Program Manager

About us

One team. Global challenges. Infinite opportunities. At Viasat, we’re on a mission to deliver connections with the capacity to change the world. For more than 35 years, Viasat has helped shape how consumers, businesses, governments and militaries around the globe communicate. We’re looking for people who think big, act fearlessly, and create an inclusive environment that drives positive impact to join our team.

What you'll do

We are seeking an experienced Program Manager to lead spacecraft bus programs from early execution through delivery. This role owns the largest and most complex portion of a spacecraft program, requiring disciplined execution, strong technical fluency, and the ability to coordinate across multiple internal teams and external suppliers.

The Program Manager will provide hands-on leadership, ensure rigorous oversight of cost, schedule, and technical performance, and serve as the primary integrator across internal and external stakeholders. This will be on-site in Los Angeles, CA.

This Program Manager plays a critical leadership role in delivering spacecraft bus capabilities on time and on budget. The role directly impacts program success through effective supplier oversight, cross-functional integration, and disciplined execution of complex spacecraft programs.

The day-to-day

• Own execution of spacecraft bus programs, including cost, schedule, scope, and technical performance
• Plan and manage program activities from contract award through integration, test, and delivery
• Lead coordination across engineering, supply chain, manufacturing, integration & test, quality, and systems teams
• Provide direct oversight of subcontractor supporting spacecraft bus development and production
• Manage subcontractor scope, schedules, deliverables, risks, and interfaces to ensure alignment with overall program objectives
• Coordinate with internal and subcontractor team to maintain detailed program plans, schedules, budgets, and risk registers
• Identify, assess, and mitigate program risks; drive corrective actions as needed
• Lead internal and external program reviews, status meetings, and milestone readiness events
• Ensure requirements traceability and alignment between system-level objectives, supplier deliverables, and execution plans
• Drive disciplined change control for scope, cost, and schedule impacts, including supplier-driven changes
• Serve as the primary point of contact for program execution issues and escalations at subcontractor
• Communicate program status clearly to leadership, including risks, opportunities, supplier performance, and decision points
• Help establish and improve program management processes, metrics, and best practices

What you'll need

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Science, or a related technical field, or equivalent professional experience
• 8+ years of program or project management experience supporting complex hardware development programs
• Demonstrated experience managing spacecraft, aerospace, or other high‑reliability systems
• Proven ability to manage large, cross‑functional teams and multiple external suppliers or subcontractors
• Strong understanding of hardware development lifecycles, including design, manufacturing, integration, and test
• Experience owning cost, schedule, and technical performance for major program elements
• Ability to independently define problems, drive solutions, and deliver results with limited oversight
• Excellent communication skills, including executive‑level status reporting and decision support
• Strong aptitude with project management software such as Microsoft Project and JIRA

What will help you on the job

• Experience specifically with spacecraft bus architectures or subsystems
• Familiarity with systems engineering processes and requirements-driven development
• Experience managing supplier-heavy programs with long-lead hardware and critical path dependencies
• Background in environments requiring high reliability, rigorous configuration control, and disciplined execution
• A systems‑level mindset with a bias toward proactive risk management and on‑time delivery
• Comfort operating in ambiguous environments and bringing structure to complex problems

Salary range

$141,500.00 - $224,000.00 / annually. For specific work locations within San Jose, the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, the base pay range for this role is $176,000.00- $264,000.00/ annually

At Viasat, we consider many factors when it comes to compensation, including the scope of the position as well as your background and experience. Base pay may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Additional cash or stock incentives may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to a range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the position offered. Learn more about Viasat’s comprehensive benefit offerings that are focused on your holistic health and wellness at https://careers.viasat.com/benefits.

EEO Statement

Viasat is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, seeking to create a welcoming and diverse environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, genetics, age, or veteran status or any other applicable legally protected status or characteristic. If you would like to request an accommodation on the basis of disability for completing this on-line application, please click here.