Technical Project Manager - Payload

Astranis builds advanced satellites for high orbits, expanding humanity’s reach into the solar system. Today Astranis satellites provide dedicated, secure networks to highly-sophisticated customers across the globe – large enterprises, sovereign governments, and the US military.

With five satellites on orbit and many more set to launch soon, the company is servicing a backlog of more than $1 billion of commercial contracts. Astranis is the preferred satellite communications partner for buyers with stringent requirements for uptime, data security, network visibility, and customization.

Astranis has raised over $1.2 billion from some of the world’s best investors, including Andreessen Horowitz, Baillie Gifford, Blackrock, Fidelity, Franklin Templeton, and Snowpoint, and employs a team of 500 engineers and entrepreneurs. Astranis designs, builds, and operates its satellites out of its 153,000 sq. ft. headquarters in Northern California, USA.

Technical Project Manager - Payload

As a Technical Project Manager at Astranis, you will drive the development of our satellite payloads, the communications systems at the heart of every spacecraft we build, across several programs at once. You will own schedules, risks and cross-functional coordination for payload units from design through test and delivery to spacecraft integration, working side by side with the Systems, RF and FPGA engineers who build them. This is a hands-on role for a project manager who can speak the engineers’ language and adapt to challenges throughout the project lifecycle.

Role

• Develop integrated schedules with measurable milestones for all payload subsystems and units
• Track progress weekly against release and need dates, identify slips early, and drive recovery plans
• Manage dependencies and lead times across engineering, PCB layout, test, production, supply chain and vendors, including long-lead and single-source parts
• Plan payload team resources across programs, matching layout, test and technician demand against capacity so that conflicts are caught in planning stages
• Proactively identify and solve cross-discipline challenges
• Drive risk and opportunity identification, tracking and burn-down
• Serve as a liaison between the payload engineering teams and other stakeholders, such as program managers, supply chain, production, software and operations
• Identify and implement strategies to ensure projects are completed on schedule
• Support our recurring planning cycles and keep team plans and tickets accurate
• Work closely within the Program Management team to ensure PM best practices and processes are implemented across Astranis

Requirements

• BS in Electrical Engineering or similar
• 2-5 years of experience, including time in an engineering role and a project leadership or management role
• Technical fluency in electronics hardware. A background in RF comms is preferred; general electrical engineering experience may also be a good fit
• Enough engineering depth to built trust with subject matter experts, challenge an estimate, and follow technical discussions
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Highly detail oriented
• Proven ability to work in an ambiguous, fast-paced environment, overcome obstacles with creative solutions, and clearly document and communicate tactical plans

Bonus

• Familiarity with Jira and Smartsheets
• Experience on hardware development programs, ideally in spacecraft, aerospace or other complex hardware systems
• Experience managing work with external vendors or contract manufacturers

What we offer:

All our positions offer a compensation package that includes equity and robust benefits.

Base pay is just one component of Astranis’s total rewards package. Your compensation also includes a significant equity package via incentive stock options, high-quality company-subsidized healthcare, disability and life insurance, 401(k) retirement planning, flexible PTO, and free on-site catered meals.

Astranis pay ranges are informed and defined through professional-grade salary surveys and compensation data sources. The actual base salary offered to a successful candidate will additionally be influenced by a variety of factors including experience, credentials & certifications, educational attainment, skill level requirements, and the level and scope of the position.

Base Salary

$119,000—$155,000 USD

U.S. Citizenship, Lawful Permanent Residency, or Refugee/Asylee Status Required

(To comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the United States, or other protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3))

Our mission and products are built for everyone, regardless of gender, race, creed, or background. We believe in a diverse and inclusive workplace, and we invite all people to join our team and bring their unique perspectives to make us stronger.

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