Senior Technical Program Manager

Senior Technical Program Manager

Flightwave - Torrance, CA

Salary Range $132,595.00 - $198,950.00 Salary

Position Summary

This role is responsible for leading complex, cross-functional technical programs across the full hardware development lifecycle for UAS products, from early concept and architecture through validation, production ramp, and lifecycle sustainment. The Senior Technical Program Manager will own program execution across technical scope, schedule, resources, risks, dependencies, and cross-functional deliverables, ensuring engineering and operational teams remain aligned to program objectives.

The ideal candidate is an experienced technical program leader who thrives in a highly dynamic hardware development environment and can independently drive ambiguous, technically complex programs toward execution. This individual will partner closely with Engineering, Product, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality, and Operations to establish priorities, resolve cross-functional issues, drive technical tradeoffs, and ensure delivery against committed cost, schedule, quality, and performance objectives.

This role also contributes to the evolution of the organization's program execution framework, coaches cross-functional teams on effective program practices, and drives continuous improvement in hardware development and delivery processes.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead the full lifecycle of new product programs — from early concept and architecture through design, validation, and production ramp.
• Work alongside the Product team to review PRDs (Product Requirements Documents), Development Build Plans and ensure alignment across technical and business teams to drive execution.
• Build and drive detailed engineering program plans, including schedules, resource allocation, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Develop detailed gantt charts and leverage agile tools (scrum, kanban, etc) to drive planning and execution.
• Facilitate cross-functional peer reviews and lead/own design reviews (PDR/CDR/MRR) to ensure timely execution across mechanical, electrical, firmware, software, and manufacturing teams.
• Identify and manage interdependencies between engineering disciplines, supply chain, and external partners.
• Act as the primary point of contact for program status, tradeoffs, and decision-making — escalating risks and unblocking teams as needed.
• Manage the end-to-end product lifecycle including requirements, architecture, implementation, integration, verification, and release.
• Own program-level visibility across multiple concurrent workstreams, ensuring critical-path activities, dependencies, risks, and decisions are actively managed to deliver program commitments.
• Facilitate technical trade studies and decision-making across the aisle when there is conflict between performance, cost, schedule, or requirements.
• Drive DFMEA activities with engineering/technical ICs to ensure manufacturing feedback supports iterative product development.
• Evangelize the PDP process and strategically accelerate R&D/waterfall hardware development processes and delivery methodologies to ensure we accomplish our program goals.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelors in Aerospace, Electrical, or Systems Engineering (or related technical fields).
• 7+ years of experience leading complex engineering or technical programs as a Technical Program Manager, IPT Lead, Systems Engineering Lead, or equivalent cross-functional leadership role.
• Active risk management and opportunity management practices while balancing parallel paths against tradeoffs (i.e. schedule, cost, performance, etc).
• Excellent communication, technical fluency, and program tracking instincts.
• Proven ability to lead and influence without direct management authority. Strong attention to detail and experience coordinating across engineering, product, and operations teams.
• Experience with project scheduling (gantt) tools, preferably Smartsheet.
• Familiarity with modern project management/kanban applications (Jira, Trello, Linear, Notion, etc)

Additional Desired Qualifications

• Experience with vision systems, autonomous/unmanned systems, aerospace platforms, or other regulated/high-reliability products.
• Familiarity with PCBA, propulsion, avionics, and other flight critical hardware and impact to project scoping/planning.
• Experience leading failure mode/root cause investigations, especially on complex electro-mechanical systems.
• Experience in environments with both agile software and gated hardware development cycles.
• Experience leading highly technical programs involving infrastructure, complex systems, or systems engineering.
• Deep understanding of aerospace/defense hardware development (cradle to grave) lifecycles.

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions

• Ability to sit and work at a computer for extended periods of time.
• Ability to stand for extended periods during first builds and production floor activities.
• Ability to occasionally lift and/or move items up to 25 pounds.
• Ability to use hands and fingers to handle, assemble, or inspect components and hardware.
• Ability to communicate effectively with team members in both office and production environments.
• Specific vision abilities required include close vision, color vision, and the ability to adjust focus when working with technical drawings, schematics, and small components.

Background Check

This position will require successfully completing a post-offer background check. Qualified candidates with a criminal history will be considered and are not automatically disqualified, consistent with federal and state law.

EEO and ITAR/EAR Work Authorization Disclosure

Red Cat Holdings provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This position requires direct or indirect access to hardware, software, technology or technical data controlled under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Successful candidates for positions subject to ITAR/EAR restrictions must provide proof of U.S. Citizenship or Permanent Residence and must not require sponsorship for export-restricted work authorization.

E-Verify

The company participates E-Verify ensure eligibility for employment and compliance with Right to Work rules.

Compensation: Salary range $132,595 - $198,950 plus generous annual equity package and potential bonuses, company benefits.