Program Manager, Airborne Electronic Warfare

About This Role

You'll own the execution of programs that put EW capability on aircraft — manned and unmanned. These are complex, multi-disciplinary integration efforts involving RF hardware, embedded software, firmware, flight qualification, airframe interfaces, and demanding government customers. You'll manage programs from contract award through flight test, qualification, and fielding.

Airborne EW programs move fast but carry high technical risk. Platform integration constraints, flight safety requirements, and limited test windows create an environment where planning, anticipation, and clear communication are the difference between on-time delivery and a year of rework. You'll need to understand enough about the technology to have credible conversations with engineers and customers — and enough about program execution to keep complex efforts on track.

What You'll Do

• Own end-to-end execution of airborne EW programs — scope, schedule, budget, risk, customer relationships, and delivery
• Manage programs involving hardware/software integration onto airborne platforms with all associated qualification and certification requirements
• Serve as primary customer interface for DoD program offices (PEOs, PMAs, SOCOM, platform integrators) on programmatic matters
• Coordinate across RF engineering, embedded software, FPGA/DSP, systems engineering, flight test, and production teams to deliver on commitments
• Manage contract financials — EACs, burn rate, margin, invoicing, and revenue recognition
• Drive requirements definition and management in partnership with systems engineering — translate customer needs into executable scope
• Plan and coordinate flight test events, ground integration activities, and platform qualification milestones
• Manage subcontractor and vendor relationships as needed for platform-specific integration
• Proactively identify and mitigate program risks — surface issues early with data and proposed solutions
• Support capture and proposal efforts for airborne EW growth opportunities (BOEs, schedules, technical volumes)

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of demonstrated success managing or leading complex defense technology programs — delivering real systems to real customers on contract
• Direct experience with airborne systems: flight qualification, platform integration, DO-178/DO-254, airworthiness, or flight test coordination
• Track record of managing programs with combined hardware, software, and firmware deliverables in a defense or aerospace environment
• Experience as the primary interface with DoD program offices or platform integrators (prime or sub)
• Comfort operating in technically complex environments — you can follow an engineering discussion about RF, embedded systems, or signal processing without needing everything translated
• Proven ability to manage scope, schedule, and budget simultaneously without letting any one collapse
• Experience working directly with software and hardware engineering teams — not through layers of intermediaries
• Active U.S. Secret clearance (TS/SCI preferred)

Preferred Qualifications

• Background in electronic warfare, SIGINT, airborne ISR, or aircraft survivability equipment (ASE) programs
• Prior experience at defense technology companies (not just traditional primes) — organizations that build and ship fast
• Experience managing programs with DCMA oversight, earned value requirements, or CPIF/CPFF contract structures
• Previous role as a mission operations lead, technical program manager, or field engineer on airborne systems
• Direct experience with aircraft integration (wiring, connectors, SWaP constraints, vibration/thermal environments)
• Relationships with relevant DoD program offices (PMA-272, PMA-234, SOCOM, platform SPOs)