Senior Technical Program Manager
South Park Commons is a community and early-stage venture firm that helps talented founders and technologists move from an idea (-1) to a company (0). It runs a no-cost, no-equity residency program for ideation and exploration, and provides $1M to $10M in funding for founders ready to build venture-scale companies.
About South Park Commons
South Park Commons operates a talent-dense community of technical founders, researchers, and domain experts who test ideas, find collaborators, and build conviction on what to build and how to build it. Its offering spans two stages: a six-month Residency with no cost or equity focused on ideation and exploration, and Funding of $1M to $10M for members ready to build venture-scale companies. Beyond capital, SPC provides learning forums on frontier topics (embodied AI, reinforcement learning, energy-efficient computing, AI in biotech), live programming with industry leaders, partner collaboration from a team of former founders and operators, social scaffolding to counter the isolation of early company building, and up to $1M in credits and perks from partners like Anthropic, OpenAI, Microsoft, GCP, and AWS. SPC has spaces in San Francisco, New York, and Bengaluru, and its community has produced companies such as Render, Luma Labs, Pilot, Comun, Anthropic, Unit21, and Profound.
Skills
About the Role
You will lead the delivery of next-generation infrared satellites, acting as the single accountable owner for cost, schedule, and technical performance. You'll manage a multi-disciplinary internal team, multiple subcontractors, and a critical-path vendor base for focal plane arrays, integrated detector cooler assemblies, cryocoolers, and optics, spanning the full program lifecycle from preliminary design through on-orbit demonstration. You'll serve as the primary day-to-day customer interface, author or approve customer deliverables, coordinate with vendors and subcontractors, and partner with technical leads to drive decision-making and resolve cross-functional issues while ensuring compliance with contracting and export control requirements.
Requirements
- 8+ years of professional experience in program management of complex technical system development, deployment, and operations
- 5+ years of hands-on technical experience, preferably in an engineering or similar capacity
- Direct experience with space, defense, or aerospace industry program planning and execution
- Demonstrated experience managing programs with multiple subcontractors and a complex critical-path supply chain
- Prior experience executing rapid-acquisition contract vehicles for government customers, with familiarity navigating the government program lifecycle, technical data rights, and CDRL management
- Ability to get U.S. Top Secret clearance
- U.S. Citizenship required (program is ITAR-restricted)
- Excellent written communication skills
- TS / SCI clearance preferred
- Direct experience working with SDA, USSF Space Systems Command, MDA, or NRO customer offices preferred
- Prior experience on a missile warning, missile tracking, OPIR, or HBTSS-class space-based IR program preferred
- Working knowledge of MWIR sensor architectures, focal plane arrays, IDCAs, and cryocooler integration preferred
- Experience managing programs through environmental test campaigns (TVAC, vibration, EMI/EMC) preferred
- PMP certification or equivalent program management credentials preferred
Responsibilities
- Own the integrated master schedule, cost baseline, and risk register
- Drive the program through preliminary and critical design reviews, sub-scale lab demonstration assembly, environmental test, and final reporting
- Manage the boundary between IR&D-funded and customer funded work to ensure each stays within scope, cost ceiling, and period of performance
- Serve as the primary day-to-day customer interface, leading kickoff, design reviews, demonstration briefings, and quarterly status reporting
- Author or approve all customer deliverables including status reports, design review packages, cost reduction and manufacturability analyses, test plans, and the program final report
- Partner with Capture and Business Development teams on transition strategy
- Manage program subcontracts for mission data processing / algorithm development and optical design
- Coordinate with critical-path vendors for focal plane arrays, IDCAs, and cryocoolers across different funded long-lead procurements
- Ensure subcontractor cost stays within applicable funding limits and that subcontract scope, cost, and schedule remain aligned with prime contract commitments
- Partner with the program Principal Investigator and technical leads to drive technical decision-making
- Own and actively work the program risk register, including supply chain, integration, and demonstration-event risks
- Drive resolution of cross-functional issues quickly and escalate to functional and program leadership when needed
- Ensure all program execution complies with contracting requirements, including U.S.-only performance, ITAR/EAR export controls, technical data rights, and CUI handling
- Coordinate with Contracts and Finance on subcontract changes, invoicing, and program financial reporting
Benefits
- Equity compensation
- Medical insurance
- Dental insurance
- Vision insurance
- 401k retirement plan
- Short & long term disability insurance
- Life insurance
- Three weeks paid vacation for new employees
- 12 paid holidays
- Unlimited sick time
- Paid parental leave