(Senior) Program Manager - Remote Sensing

Umbra is an American space technology company delivering advanced systems, from sensors to spacecraft, that empower customers worldwide with unmatched access to critical information from space. Our mission is simple and ambitious: redefine space—for people, systems, and missions in every domain. Umbra’s ecosystem operates through three business units: Remote Sensing (the data), Space Systems (the components), and Mission Solutions (the platforms).Together, our teams develop capabilities that deliver persistent access, resilient performance, and mission-ready solutions, advancing U.S. space leadership while keeping the world safe and informed.

About the Team

Remote Sensing – The Data

Remote Sensing is where Umbra got its start, and our agile Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) constellation remains the most capable on the market. We transform satellite data into real-world, actionable insights that strengthen U.S. national security and intelligence, support disaster response, and advance scientific discovery. Our team delivers data at scale with unmatched quality, persistence, and the speed and responsiveness our partners demand.

If you want to work on cutting-edge space technology that’s redefining what’s possible in remote sensing, you belong here at Umbra.

About the Job
As a Program Manager at Umbra, you will lead a portfolio of operational remote sensing programs supporting U.S. Department of War (DoW) and Intelligence Community (IC) customers, delivering mission-critical imagery, data products, and solutions that meet customer objectives while fulfilling contractual commitments. You will be responsible for managing program cost, schedule, technical and operational performance, and customer satisfaction across the program lifecycle.

In this role, you will serve as a senior program leader for some of Umbra's most significant national security programs, developing and maintaining integrated program plans, schedules, budgets, forecasts, performance metrics, and risk management strategies while partnering closely with engineering, product management, finance, contracts, business development, and mission operations. You will translate customer mission needs and contractual requirements into executable plans, proactively identify and resolve program risks, and provide clear, concise updates to customers and executive leadership.

A critical component of this role is developing deep customer and mission intimacy. You will engage frequently with government customers, mission partners, analysts, operators, and other end users to understand how Umbra's capabilities are employed operationally, identify unmet mission needs, solicit actionable feedback, and ensure those insights inform program priorities, product development, and future capabilities.

Success in this role requires strong leadership, technical and business judgment, and the ability to build trusted relationships with government customers and technical and non-technical stakeholders. By developing a deep understanding of Umbra's SAR technology, broader sensing capabilities, operational architecture, and customer missions, you'll help drive program success while identifying follow-on opportunities and contributing to the continued growth of our national security Remote Sensing business.

This position is based on-site in our Arlington, VA office.


Key Responsibilities

Portfolio & Program Leadership

• Lead a portfolio of U.S. national security remote sensing programs with responsibility for cost, schedule, technical and operational performance, contractual commitments, financial outcomes, and customer delivery.
• Develop and maintain program plans, schedules, budgets, forecasts, and risk and opportunity registers; lead recurring program reviews; and provide clear assessments of program health, risks, and outlook to customers and executive leadership.

Customer & Mission Intimacy

• Serve as a primary interface for DoW and Intelligence Community customers and build trusted relationships across program offices, mission partners, and operational user communities.
• Engage frequently and directly with analysts, operators, and other end users to understand mission workflows, operational challenges, evolving requirements, and how Umbra's products are employed. Translate these insights into program improvements, product requirements, new capabilities, and growth opportunities

Operational Execution & Performance

• Partner with mission operations, engineering, product, and other cross-functional teams to ensure reliable execution of customer missions and delivery of imagery, data, and mission products.
• Establish and monitor program KPIs, service-level requirements, capacity, delivery performance, and other contractual measures; proactively identify risks and drive corrective actions.
• Apply and help mature scalable program management processes appropriate to a fast-paced commercial space environment.

Product & Mission Capability Development

• Serve as a bridge between customers and Umbra's product, engineering, mission operations, analytics, and technical organizations.
• Translate customer mission needs and operational feedback into product requirements, development priorities, CONOPS, and operational capabilities.
• Help advance new sensing modalities, multi-sensor solutions, analytics, and derived intelligence products from concept and demonstration into repeatable operational use.

