Senior Project Manager

Nanoracks is a cutting-edge aerospace company focusing on providing commercial access to space, currently on the International Space Station (ISS), suborbital vehicles, expendable launch vehicles, and more! We have sent over 1,000 payloads to the Space Station, kickstarted the CubeSat deployment revolution, and have customers in over 30 nations.

Since 2009, Nanoracks has created and expanded new in-space markets and has been the world leader for ushering in a new era of in-space services. Currently, Nanoracks is working to build commercial space stations (“Outposts”) from the spent upper stages of launch vehicles in orbit. This technology will enable spent upper stages to be used as crewed and un-crewed space stations for various purposes and customers—both civil and commercial.

Nanoracks will provide and facilitate an ecosystem of interoperable technologies and distributed free flying space stations. You can read our approach here.

We hope you’ll apply to join our team. We work with leaders from all over the world, including NASA, universities and government centers both foreign and domestic, and commercial companies. We’re fast, fun, passionate, and love sending things to space.

Smart, talented, critical thinkers with an ability to handle responsibility in a dynamic and ever-changing landscape. You will own your projects and be results oriented. Nanoracks is a small company (70+ awesome people), but we interface with much larger organizations from around the world.  You will need to be able to work in small and large groups as well as simultaneously execute an entire project on time.

Overview:

The selected candidate will coordinate complex aerospace projects leading a cross functional team of engineers, technicians and subcontractors. This role reports to the VP of Operations, though is accountable to the Program of assignment. Though this position does not have direct reports, this is a leadership role. The Senior Project Manager must have the ability to motivate, develop project stakeholder buy-in, and maintain project momentum.

Responsibilities:

• Serve as a project management resource for project managers with less experience or ability.
• Participate in the creation and continuous improvement of the company’s project management methodology.
• Plan and execute projects at all phases, from concept to flight and from initiation to closure.
• Develop and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders and customers, and ensure requirements are identified and met.
• Create and maintain the full spectrum of project management documents, including a project plan, WBS, schedule, budget, risk, and other documents as appropriate.
• Work with the technical team to determine & define project tasks & to estimate durations.
• Lead the team to develop risks and opportunity registers that address costs, schedule, and technical development.
• Develop and maintain resource forecasting and tracking.
• Foster an effective team communication culture.
• Manage and report budgets and schedules, as well as assess project issues and develop resolutions to meet productivity, technical, and quality objectives.  
• Identify and control scope.
• Provide direction for various project tasks to minimize risks and optimize project objectives.  
• Continually assess project team performance and communicate to management any resource constraints that jeopardize project success.

Requirements:

Basic Qualifications: 

• 7 years’ experience managing projects as the project or program manager using the PMI ‘traditional’ project management methodology.
• 5 years’ experience managing aerospace projects. 
• 5 years’ experience managing projects for external (i.e. paying) customers.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering or another relevant technical field.
• Demonstrated success managing projects in a fast-paced and highly technical environment. 
• Proven track record managing multiple projects.
• Experience with all aspects of project management including scheduling, cost controls, stakeholder management, risk analysis, problem resolution, and communication.
• Experience with resource forecasting and tracking.
• Must communicate well and work with the various teams within and outside of the organization.
• Must possess the ability to effectively coordinate efforts with departments/subcontractors and hold teams accountable to meet project deliverables.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• PMP Credential.
• Master’s degree in business administration or engineering management.
• High-level understanding of space vehicle systems and understand the importance of interfacing these systems.
• Knowledge of program phases, design, testing, qualification.
• Knowledge of the preparation of technical proposals and project requirements.
• Demonstrated leadership skills to lead teams to meet project objectives.
• Ability to simplify and communicate complex problems.
• Ability to communicate with all levels in the organization.
• Attention to detail.
• Critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Reliable, self-motivated, and open-minded.
• Geared to share information and communicate with team members.
• Able to identify program risk, engineering ‘scope creep’, and develop/implement risk mitigation planning.
• Experience with avionics systems integration, including understanding of electrical and structural aspects.

EEO Statement:

It is our policy to select, place, train and promote the most qualified individuals based upon relevant factors such as work quality, attitude and experience so as to provide equal employment opportunity for all employees in compliance with applicable local, state and federal laws and without regard to non-work related factors such as race, color, religion/creed, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran stats, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, citizenship, genetic information, or other protected status. When applicable, our policy of non-discrimination applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including but not limited to recruiting, hiring, training, transfer, promotion, placement, lay-off, compensation, termination, reduction in force and benefits.

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen as defined by ITAR (22 CFR 120.15) or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

The statements contained in this job description are intended to describe the general content and requirements for performance of this job. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all job duties, responsibilities, and requirements. This job description is not an employment agreement or contract. Management has the exclusive right to alter the scope of work within the framework of this job description at any time without prior notice.

Competitive with local and industry standard.