Chaos Industries Program Manager leading planning, execution, and delivery of autonomous Massed Modular Aircraft program. Owns program cost, schedule, and technical performance baselines and interfaces with customers and internal teams.
Responsibilities
We are seeking an experienced Program Manager with a strong technical background to lead the planning, execution, and delivery of autonomous Massed Modular Aircraft program contracted through Defense Innovation Unit (DIU). The successful candidate will own program cost, schedule, and technical performance (CSP) baselines from proposal through development, test, production, and sustainment, serving as the primary interface with customers (DoW, government agencies, international customers), internal engineering teams, operations teams, and supply chain partners. This role requires a rare blend of program management discipline and hands-on technical fluency in military aircraft domain.
Own full program P&L, including cost performance, schedule adherence (IMS/IMP), risk/opportunity management, and technical baseline control (EVMS-lite) across the program lifecycle.
Serve as primary point of contact for customer program offices (e.g., PEO, PM offices), leading program reviews (PMR, technical interchange meetings, milestone reviews).
Coordinate cross-functional Integrated Product Teams (IPTs) spanning systems engineering, airframe, aerodynamics, guidance, propulsion, warhead/payload integration, avionics, software, manufacturing, quality, test, and logistics.
Develop and maintain Integrated Master Schedules (IMS); manage critical path and resolve schedule conflicts.
Manage program risk and opportunity registers; drive mitigation plans for technical, schedule, cost, and supply chain risks.
Support proposal development, including Basis of Estimate (BOE) generation, technical volume input, pricing strategy, and capture activities for new business and follow-on contracts.
Provide informed oversight across the full system lifecycle: requirements decomposition, System Requirements Review (SRR), Preliminary/Critical Design Review (PDR/CDR), integration, flight/static test, Test Readiness Review (TRR), and Production Readiness Review (PRR).
Partner with Chief Engineer and systems engineering lead to assess technical trade studies, verify requirements traceability, and ensure design maturity gates are met.
Oversee airworthiness, flight safety, and range safety processes, and ensure compliance with applicable safety standards.
Coordinate developmental and operational test campaigns (DT&E/OT&E), including flight test, captive carry, HIL/SIL integration labs, and environmental/qualification testing.
Ensure configuration management (CM) rigor and technical data package integrity across engineering releases.
Qualification
Experience managing costMaster’s degree or MBA preferredPMP certification preferredPrior experience as a Chief EngineerHealth BenefitsAdditional benefits
Required
Experience in program management with technical background
Experience managing cost, schedule, and technical performance baselines
Experience coordinating cross-functional teams
Experience with government and defense customers
Experience with program reviews and risk management
Experience supporting proposal development
Preferred
Master’s degree or MBA preferred.
PMP certification preferred
Experience supporting Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or international program execution.
Experience with digital engineering environments and model-based acquisition approaches.
Prior experience as a Chief Engineer, Deputy Program Manager, or Integration Lead prior to moving into Program Manager roles.
Ability to obtain/maintain Secret/Top Secret/SCI clearance
Health Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision benefits 100% paid for by the company
Additional benefits: 401k (+ 50% company match up to 6% of pay), FSA, HSA, life insurance, and more