Growth & Strategy

• Develop growth strategies across assigned customers and programs and lead or support captures, proposals, and follow-on opportunities.
• Identify opportunities for contract expansion, new mission applications, and introduction of additional products and sensing capabilities.
• Serve as the voice of the customer across product and technical organizations, helping shape company roadmaps and investment priorities based on mission needs and market demand.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Build effective relationships across engineering, product, mission operations, analytics, business development, contracts, finance, and other organizations.
• Establish clear priorities, align resources, facilitate decisions, and drive execution across teams without relying solely on direct organizational authority.

Requirements

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in engineering, computer science, business, or a related STEM or business field.
• 5-8+ years of program management or comparable technical program leadership experience, including experience supporting U.S. Government aerospace, defense, intelligence, or national security space programs.
• Active TS/SCI security clearance with a read-in within the past two years.
• Proven ability to independently lead complex technical or operational programs and cross-functional teams through planning, execution, and customer delivery.
• Experience managing program financials, schedules, contractual requirements, risks and opportunities, technical or operational performance, and customer relationships.
• Experience working directly with U.S. Government customers and translating mission and contractual requirements into executable program priorities.
• Experience supporting U.S. Government captures, proposals, and business development efforts.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to establish trusted relationships across customers, senior leadership, technical teams, and partner organizations.

Desired Qualifications

• 10+ years of program management or technical program leadership experience, including significant experience supporting DoW, Intelligence Community, or national security space programs.
• Experience with Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and commercial Earth observation, including familiarity with satellite tasking, collection or mission operations, imagery products, processing and dissemination, and operational customer applications.
• Experience working with or supporting the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) and the broader GEOINT community, including direct engagement with intelligence analysts, mission operators, and other end users to understand operational workflows and translate mission needs into program priorities, product requirements, and new capabilities.
• Experience developing and growing U.S. Government programs through competitive captures, strategic proposals, follow-on opportunities, and expansion of existing customer relationships.
• Experience transitioning new technologies, sensing capabilities, or data products from development and demonstration into operational use or scalable commercial services.
• Familiarity with additional remote sensing and intelligence capabilities, including Passive RF/RF geolocation, EO/IR, multi-INT architectures, data fusion, imagery analytics, or derived intelligence products.
• Understanding of space and ground system architectures, systems engineering principles, and structured program or product development methodologies.
• Self-motivated, adaptable, and comfortable operating in a fast-paced, ambiguous commercial environment with a high degree of ownership and initiative.
• Ability to travel domestically (CONUS) up to 25% of the time.

Benefits

• Flexible Time Off, Sick, Family & Medical Leave
• Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, LTD, STD (employer funded)
• Vol Life, Critical Illness, Accidental, Hospital Indemnity, Pet Insurance (employee funded)
• 401k with 3% non-elective company contribution
• Stock Options
• Free parking in office building or Transit is reimbursed
• Free lunch daily in office

Umbra is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate in hiring on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religious creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions requiring an active U.S. Government security clearance or the ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance.

Employment Eligibility Verification

In compliance with federal laws, all hired persons will be required to verify their identity and eligibility to work in the United States by completing the required Employment Eligibility Verification Form (I-9 Form) upon hire.

ITAR/EAR Requirements

This position may include access to technology and/or data that is subject to U.S. export controls pursuant to ITAR and EAR. To comply with federal export controls, all persons hired must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, U.S. lawful permanent resident, refugee or asylee as defined by 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a)(3), or must otherwise be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State and/or U.S. Department of Commerce as applicable.

Pay Transparency
This job posting may cover multiple career levels. To ensure greater transparency, we provide base salary ranges for all roles, regardless of location. Our standard pay ranges are based on the role’s function and level, benchmarked against similar growth-stage companies. Compensation may vary based on geographical location, as certain regions may have different cost-of-living factors. The final offer will also be influenced by the candidate's skills, responsibilities, and relevant experience.

Compensation Range

The Compensation Range for this role is $185,000 - $210,000 DOE.