readiness, and launch execution.
Serve as the primary working-level point of contact across U.S. government customers, launch service providers, launch aggregators, mission partners, regulators, subcontractors, and GITAI’s internal teams.
Build and maintain the integrated mission plan, including engineering milestones, external deliverables, government approvals, testing, payload integration, logistics, contract commitments, risks, and decisions.
Read and interpret Payload User’s Guides and other mission documentation with Engineering, translate external requirements into clear internal actions, and obtain clarification or negotiate changes when requirements are unclear or impractical.
Facilitate external meetings, gather questions and concerns from Engineering, secure clear answers and decisions, and push back when requirements, deadlines, or commitments put program execution at risk.
Work with Engineering, Legal, Finance, Supply Chain, Security, and external consultants to manage contracts, regulatory items, and other non-engineering dependencies through completion.
Provide concise updates to program leadership on current status, critical risks, unresolved dependencies, contractual or financial exposure, and decisions required.

What We’re Looking For

You do not need to arrive with detailed knowledge of every launch vehicle, orbital parameter, or licensing process. You do need to learn unfamiliar technical and regulatory subjects quickly and turn new information into clear program actions.

You should have:

A bachelor’s degree or higher in engineering, science, or a related technical field.
5+ years of experience managing technically complex or regulated programs.
At least one year of full-time experience in a fast-moving startup or small company where roles, priorities, and processes changed frequently.
Direct experience serving as the bridge between an internal technical organization and government agencies, regulatory authorities, public-sector customers, or other external stakeholders.
Experience serving as the primary point of contact for a complex program and managing external deliverables, approvals, contractual commitments, schedules, risks, and decisions.
The ability to quickly understand technical documentation, identify missing information, ask the right questions, and work effectively with engineers and other subject-matter experts.
The judgment and confidence to negotiate, challenge assumptions, push back on unrealistic requirements or commitments, and hold senior stakeholders accountable while preserving a workable relationship.
A hands-on individual-contributor operating style. You will personally run meetings, maintain schedules and trackers, prepare decision materials, support negotiations, and drive actions to closure. This role has no direct reports.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex technical, contractual, and regulatory issues clearly to internal and external stakeholders.
U.S. citizenship and eligibility to obtain and maintain a U.S. government security clearance.

Strong plus:

Experience with spacecraft missions, launch campaigns, payload integration, launch service providers, launch aggregators, or rideshare missions.
Familiarity with Payload User’s Guides, launch vehicle capabilities, orbital parameters, commercial launch pricing, test requirements, or interface-control requirements.
Experience with FCC, NOAA, spectrum, RF communications, export controls, or other space-related regulatory processes.
Experience working with the U.S. Space Force, Missile Defense Agency, or another Department of Defense organization.
Familiarity with FAR, DFARS, Other Transaction Agreements, CUI, DD254 requirements, or classified programs.