{"schemaVersion":"jobsearcher.job.v1","id":"827c3a53a58b5f4bb030a21f","url":"https://jobsearcher.com/jobs/827c3a53a58b5f4bb030a21f","canonicalUrl":"https://jobsearcher.com/jobs/827c3a53a58b5f4bb030a21f","title":"Program Manager, Software","description":"Swarm Aero is redefining air power, building the largest swarming UAV and the most versatile swarming aircraft network in the world. The company is moving quickly to launch the first aircraft designed specifically for swarming, as well as the Command & Control software to mobilize swarms of thousands of heterogeneous autonomous assets and empower human operators to achieve superhuman results.The team has created and exited multiple startups, negotiated defense deals worth billions of dollars, and designed and built 30+ novel aircraft, with aerospace experience from Scaled Composites, Airbus, Archer Aviation, Blue Origin, and Boom Supersonic.We are scaling fast, and our software work now carries real customer commitments: releases tied to milestones, integration with hardware we don't always own, and demos that have to work the first time. We need a Program Manager who can run a software-heavy defense program with the rigor of a hardware program and the speed of a software team.You will join our Program Management Office, reporting to the Director of PMO, and own cost, schedule, scope, and risk for a software-centric program. You will sit with engineering leads, product, and our forward deployed engineers, and you will be the person who can tell a customer exactly what ships, when, and what it took to get there.What you'll doOwn the program plan and integrated schedule, tying sprint and release plans to contract milestones, demos, and customer eventsTranslate customer requirements into a prioritized, traceable backlog with engineering and product, and manage scope changes against cost and scheduleRun the program cadence: release planning, weekly program reviews, risk and issue boards, and monthly status to leadership and customersManage program budget and burn, including labor across multiple engineering teams, and flag variance early with a recovery planCoordinate software integration with aircraft, partner hardware, and government systems, including test events, field exercises, and demonstrationsDrive software delivery and accreditation work with our DevSecOps team: deliverable packages, documentation, and cyber and ATO requirements where they applyLead customer-facing milestone reviews and own contract deliverables (CDRLs, status reports, technical data)Partner with the Director of PMO to build program practices that fit how software teams actually work, without adding bureaucracyWhat you bring6+ years of program or technical program management, with at least 3 years owning software or software-intensive programs for DoD or other government customersFluency in agile delivery (Scrum, Kanban, SAFe or similar) and experience mapping it to milestone-based defense contractsEnough technical depth to follow architecture discussions, challenge estimates, and spot integration risk early; a software engineering background is a strong plusExperience delivering software that integrates with hardware: autonomy, C2, mission systems, avionics, or similarHands-on with schedule and backlog tools (Jira, Smartsheet, MS Project or similar) and with budget trackingComfort leading customer reviews and owning contract deliverablesClear, direct communicator who can brief an engineer and a program officer in the same afternoonU.S. person status as defined by ITAR, and ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearanceNice to haveProgram experience on UAS autonomy, collaborative autonomy, or C2 softwareExperience with DoD software acquisition pathways, OTAs, or SBIR contractsExposure to DevSecOps, software factories, or ATO and RMF processesBackground at a startup or fast-scaling defense tech companyActive Secret clearance or higherPMP, PMI-ACP, SAFe, or DAWIA Program Management certificationLocation and detailsLocation: Remote with ability to visit the office at least once a month and on an as needed basis. Candidates not based in Southern California or close enough for a daily drive would not be a good fit for this role. Reports to: Director of PMOExport control: This role requires access to information subject to ITAR. Candidates must be U.S. persons as defined by 22 CFR 120.62.ITAR requirementTo conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.Swarm Aero is an equal opportunity employer. We value diverse backgrounds and experiences and make employment decisions without regard to race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, or disability.What We OfferMeaningful equity in a high-growth defense technology companyCompetitive base salary commensurate with experienceMedical, dental, vision, and 401kPTO and paid sick leaveMonthly wellness stipendDaily catered lunch (office)Paid parental leaveDirect impact on a critical national security missionA world-class team of engineers and operators solving genuinely hard problems","company":"Swarm Aero","rawCompany":"swarm aero","city":"Oxnard","state":"CA","isRemote":false,"isActive":true,"createdAt":"2026-11-01T07:10:12.804Z","occupations":[{"code":"13-1082.00","title":"Project Management Specialists","slug":"project-management-specialists"},{"code":"15-1252.00","title":"Software Developers","slug":"software-developers"},{"code":"15-1299.09","title":"Information Technology Project Managers","slug":"information-technology-project-managers"}],"industries":[{"code":"541511","title":"Custom Computer Programming Services","slug":"custom-computer-programming-services"},{"code":"513210","title":"Software