Senior Project Manager, Bus Systems

espace · Santa Clara, CA · 2 months ago

Work mode: Onsite
Seniority: Senior
Employment: Contract
Category: Project management
Experience: 8+ years
Visa sponsorship: No
Company size: 11-50
Salary: USD 140,000 – 210,000 / year

Leads the development and delivery of satellite bus systems, coordinating RF, mechanical, and avionics teams through design, prototyping, and qualification for a space-based IoT communications company.

Ready to make connectivity from space universally accessible, secure and actionable? Then you’ve come to the right place!

E-Space is bridging Earth and space to enable hyper-scaled deployments of Internet of Things (IoT) solutions and services. We are building a highly-advanced low Earth orbit (LEO) space system that will fundamentally change the design, economics, manufacturing and service delivery associated with traditional satellite and terrestrial IoT systems.

We’re intentional, we’re unapologetically curious and we’re 100% committed to innovate space-based communications and deliver actionable intelligence that will expand global economies, protect space and our planet and enhance our overall quality of life.

The Bus Systems Team owns 3 distinct teams supporting satellite design: Bus structures & mechanisms, GNC, and Avionics. We are looking for a program manager who can organize and operate technically across those 3 teams. This position will be based out of our Santa Clara, CA office.

What you will do:

You will drive the bus system development program from early design through qualification and delivery.

Own the integrated program schedule across RF, mechanical, and manufacturing workstreams, and keep it honest against reality on the floor

Plan and run the gated lifecycle: SRR, PDR, CDR, qualification and acceptance reviews, with real entry/exit criteria, action tracking, and closure

Maintain the risk register and drive mitigations to closure rather than letting them age

Coordinate suppliers, contract manufacturers, and machine shops: quotes, lead times, quality escapes, and schedule recovery when a part slips

Interface with systems engineering on requirements flow-down, verification planning, and interface control, so the program plan and the technical baseline stay in step

Keep design, build, and test cycles short: unblock the team, sequence the work, and make sure prototypes and test articles show up when the engineers need them

You will work daily with RF, mechanical, and manufacturing engineers. You need enough technical depth to challenge an estimate, spot a risk before it appears in a status report, and make sensible trades without waiting for an engineer to translate. You do not need to design the hardware, but you need to understand what the designers are telling you and notice when two disciplines are quietly assuming different things.

What you bring to this role:

8+ years managing hardware development programs in aerospace or a comparable regulated industry

Hands-on familiarity with RF and electronic systems: PCB development cycles, board bring-up, RF test campaigns and what makes them slip

Hands-on familiarity with mechanical development: machining, tolerancing, prototyping workflows, and the practical lead times behind each

A track record running gated program lifecycles with formal reviews, and the judgment to know when a gate is genuinely passed versus passed on paper

Working knowledge of systems engineering practice: requirements flow-down, verification and validation planning, interface management

Comfort in a fast prototyping environment where the plan changes weekly and the program manager is the one keeping it coherent

Clear, direct communication up and down: engineers get context, leadership gets truth

Nice to have:

Spacecraft or satellite payload experience, especially through a qualification campaign

Familiarity with phased arrays or antenna hardware specifically

Experience managing contract manufacturers and international suppliers

Exposure to constellation-scale production thinking (design for rate, not just design for one)

Additional Requirements

This is a fast-paced, high-impact environment - flexibility to occasionally work extended hours or weekends during critical periods is expected.

This is a full time, exempt position, based out of our Santa Clara, CA office. The target base pay for this position is $140,000 - $210,000 annually. The total compensation packaged will be determined by various factors such as your relevant job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

We are redefining how satellites are designed, manufactured and used—so we’re looking for candidates with passion, deep knowledge and direct experience on LEO satellite component development, design and in-orbit activities. If that’s your experience – then we’ll be immediately wow-ed.

E-Space is not currently able to provide employment sponsorship for candidates who do not hold work authorization for the location of this role.

Why E-Space is right for you:

As a member of our team, you will play a crucial role in driving our success. Our team members have a strong sense of dedication and responsibility; this includes a strong commitment to our mission to create an entirely new suite of global capabilities to improve lives, business efficiencies and build a smarter planet. This means that there will be times when extra hours, including nights and weekends, may be needed to meet critical deadlines and mission goals. In return, we offer a dynamic work environment with opportunities for professional growth and development and the chance to make a meaningful impact in a high-growth industry.

We want you to make the most of your journey at E-Space. That’s why we support and invest in the physical, emotional and financial well-being of our team members and their families. Some of what you can expect when working at E-Space:

• An opportunity to really make a difference

• Sustainability at our core

• Fair and honest workplace

• Innovative thinking is encouraged

• Competitive salaries

• Continuous learning and development

• Health and wellness care options

• Financial solutions for the future

• Optional legal services (US only)

• Paid holidays

• Paid time off

What you will do:

What you bring to this role:

Nice to have:

Additional Requirements

Explore more jobs