Sr Technical Project Manager

Senior Technical Project Manager

Our client is a growing advanced aerospace automation and manufacturing technology company seeking a Senior Technical Project Manager to lead complex technical programs from concept through delivery. This is an opportunity for a seasoned project leader who understands the realities of building custom, high-precision equipment for aerospace production environments, where mechanical systems, controls, software, manufacturing, suppliers, and customer expectations must be carefully coordinated. This role is ideal for someone who has managed complex engineered systems, not just project timelines. The right person will bring the technical credibility to earn trust with engineering teams, the business sense to protect scope and budget, and the communication skill to guide customers and internal teams through ambiguity.

Defined as the Senior Technical Project Manager, you will own delivery of complex aerospace automation and tooling programs. You will manage scope, schedule, budget, risks, customer communication, and cross-functional coordination across engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, vendors, and customer stakeholders. You will help translate customer commitments into clear, executable deliverables, keep teams aligned on scope and expectations, and ensure the company delivers high-quality systems with strong commercial discipline, practical execution, and clear accountability.

Why This Role is Essential Our client is expanding its work across aerospace and advanced manufacturing markets, with increasingly complex custom equipment programs. This role adds the senior project leadership needed to translate deep technical capability into clear scope, practical delivery plans, and commercially sound execution. The right person will help align engineering, program, and customer-facing teams around shared commitments and successful outcomes.

Background Great candidates may come from:

• Aerospace tooling or automation companies
• Robotics or factory automation environments
• Custom machinery or capital equipment manufacturers
• Advanced manufacturing companies building low-volume, high-precision systems
• Space, defense, commercial aerospace, or industrial automation programs
• Technical program management roles involving mechanical, controls, software, and hardware integration

This role is especially well suited for someone who began their career in engineering, systems integration, controls, mechanical design, manufacturing engineering, or project engineering before moving into technical project or program leadership.

What You'll Do

• Lead complex technical programs from requirements definition through design, build, integration, deployment, and customer acceptance
• Own project scope, schedule, budget, risk, and technical coordination
• Track program financials, forecasts, supplier deliverables, and long-lead items to support on-time, on-budget execution
• Coordinate cross-functional teams across mechanical engineering, controls, software, systems, manufacturing, supply chain, and external partners
• Translate customer needs into clear technical scope, deliverables, assumptions, and execution plans
• Manage customer expectations, scope changes, commercial impacts, and program risks
• Build and maintain project schedules, resource plans, status reports, and risk registers
• Challenge timelines, assumptions, and technical estimates when needed while preserving trust with engineering teams
• Support design reviews, readiness reviews, integration planning, installation, commissioning, and production ramp-up
• Help prevent over-scoping, over-engineering, and unpaid expansion of customer work
• Partner with commercial and engineering teams on proposal scoping, cost estimates, and new project planning
• Create clear, consistent communication across customers, engineering teams, manufacturing, suppliers, and leadership

Skills and Competencies Required

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Robotics, Industrial Engineering, or related field, with MS preferred
• 7+ years of experience managing complex technical programs involving hardware, software, controls, robotics, automation, tooling, capital equipment, or advanced manufacturing systems
• Experience in aerospace manufacturing, aerospace tooling, automation, robotics, custom machinery, or similarly complex engineered systems
• Strong technical credibility with engineering and manufacturing teams
• Working knowledge of mechanical systems, controls, PLCs, robotics, electrical systems, software integration, or automated production equipment
• Experience managing project scope, schedules, budgets, change requests, technical risks, and customer deliverables
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams without formal authority
• Strong customer-facing communication and stakeholder management skills
• Ability to push back professionally on scope, schedule, and technical estimates
• Comfort working in a mostly waterfall project environment with some hybrid or Agile practices depending on the team
• Experience with project management tools such as Microsoft Project, Jira, Smartsheet, Primavera, or similar systems
• Ability to work onsite in the Greater Seattle area
• Candidates must be able to meet applicable export-control eligibility requirements

Desired

• Experience with aerospace production systems or aerospace OEM/Tier 1 environments
• Background in robotic drilling, fastening, inspection, assembly automation, precision tooling, or factory automation
• Experience managing multimillion-dollar technical programs
• PMP or equivalent program management training
• Experience with installation, commissioning, factory acceptance, site acceptance, or production readiness
• Experience using CAD tools for design review and technical discussions
• Supplier management and long-lead equipment coordination experience
• Experience in low-volume, high-precision, custom-engineered equipment environments

What's In It for You

• Competitive compensation including salary of $170K to $190K
• High-visibility role with direct influence on complex technical programs
• Opportunity to work on advanced aerospace automation and manufacturing systems
• Strong technical environment where credibility and practical execution matter
• Chance to help shape project delivery discipline during a period of growth
• Exposure to customers, engineering leadership, manufacturing, suppliers, and executive stakeholders
• Comprehensive benefits package
• Relocation may be considered for the right candidate
• 30% domestic and international travel