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Programs & Business

Technical Program Manager

Hydrosat logoHydrosat$150,000–$160,000/yrCarlsbad, CAFull timePosted 2mo agoStill open, checked every night

How this pay compares

This posting states $150k–$160k a year. Open program manager jobs in California post a median of $164k a year, the middle half $136k–$195k, across 124 jobs that state their pay, so this one is within the middle half of what they post.

Program and project managers in California: pay by town and employer

About the job

Hydrosat is a fast-growing space and data analytics company leveraging proprietary thermal infrared satellite technology and advanced analytics to deliver actionable intelligence to commercial and government customers worldwide. Our mission is to address some of the world’s most pressing challenges by transforming satellite data into valuable insights. From agriculture and water resource management to environmental monitoring and national security, Hydrosat combines cutting-edge space technology with advanced data science to support better decision-making.

Hydrosat is seeking an experienced Technical Program Manager to support the development and delivery of advanced space-based remote-sensing systems. Reporting to a Senior Technical Program Manager within the Space Segment organization, this individual will manage the day-to-day execution of one or more spacecraft, payload, or technology-development programs.

The Program Manager will work closely with engineering, operations, supply chain, finance, business development, and executive leadership to maintain program alignment across technical scope, schedule, budget, staffing, procurement, and customer commitments.

Responsibilities may include but are not limited to

  • Manage assigned programs from planning through development, integration, test, delivery, and operational transition.
  • Develop, maintain, and communicate integrated program schedules, including milestones, dependencies, critical paths, and required decision points.
  • Establish and manage program budgets, forecasts, estimates to complete, and cost-versus-plan reporting.
  • Coordinate program staffing requirements with engineering leadership and functional managers.
  • Work with supply chain and engineering personnel to plan procurements, track long-lead items, manage vendor commitments, and resolve material or supplier issues.
  • Lead recurring program meetings and provide concise, decision-oriented status reporting to internal leadership and external stakeholders.
  • Support the planning and execution of major program reviews, including SRR, PDR, CDR, Test Readiness Reviews, and Delivery Readiness Reviews.
  • Support customer communications, deliverable coordination, and contract execution.
  • Contribute to proposal development, including technical and management volumes, schedules, basis-of-estimate development, staffing plans, risk identification, and cost inputs.
  • Support new business activities by helping translate customer needs into executable program plans.
  • Develop constructive working relationships with customers, subcontractors, suppliers, and internal stakeholders.
  • Support continuous improvement of Hydrosat’s program management processes, templates, and tools.

Other duties and responsibilities as required

Requirements

  • Five or more years of relevant experience in program management, project management, engineering management, operations, or a related role.
  • Demonstrated experience managing schedules, budgets, resources, procurements, risks, and cross-functional teams.
  • Ability to organize and execute technically complex projects involving multiple stakeholders and competing priorities.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present program status clearly to technical teams and senior leadership.
  • Experience developing program plans, schedules, budgets, status reports, and executive-level briefings.
  • Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to make progress in situations where information may be incomplete or priorities may evolve.
  • Ability to work effectively with engineers and other technical specialists without losing sight of cost, schedule, and customer commitments.
  • Proficiency with common project management, scheduling, documentation, and productivity tools.
  • Ability to work independently while operating within the direction and priorities established by the Senior Program Manager and Space Segment leadership.

Preferred Qualifications

  • College degree in engineering, science, business, program management, or related discipline. Additional experience can be substituted for a degree.
  • Experience supporting spacecraft, payload, aerospace, defense, remote-sensing, or other complex hardware development programs.
  • Experience managing programs through formal systems engineering and design-review milestones.
  • Familiarity with hardware development, manufacturing, assembly, integration, environmental testing, and delivery.
  • Experience developing proposals for commercial or U.S. Government customers.
  • PMP certification or similar program management training.

Benefits

  • Employee stock options
  • Health insurance: Medical, Vision, Dental - Hydrosat covers 100% of employee premiums, 50% for dependents
  • Mental Health Support
  • Claims Concierge Service
  • 401(k) with 100% match up to 4%, vested from day one
  • Flexible, unlimited PTO
  • 16 paid company holidays
  • Maternity, Paternity & Parental Leave - up to 12 weeks fully paid
  • Mental health support, including free therapy sessions
  • Commuter and cell phone stipends
  • Company Discount Program

Federal Contract Eligibility Requirement

Due to the nature of the work and applicable U.S. federal government contract requirements, this position is limited to individuals who are U.S. citizens. This requirement is mandated by the federal government and is not a discretionary employment policy. Proof of eligibility will be required as a condition of employment, consistent with applicable law.

From Hydrosat's job posting, checked 10 Nov 2026. The employer's own page is the final word on requirements and availability.

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About Hydrosat

Thermal infrared satellites that measure crop water stress and surface temperature from orbit.

Pay on its listings: stated per posting

How it pays: Paid as an employee on Hydrosat's own payroll, as each posting states.

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