Program Manager, Software

About the role

Swarm Aero is redefining air power, building the largest swarming UAV and the most versatile swarming aircraft network in the world. The company is moving quickly to launch the first aircraft designed specifically for swarming, as well as the Command & Control software to mobilize swarms of thousands of heterogeneous autonomous assets and empower human operators to achieve superhuman results.

The team has created and exited multiple startups, negotiated defense deals worth billions of dollars, and designed and built 30+ novel aircraft, with aerospace experience from Scaled Composites, Airbus, Archer Aviation, Blue Origin, and Boom Supersonic.

We are scaling fast, and our software work now carries real customer commitments: releases tied to milestones, integration with hardware we don't always own, and demos that have to work the first time. We need a Program Manager who can run a software-heavy defense program with the rigor of a hardware program and the speed of a software team.

You will join our Program Management Office, reporting to the Director of PMO, and own cost, schedule, scope, and risk for a software-centric program. You will sit with engineering leads, product, and our forward deployed engineers, and you will be the person who can tell a customer exactly what ships, when, and what it took to get there.

What you'll do

• Own the program plan and integrated schedule, tying sprint and release plans to contract milestones, demos, and customer events

• Translate customer requirements into a prioritized, traceable backlog with engineering and product, and manage scope changes against cost and schedule

• Run the program cadence: release planning, weekly program reviews, risk and issue boards, and monthly status to leadership and customers

• Manage program budget and burn, including labor across multiple engineering teams, and flag variance early with a recovery plan

• Coordinate software integration with aircraft, partner hardware, and government systems, including test events, field exercises, and demonstrations

• Drive software delivery and accreditation work with our DevSecOps team: deliverable packages, documentation, and cyber and ATO requirements where they apply

• Lead customer-facing milestone reviews and own contract deliverables (CDRLs, status reports, technical data)

• Partner with the Director of PMO to build program practices that fit how software teams actually work, without adding bureaucracy

What you bring

• 6+ years of program or technical program management, with at least 3 years owning software or software-intensive programs for DoD or other government customers

• Fluency in agile delivery (Scrum, Kanban, SAFe or similar) and experience mapping it to milestone-based defense contracts

• Enough technical depth to follow architecture discussions, challenge estimates, and spot integration risk early; a software engineering background is a strong plus

• Experience delivering software that integrates with hardware: autonomy, C2, mission systems, avionics, or similar

• Hands-on with schedule and backlog tools (Jira, Smartsheet, MS Project or similar) and with budget tracking

• Comfort leading customer reviews and owning contract deliverables

• Clear, direct communicator who can brief an engineer and a program officer in the same afternoon

• U.S. person status as defined by ITAR, and ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance

Nice to have

• Program experience on UAS autonomy, collaborative autonomy, or C2 software

• Experience with DoD software acquisition pathways, OTAs, or SBIR contracts

• Exposure to DevSecOps, software factories, or ATO and RMF processes

• Background at a startup or fast-scaling defense tech company

• Active Secret clearance or higher

• PMP, PMI-ACP, SAFe, or DAWIA Program Management certification

Location and details

• Location: Hybrid, based in Oxnard, CA, with occasional travel to customers, test events, and partner sites

• Reports to: Director of PMO

• Compensation: [Add posted base salary range] plus equity and benefits

• Export control: This role requires access to information subject to ITAR. Candidates must be U.S. persons as defined by 22 CFR 120.62.

ITAR requirement

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Swarm Aero is an equal opportunity employer. We value diverse backgrounds and experiences and make employment decisions without regard to race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, or disability.
What We Offer

• Meaningful equity in a high-growth defense technology company

• Competitive base salary commensurate with experience

• Medical, dental, vision, and 401k

• PTO and paid sick leave

• Monthly wellness stipend

• Daily catered lunch (office)

• Paid parental leave

• Direct impact on a critical national security mission

• A world-class team of engineers and operators solving genuinely hard problems