Program Manager
About the job
- A minimum of 5-8 years of industry experience in both systems or design engineering and program/project roles.
- A Bachelor of Science degree in a relevant engineering field, such as Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Systems Engineering, from an accredited university or institution.
- Familiarity with radio frequency, communication, or satellite systems.
- A thorough understanding of aerospace systems engineering processes from concept to production, specifically the space system life cycle.
- Experience managing cross-functional and decentralized teams and integrating new technologies into the program portfolio.
- Relevant control account manager, risk management, earned value management system, and risk-based assessment experience.
- Experience developing work breakdown structures, integrated master plans, and integrated master schedules.
- Experience managing programs with dynamic and multi-project interdependencies.
- Proficiency in project management tools such as Microsoft Project or Jira.
- Experience working with government customers.
- Ability to work in a highly collaborative, fast-paced environment.
- Coordinate program requirements across the program life cycle.
- Manage program performance and day-to-day execution for major components within a large system or a component production program with multiple deliveries, including concept development, implementation, production, modification, integration and test, and delivery.
- Serve as the single point of contact for customer interactions, including program management reviews, customer bi-weekly reviews, and major program reviews.
- Collaborate with all functional organizations to ensure program success using risk-based decision-making to guide decisions and meet program objectives.
- Serve as the primary program leader for all activities, with responsibility for cost, schedule, and adherence to technical performance requirements.
- Establish program management baselines, including integrated master plans and resource-loaded schedules, to task the team.
- Measure program performance and monitor progress to generate latest revised estimates and estimates to completion.
- Provide program inputs to customers, company leadership, and internal finance teams for revenue recognition.
- Use program and engineering metrics to make data-driven decisions.
- Support improvement of standard processes and practices for consistency across the Space Payloads portfolio of programs.
- A Master of Science degree.
- Experience with NASA customers, including GRC, JSC, or MSFC.
- Experience in the Department of Defense Acquisition Process.
- Return-to-Green experience on one or more programs.
- Experience in non-recurring engineering development programs.
- Program Manager Professional certification.
About the company
CesiumAstro develops end-to-end space and airborne communications systems, including active phased array antennas, software-defined radios, and complete payloads. Its technology enables electronically steered beams for inter-satellite links, high-rate downlinks, lunar and deep-space communication, and 5G/NTN networks. It ships plug‑and‑play, commercially manufactured hardware and SDR software as a full-stack solution, reducing development time and cost. The company targets both government programs (NASA, DoD) and commercial space ventures, aiming to make space-based connectivity more accessible and adaptable.
Company Size
501-1,000
Company Stage
Series C
Total Funding
$780M
Headquarters
Bee Cave, Texas
Founded
2017
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- EXIM and J.P. Morgan backed $300 million financing funds the Bee Cave factory and Texas hiring.
- April 21, 2026 Missile Defense Agency work validates Skylark for national-security modernization.
- The $470 million Series C gives CesiumAstro cash to industrialize manufacturing and scale deliveries through 2027.
What critics are saying
- Three 2026 acquisitions create integration drag and culture clashes before 2027 product revenue lands.
- CesiumAstro still depends on U.S. defense buyers, EXIM financing, and Bee Cave buildout finishing on time.
- L3Harris, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, and Lockheed can crush margins on phased-array programs; CesiumAstro loses share fast.
What makes CesiumAstro unique
- CesiumAstro vertically integrates antennas, radios, semiconductors, and mission software under one roof.
- Its 2026 Jariet, Vidrovr, and 1Aardvark buys deepen full-stack space-defense autonomy.
- Skylark and Element target software-defined, mobile-ready links across missiles, satellites, and airborne platforms.
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The Export-Import Bank of the United States has signed a $300 million credit agreement with CesiumAstro, an Austin-based space and defence connectivity specialist. The agreement, announced on 9 September, aims to consolidate the company's design, manufacturing, assembly and test operations into a single 270,000-square-foot US facility currently under construction. The financing includes a $20 million revolving credit facility from JP Morgan, making it EXIM's largest loan approval under its "Make More in America" initiative. CesiumAstro is the only company to receive a second credit agreement under the programme. EXIM previously approved $185 million in financing to CesiumAstro in January 2026, later increased to $280 million. Founded in 2017, CesiumAstro recently secured a $470 million Series C funding round.
CesiumAstro buys 1Aardvark to add mission software for defense space. * 1Aardvark is a service-disabled veteran-owned and HUBZone-certified business in Manassas, Virginia * Its work covers missile defense and missile tracking programs * The deal follows CesiumAstro's purchases of Vidrovr and Jariet Technologies this year CesiumAstro has acquired 1Aardvark, adding mission software and systems engineering to a portfolio built around satellites and communications payloads. CesiumAstro announced the deal Tuesday. 1Aardvark, based in Manassas, Virginia, builds software, algorithms and systems engineering for national defense programs. It holds service-disabled veteran-owned small business and HUBZone certifications. What does 1Aardvark bring to CesiumAstro? 1Aardvark's software supports missile defense and missile tracking work. The company builds systems that enable distributed platforms to coordinate and execute missions in contested or disconnected environments. CesiumAstro expects the pairing to yield spacecraft that adjust to changing conditions and keep operating when connectivity degrades. Shey Sabripour, founder and CEO of CesiumAstro, said defense space systems increasingly require software that can adapt and make decisions. According to Ryan Kenward, president of 1Aardvark, joining CesiumAstro extends the company's work pushing mission capability to the edge. How does the deal fit CesiumAstro's acquisition strategy? The 1Aardvark deal lands days after CesiumAstro closed its purchase of Jariet Technologies, a semiconductor firm focused on millimeter-wave radio frequency system-on-chip designs. That deal gave the company in-house chip capability to pair with its phased-array antenna and payload work. The company also acquired Vidrovr in March, an AI firm specializing in real-time multimodal signal analysis. Vidrovr co-founder Joe Ellis oversees integration of machine learning tools into the CesiumAstro portfolio. CesiumAstro closed a $470 million Series C round in February and took $200 million in Export-Import Bank financing in January to acquire a 270,000-square-foot West Austin facility.
CesiumAstro’s purchase of Virginia-based 1Aardvark advances its strategy to deliver more resilient, software-defined communications and onboard systems for government missions, strengthening its position in the defence...
CesiumAstro acquires Jariet Technologies, expanding semiconductor capabilities across SATCOM, electronic warfare, radar and space systems.