Research Program Administrator Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

Program Lead SETA

Blue Sky Innovators is seeking a Program Lead SETA who will provide program management support to our government client. This program develops solar propulsion technology and demonstrates the ability of solar sails to enable presence in cislunar space while carrying useful payloads.

The ideal candidate will drive forward to keep the program running by actively tracking and managing the budget, schedule, and technical performance of the program. The candidate should bring strong organizational capabilities to track program progress against goals while leading coordination and collaboration with transition partners. The candidate will coordinate and participate in activities in project management, technical and programmatic risk analysis, and program-funded test coordination.  The candidate will also be responsible for coordinating meetings, assessing performer technical progress, projecting performer outcomes, and ensuring that project management best practices are followed by performers, independent verification and validation (IV&V) entities funded by DARPA, and within DARPA itself.

The ideal candidate should possess technical research, development, and engineering experience across a breadth of applied technical projects. Exemplary candidates will also have demonstrated an ability to learn new subjects and gain rapid insights into current and next-generation research topics, preferably with hands-on leadership of research programs at the performer level.

 Responsibilities include:

• Track program and performer progress against plans, proactively identify and address problems, and organize program deliverables and documentation.
• Lead periodic (monthly or bi-weekly) performer assessments to analyze program, technical, and schedule risks; develop risk mitigation strategies; communicate findings to program manager
• Evaluate technical reports, briefings, and other performer communications and create plans to address any issues
• Engage stakeholders and collaborators across the various DoD agencies and services
• Administer programmatic, including development of technical analysis, identification of technology gaps, technical risk management, project cost estimation, technology transfer efforts, as well as supporting technical reviews.
• Prepare DARPA work products, including presentations and reports
• Attend and organize program reviews/site visits/field tests
• Support further research solicitation development and source selection activities associated with new developing program efforts.

Required capabilities and characteristics include:

• At least 5 years of program management experience
• Ability to quickly learn unfamiliar areas needed to broadly support program goals
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite
• Self-starter who is willing to both take the lead and provide support in a team role in a complex, fast-paced, cross-disciplinary work environment
• Strong organization skills
• Level of effort will be up to 100%, and on-site.
• Current TS Clearance

Desired capabilities and characteristics include:

• Experience with space technology development work, such as designing, building, testing, launching, and operating space systems
• Education or experience in one or more of the following: astrodynamics, solar sail technology, space propulsion development, space launch coordination and planning, space operations, hardware testing, space based communications, space based Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT), control systems, Space Situational Awareness (SSA), space to space imaging technology, space system development
• Experience working with or for relevant program transition partners including organizations within USSF, NASA, and USAF
• Prior experience working programs at DARPA as a technical and program management support contractor
• Knowledge of DARPA processes and procedures
• Excellent communication skills – both written (to include PowerPoint) and oral

Salary range for the position is $165,000 - $210,000 per year. Specific compensation will be determined by several factors including experience, education, skills, and knowledge. We also offer medical/dental/vision benefits and 401k contribution.