Publishers","slug":"software-publishers"},{"code":"541512","title":"Computer Systems Design Services","slug":"computer-systems-design-services"}],"jobPosting":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"JobPosting","title":"Program Manager, Software","description":"Swarm Aero is redefining air power, building the largest swarming UAV and the most versatile swarming aircraft network in the world. The company is moving quickly to launch the first aircraft designed specifically for swarming, as well as the Command & Control software to mobilize swarms of thousands of heterogeneous autonomous assets and empower human operators to achieve superhuman results.The team has created and exited multiple startups, negotiated defense deals worth billions of dollars, and designed and built 30+ novel aircraft, with aerospace experience from Scaled Composites, Airbus, Archer Aviation, Blue Origin, and Boom Supersonic.We are scaling fast, and our software work now carries real customer commitments: releases tied to milestones, integration with hardware we don't always own, and demos that have to work the first time. We need a Program Manager who can run a software-heavy defense program with the rigor of a hardware program and the speed of a software team.You will join our Program Management Office, reporting to the Director of PMO, and own cost, schedule, scope, and risk for a software-centric program. You will sit with engineering leads, product, and our forward deployed engineers, and you will be the person who can tell a customer exactly what ships, when, and what it took to get there.What you'll doOwn the program plan and integrated schedule, tying sprint and release plans to contract milestones, demos, and customer eventsTranslate customer requirements into a prioritized, traceable backlog with engineering and product, and manage scope changes against cost and scheduleRun the program cadence: release planning, weekly program reviews, risk and issue boards, and monthly status to leadership and customersManage program budget and burn, including labor across multiple engineering teams, and flag variance early with a recovery planCoordinate software integration with aircraft, partner hardware, and government systems, including test events, field exercises, and demonstrationsDrive software delivery and accreditation work with our DevSecOps team: deliverable packages, documentation, and cyber and ATO requirements where they applyLead customer-facing milestone reviews and own contract deliverables (CDRLs, status reports, technical data)Partner with the Director of PMO to build program practices that fit how software teams actually work, without adding bureaucracyWhat you bring6+ years of program or technical program management, with at least 3 years owning software or software-intensive programs for DoD or other government customersFluency in agile delivery (Scrum, Kanban, SAFe or similar) and experience mapping it to milestone-based defense contractsEnough technical depth to follow architecture discussions, challenge estimates, and spot integration risk early; a software engineering background is a strong plusExperience delivering software that integrates with hardware: autonomy, C2, mission systems, avionics, or similarHands-on with schedule and backlog tools (Jira, Smartsheet, MS Project or similar) and with budget trackingComfort leading customer reviews and owning contract deliverablesClear, direct communicator who can brief an engineer and a program officer in the same afternoonU.S. person status as defined by ITAR, and ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearanceNice to haveProgram experience on UAS autonomy, collaborative autonomy, or C2 softwareExperience with DoD software acquisition pathways, OTAs, or SBIR contractsExposure to DevSecOps, software factories, or ATO and RMF processesBackground at a startup or fast-scaling defense tech companyActive Secret clearance or higherPMP, PMI-ACP, SAFe, or DAWIA Program Management certificationLocation and detailsLocation: Remote with ability to visit the office at least once a month and on an as needed basis. Candidates not based in Southern California or close enough for a daily drive would not be a good fit for this role. Reports to: Director of PMOExport control: This role requires access to information subject to ITAR. Candidates must be U.S. persons as defined by 22 CFR 120.62.ITAR requirementTo conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.Swarm Aero is an equal opportunity employer. We value diverse backgrounds and experiences and make employment decisions without regard to race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, or disability.What We OfferMeaningful equity in a high-growth defense technology companyCompetitive base salary commensurate with experienceMedical, dental, vision, and 401kPTO and paid sick leaveMonthly wellness stipendDaily catered lunch (office)Paid parental leaveDirect impact on a critical national security missionA world-class team of engineers and operators solving genuinely hard problems","datePosted":"2026-11-01T07:10:12.804Z","dateModified":"2026-11-01T07:10:12.804Z","hiringOrganization":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Swarm Aero","sameAs":"https://jobsearcher.com"},"jobLocation":{"@type":"Place","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","addressLocality":"Oxnard","addressRegion":"CA","addressCountry":"US"}},"identifier":{"@type":"PropertyValue","name":"JobSearcher","value":"827c3a53a58b5f4bb030a21f"},"url":"https://jobsearcher.com/jobs/827c3a53a58b5f4bb030a21f"}}