Program Manager

Description

Position Type : Full-Time, Exempt

Work Location : Patuxent River, MD

Pay Details : $165000 - $190000+ / year (depending on experience)

Systems Application & Technologies, Inc. (SA-TECH) is a progressive and well-established Department of War (DoW) contractor specializing in Range operations and maintenance (O&M); weapons testing; facilities management; aerial, ground and seaborne targets O&M; technical, logistics and other engineering support; systems integration; electronics and communications maintenance services; and a growing cybersecurity business. We are highly focused and, among other efforts, currently operate a dozen active test and/or training ranges for the Army, Air Force and Navy. Our 37-year heritage is founded on supporting complex and diverse DoW programs and we’ve developed a standout reputation for providing the highest quality services, superior workmanship and cost-effective results while achieving complete customer satisfaction.

Join our successful leadership team as a Program Manager overseeing one of our flagship contracts. This program was re-awarded to SA-TECH in September 2026 as the Test Wing Instrumentation (TWI) Support Services contract, extending our long-running support of Aircraft Instrumentation at Naval Air Station Patuxent River. We have held this mission continuously since 2015 and have an 11-year incumbency. This is a rare opportunity to develop your career in a meaningful way by managing a successful, established and highly visible program with an exceptional team already in place.

Our personnel design, install, and operate the data-gathering "nervous systems" on next-generation military aircraft before anyone else in the world gets to fly them. Managed by the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD), the TWI mission is essentially the backbone of bleeding-edge aerospace testing.

Here is what makes the mission so unique:

• Real-Time Sci-Fi Engineering: Our TWI teams modify more than 100 highly advanced aircraft—including F/A-18s, JSFs, V-22 Ospreys, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). We build airborne telemetry systems, custom sensors, and sophisticated data-collection setups that record thousands of data points per second during high-stakes maneuvers.
• No Two Days Are the Same: Unlike standard defense logistics or standard military maintenance, the TWI program requires inventing custom engineering solutions on the fly. If a test pilot needs to know the exact structural strain on a new wing during supersonic flight, the TWI team designs the instrumentation to capture it.
• Direct Impact on Innovation: The data captured by these specific instrument systems is what allows the Naval Test Wing Atlantic to determine if a multi-million dollar weapons system or experimental aircraft is safe and functional for the fleet.

Specific functions of this high-visibility role include (but are not limited to):

• Act as the overall manager and administrator with respect to contract requirements for a 90-FTE, multi-site $120M cost-plus-fixed-fee program that provides technical, engineering, supply, administrative, and program management support for test instrumentation.
• Serve as the primary interface and point of contact with the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) on technical program/project and contract administration issues.
• Plan, direct, or coordinate the operations of the contract.
• Provide Financial and Contractual accountability, including cost control (tracking expenditures to ensure incremental task orders do not exceed funding limitations) and reporting on deliverables (presenting technical progress, milestone achievements, risk mitigation plans, and budget burn-rates directly to NAWCAD Test Wing leadership).
• Formulate policies, manage daily operations, and plan the use of materials and human resources.
• Supervise program/project operation by developing engineering, technical and management procedures, and controls; planning and directing project execution, as well as monitoring and reporting progress.
• Provide Operations & Lifecycle Oversight that includes lifecycle management (directing technical teams responsible for the design, development, procurement, fabrication, and installation of custom telemetry and data-gathering sensors on test aircraft) as well as overseeing maintenance execution.
• Perform Personnel & Resource Allocation, managing a multi-disciplinary team of specialized flight-test instrumentation engineers, technicians, supply specialists, and administrative personnel stationed at NAS Patuxent River as well as coordinating facility support and program analysis data to verify that workflows match active naval warfare priorities.
• Continue cultivating and growing an inclusive environment that values precision, accountability and safety.

Work Conditions:

This role primarily involves desk/office work with occasional work center and hard-hat area access.

Requirements

Education/Experience/Skills:

• Master’s degree (or a qualifying substitution in an engineering, technical or business discipline).
• Minimum ten (10) years of experience with technical management of US Navy or DoD/DoW programs/contracts required, with at least three (3) of those years involving Defense and/or Navy Acquisitions.
• Expertise with current Navy aircraft platforms is required.
• Demonstrated history of managing large-scale federal lifecycles ($20M–$100M+) that involve multi-disciplinary teams of engineers, data technicians, and supply/procurement personnel.
• An above-average understanding of MS Excel and SharePoint is needed.
• Holding a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification from the Project Management Institute or a DAWIA Level III Certification in Program Management (Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act) is highly desirable.
• A background in oversight of the flight-test instrumentation lifecycle—spanning data acquisition systems, sensor fabrication, uninstalled engine testing, and range telemetry is highly desirable.
• In-depth experience and knowledge of government contracting regulations and accounting metrics, specifically Earned Value Management Systems (EVMS), Integrated Master Schedules (IMS), and Federal Acquisition Regulations (FARs) is needed for success in this position.
• Experience briefing senior Navy leadership, civilian executives, and military flag officers regarding cost, schedule, and flight-test safety risks is also beneficial.
• Current Driver’s License required; must be able to be insured through company’s vehicle insurance policy while driving work/government/rental vehicles during working hours, and for the duration of employment.
• U.S. Citizenship required and you must be able to obtain a U.S. DoW Secret Security Clearance prior to hire date and maintain a Secret clearance throughout employment.
• All candidates will be required to pass background screening to include SSN, Driver Record, and Criminal Background Investigation.

Supporting Our Warfighters:

As a highly regarded and long-established DoW employer, SA-TECH recognizes that our success is indicative of our team members' hard work and dedication towards a common goal… Supporting our Warfighters. Along with unparalleled stability, we have the ingredients for superior performance with a servant leadership mentality that provides an affirmation of purpose and value in a team-oriented positive work environment. As such, we provide a sense of family, competitive pay and employee benefits, along with a strong commitment to the professional development of our workforce and for providing broad career opportunities throughout the United States.

SA-TECH offers:

• Employee Recognition
• Above-Average Compensation
• Competitive Benefits
• Ongoing Training and Development
• Career Advancement Opportunities

Benefits Offered:

• Medical, Dental, Vision
• Life Insurance
• Long-Term Disability
• 401(k) match
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• EAP
• Education Assistance
• PTO and Holidays
• Vacation and Sick Leave

Other Important Information You Should Know:

• SA-TECH offers flexible work schedules depending on the program, alongside generous PTO benefits.
• We are an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and evaluate all applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, national origin, disability, or protected Veteran status. We participate in the E-Verify system to verify work authorization in the U.S.
• Applicants are encouraged to apply within 5-15 days of posting for optimal consideration.

All responses will be handled with strict confidentiality.

Please note that any provided salary information is a general guideline. SA-TECH considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education, training, and skills as well as market and business considerations when extending offers.