Senior Program Manager - Propulsion Systems

Eleven Recruiting is searching for a Senior Program Manager — Propulsion Systems on behalf of a leading defense hardware manufacturer specializing in mission-critical systems across missiles, hypersonics, and integrated defense programs. The role is onsite and sits within a propulsion-focused Integrated Product Team (IPT), reporting directly to the IPT Lead. This PM owns full programmatic execution — cost, schedule, EVM, customer interface, and contract deliverables — for a portfolio of propulsion and ordnance-adjacent hardware programs. You will be the day-to-day face of the program to the customer and the primary driver of delivery across engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, and quality.

Responsibilities

• Own programmatic execution across propulsion and energetics programs — cost, schedule, and deliverables in support of the IPT Lead.
• Serve as the primary customer interface for technical interchange meetings, design reviews, CDRs/PDRs, and status reporting.
• Develop and maintain EVM metrics; report CPI/SPI, variance analysis, and EAC forecasts to leadership and customers.
• Build and maintain integrated master schedules tracking critical path and dependencies across cross-functional teams.
• Coordinate qualification and acceptance testing; support TRRs, anomaly documentation, and test report preparation.
• Manage subcontract and supplier activity in coordination with procurement.
• Support ITAR compliance, proposal writing, BOE development, and new business activities.

Qualifications

Required

• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related technical field.
• 10 years in aerospace and/or defense; 3 years in program management.
• Background in energetics, propulsion, or defense-focused hardware — candidates from commercial flight programs are not the target profile for this role.
• Demonstrated EVM experience — CPI/SPI, variance analysis, EAC forecasting.
• Integrated master schedule experience across cross-functional teams.
• Direct customer interface experience at formal program reviews.
• U.S. citizenship; ability to obtain and maintain DoD SECRET clearance.

Preferred

• Experience taking a solid rocket motor through development and/or qualification testing.
• Familiarity with pyrotechnic, ordnance-adjacent, or precision mechanical defense hardware.
• Manufacturing familiarity — small batch machining and processing in a defense environment.
• MIL-SPEC / MIL-STD qualification experience for airborne or ground-based hardware.
• Prime contractor or government program experience (MDA, USAF, USN, Raytheon, L3Harris, Northrop, Aerojet).
• Subcontract and supply chain management on government contracts.
• M.S. in a technical discipline or MBA.
• AS9100-certified manufacturing environment experience.

Salary: $150,000 - $170,000