Technical Program Director

A New Paradigm For Space Operations. Who We Are: Space Kinetic is a dual use space technology startup building a completely new architecture for space operations – one that brings the advantages of proliferated drone technology (low-cost, operationally flexible, attainable, distributed) to space missions while reducing the ecosystem's reliance on consumable fuel. In a world where many companies are focused on incrementally improving the status quo, we are focused on creating something entirely different – an architecture underpinned by new first principles to meet the opportunities and challenges of the third space age head-on. Our goal is to move away from one-to-one space architectures – where each satellite in a constellation has one (or a small # of) primary payloads attached to the bus -- and unlock a ‘one-to-many’ system, where each satellite has a large number of payloads which can be deployed from their host spacecraft at high velocities without firing a thruster. This is not a role for someone looking for a traditional 40-hour work week. Space Kinetic is building ambitious, first-of-its-kind technology, and that requires urgency, ownership, and a high level of commitment to changing the foundational assumptions for everything we do in space. What You’ll Do: We are seeking a Technical Program Director to lead aerospace hardware programs from planning through production readiness. This role will coordinate engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, leadership, and external stakeholders to keep technical execution aligned with program requirements. Job Responsibilities: Lead planning and execution of aerospace engineering and hardware development programs. Maintain schedules, milestones, action trackers, deliverables, and program reporting. Coordinate execution across engineering, manufacturing, software, and supply chain teams. Track scope, cost drivers, technical dependencies, procurement needs, and critical-path activities. Identify program risks and constraints and drive actions to resolution. Support technical reviews, test readiness, integration planning, and production readiness. Manage customer updates, program documentation, and contract deliverables. Maintain configuration control and improve program processes and reporting. What It Takes: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related technical field preferred. 5+ years of project management experience supporting aerospace, engineering, manufacturing, or hardware development programs. Aerospace industry experience. Understanding of engineering development, hardware integration, test planning, and production readiness. Experience managing technical schedules and cross-functional program execution. Ability to identify technical dependencies, schedule risks, and execution constraints. Experience supporting technical reviews, program reporting, and milestone-driven execution. Strong communication skills across engineering teams and leadership. What We'd Love: Experience supporting prototype, flight hardware, or aerospace product development. Familiarity with test readiness reviews, integration planning, and engineering release processes. Understanding of software integration within broader system architectures. Experience with customer-funded, contract-based, or defense development programs. PMP certification or equivalent program management training. Where You’ll Be: The position is onsite at our headquarters in El Segundo, CA. Domestic travel may be required (up to ~20% of the year). What We Offer: Equity-Based Compensation Highly Competitive PTO and Holiday Calendar Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage Unique Performance-Based Bonus Structure ITAR Requirements: To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U…