Engineering Project Manager at Amca in El Segundo, CA

Job description

There was a time when all of America believed that the future of the physical world could be radically different. The engineers of the mid-1900s put a man on the moon in eight years, designed and built planes and submarines from scratch in under three, and conceived of building things we wouldn’t even be able to dream up today. Today, the last of the engineers who imagined and built these systems are retiring. As they go, we lose not only the engineering knowledge gained from their decades of imagination and trial-and-error, but also the spirit that made that imagination possible. Amca is working day-in and day-out to restore America’s ability to engineer anything that our critical systems depend on, and reinvigorate the cycle of creation that allows imagination to shape physical reality. We rapidly develop and manufacture new critical components and subsystems required to build and sustain the planes, military vehicles, and core infrastructure America needs. By restoring the capability of our antiquated supply chains, we increase the country’s capacity to imagine and realize new systems, and make a physical world that looks very different from today. Overview As a Program Manager, you will lead the execution of advanced aerospace programs from initial concept through delivery, serving as the primary interface with U.S. Government customers and internal engineering teams. You will own program schedules, contractual commitments, and mission success, driving efforts from proposal through design, integration, test, and fielding. This is a hands-on program leadership role in a rapidly scaling startup environment where you will be tasked to lead multiple ongoing programs of varying sizes and complexity. You will operate at the intersection of engineering, program management, and customer engagement, ensuring that Amca's aerospace systems meet the needs of our customers. Responsibilities Program Leadership: Serve as the primary customer interface, ensuring alignment between mission requirements and Amca's technology roadmap. Program Execution: Manage cost, schedule, and technical performance from contract award through integration, test, and deployment, delivering on all contractual milestones. Proposal & Contract Management: Lead proposal efforts and contract negotiations, ensuring technical feasibility, cost effectiveness, and compliance with FAR/DFARS requirements. Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with engineering to translate mission needs into product requirements, guide design reviews, and manage technical or contractual changes. Customer Engagement: Lead program reviews, present technical and schedule briefings, negotiate requirements, and maintain strong relationships with government stakeholders. Risk Management: Identify program risks early, develop mitigation plans, and maintain schedule fidelity under aggressive timelines. Strategic Development: Shape new opportunities and architectures by collaborating with government and industry partners to inform future aerospace capabilities. Basic Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related technical field. Excellent communication and technical writing skills, including preparation of CDRLs and technical data packages. 6+ years of experience in aerospace, defense, or national security programs. Proven track record of excellence and achievement. Deep familiarity with USG programs, acquisitions, and operational concepts. Strong understanding of U.S. Government acquisition processes, contracting, and operational concepts. Demonstrated success managing complex, multi-disciplinary engineering programs to cost and schedule. U.S. citizenship with the ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret/SCI clearance. Preferred Skills and Experience Experience in a fast-moving environment with compressed timelines. Familiarity with government acquisition processes, requirements decomposition, and systems verification. Familiarity with rap