Senior Program Manager(Space&Defense)

Eleven Recruiting is searching for a Senior R&D Program Manager to join a leading aerospace and defense manufacturer onsite in Seattle, Washington. This company develops and delivers advanced flight hardware for some of the most demanding programs in national defense and space exploration — systems that must perform in extreme environments and cannot fail. The Senior R&D Program Manager reports into senior program leadership and owns day-to-day execution across assigned development programs — cost, schedule, EVM, customer communications, and contract deliverables from early concept through qualification and delivery. This person is the primary customer interface for their programs and the key driver of on-time, on-budget performance across engineering, test, manufacturing, and supply chain. Responsibilities Own programmatic execution across assigned R&D programs — managing cost, schedule, and deliverables in support of program leadership, from early concept through hardware qualification and delivery. Serve as the day-to-day customer interface for assigned programs — managing technical interchange meetings, design reviews, CDRs/PDRs, status reporting, and written communications. Develop and maintain Earned Value Management (EVM) metrics; report CPI/SPI, variance analysis, and EAC forecasts to program leadership and customers on a consistent cadence. Build and maintain integrated master schedules (IMS) for assigned programs, tracking critical path, milestones, and dependencies across engineering, manufacturing, test, and supply chain. Coordinate development and qualification testing activities — including performance testing, environmental testing, and system-level acceptance — on pyrotechnic, energetic, electromechanical, and aerostructure hardware. Support test readiness reviews, anomaly documentation, failure review boards, and test report preparation for on-site and external test activities. Track contract deliverables and ensure proper documentation of system requirements, CDRLs, and configuration control artifacts throughout the R&D lifecycle. Manage subcontract and supplier activity in support of program deliverables, coordinating technical requirements and schedule with procurement. Ensure ITAR compliance across program documentation, supply chain interfaces, and customer communications. Author and execute recovery plans for schedule or technical anomalies; present findings to customers and leadership as directed. Support proposal writing, BOE development, and new business activities as assigned. Required Qualifications: B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical field. 10+ years of experience in aerospace and/or defense, with at least 3 years in a program management capacity. Demonstrated experience managing hardware R&D programs — from concept and design through testing, qualification, and delivery. Hands-on experience with Earned Value Management (EVM) — CPI/SPI reporting, variance analysis, and EAC forecasting. Experience building and maintaining integrated master schedules across cross-functional teams. Direct customer interface experience — must have represented programs at formal reviews such as CDRs, PDRs, or program status reviews. Familiarity with hardware qualification and acceptance testing processes, including environmental and performance test programs. U.S. citizenship required; must be able to obtain and maintain a DoD SECRET clearance. Preferred Qualifications Experience with pyrotechnic, energetic, or cartridge/propellant-actuated device (CAD/PAD) programs. Background in separation and deployment systems, electromechanical actuators, safe-and-arm devices, or aerostructures. Familiarity with MIL-SPEC and MIL-STD qualification standards for flight‑critical hardware. Experience on NASA, MDA, USAF, USN, or prime contractor programs (Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, Boeing). Experience managing subcontract and supply chain activity on a government or commercial space contract. Exposure to on‑site propellant handling or hazardous test operations in a regulated facility environment. M.S. in a technical discipline or MBA. Experience within an AS9100‑certified development and manufacturing environment. #J-18808-Ljbffr Eleven Recruiting