Job Number: 1048

Riverside Research is seeking a tech-savvy program manager to lead defense-focused telecommunications projects in support of the Defense Innovation Unit. The PM must have prior experience supporting advanced technology prototyping and fielding in commercial 5G telecom, space-based communications and networking. Prior DoD experience with the DoD risk management framework (RMF) for cloud-based services is desired. The PM will provide strategic and day-to-day management and professional support to a team of cybersecurity professionals and will act as an interface between the DoD, entrepreneurs, start-up firms, and commercial technology companies to increase DoD access to leading edge telecom commercial technologies, processes and technical talent. 

Location: 

Location is flexible, but ideally the California Bay area, Boston, Austin, Chicago, or other tech hub (offers telework / hybrid options).

All Riverside Research opportunities require US citizenship.

Duties:

• Provide expertise in the implementation and engineering support of commercial telecommunications systems to include solving relevant technical and programmatic problems and assessing the technical feasibility of commercial solutions
• Work closely with government partners and commercial vendors as a project manager throughout the prototype development lifecycle
• Coordinate, collaborate and drive buy-in with senior government officials, executive leadership, and other high ranking stakeholders
• Perform independent reviews and detailed technical assessments of commercial solutions and their specific applications
• Provide reviews and assessments, analyses of applicable technologies and operational concepts, system requirements, test plans, executions, results, and related engineering documentation
• Work with DoD/Government partners to identify and document problem statements (that can be solved by commercial telecommunications solutions)
• Review prototype proposals from commercial vendors, reports and related project documents
• Participate in milestone reviews, testing, and simulations
• Participate in post-prototype analysis activities and review and analysis of prototype data
• Prepare program updates, white papers, technical papers, briefs, and meeting materials
• Respond to official requests for information and other tasks from government partners and stakeholders
• Participate in key intra- and inter-agency meetings
• Other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in an engineering/scientific field
• 5 or more years of relevant work experience in program or project management role in commercial or military telecommunications fields
• Expertise in commercial telecommunications technology and standards (hardware and software, infrastructure and endpoints)
• Knowledge of telecommunications network design, 5G, mobile networks, Internet of Things (IoT)
• Experience in terrestrial, air, and satellite communications
• Ability to work independently and communicate effectively with both government and industry representatives
• Ability to deliver multi-discipline, multi-stakeholder projects that demonstrably improve operational capabilities (measured by increase in accuracy, decrease in cost, decrease in time) and enhance scientific collaboration, knowledge sharing, and research for the relevant community
• Ability to perform in a collaborative work environment with proactive team members while maintaining professionalism and a positive attitude towards colleagues, counterparts, suppliers, and partners
• Ability to communicate to a broad range of audiences (CEOs, investors, commercial vendors, media, government/military officials, etc) to gain acceptance of vision, guidance and policy
• Experience in business development, acquisitions experience
• Eligibility to achieve Top Secret (TS) clearance

Desired Qualifications:

• Masters degree (or equivalent) in an engineering/scientific field
• 8 or more years of relevant work experience in engineering, program or product management role
• 3+ years of experience as subject matter expert in defense-focused telecommunications
• Experience with DoD risk management framework (RMF) for cloud-based services
• Expertise in both fixed and mobile (LTE, 5G) communications technologies
• Active TS/SCI clearance
• Experience working on DoD/IC telecommunications or space communications/networking programs at a senior leader or management level
• Ability to balance out-of-box innovation mindset and government procedures across functions