Senior Project Management Specialist
Santa Ana · Santa Ana, CA (OC-42) · USD 166,000-220,000 · 5+ years experience · Full-time · Posted Oct 20, 2026
At a glance
- Experience
- 5+ years experience
- Employment
- Full-time
- Location
- Santa Ana · Santa Ana, CA (OC-42)
- Salary
- USD 166,000-220,000 · Base salary
About the role
- The Project Management Specialist runs the operating rhythm of the program office, owning the machinery that keeps the program coherent.
- You will manage the cadence of reviews and reports, action and decision tracking, program data and metrics, budget and financial reporting, and customer documentation deliverables.
- This role enables program leadership to see the whole program clearly and act on it while reporting to the Program Manager.
Responsibilities
- Own the program operating rhythm — recurring reviews, reporting cycles, and leadership meeting cadence.
- Maintain program data and metrics, and produce the reporting leadership and the customer rely on.
- Track actions, decisions, and commitments across the program and drive them to closure.
- Manage contract deliverables (CDRLs), document control, and submission schedules.
- Coordinate across branch leads to assemble an integrated view of program status.
- Maintain the program risk and issue register in partnership with SEIT and the branch TPMs.
- Prepare materials for program reviews, customer briefings, and leadership decision forums.
- Maintain schedule (major developmental milestones and tracking to build milestones as we move through CDR and PDR).
- Handle alpha build vs bravo build/development coordination.
- Coordinate lab space.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree, or equivalent experience in program or project coordination.
- 5+ years in project management, program operations, PMO, or business operations.
- Demonstrated ownership of a reporting or meeting cadence for a multi-team organization.
- Strong written communication and the ability to produce executive-ready materials.
- Fluency with scheduling, tracking, and reporting tools.
- High organizational rigor and follow-through on actions without being chased.
- Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Secret security clearance.
Preferred qualifications
- Experience in a defense program office, including CDRL management and customer deliverables.
- Familiarity with earned value management or government program reporting requirements.
- Experience supporting hardware development programs.
- PMP, CAPM, or equivalent certification.
Benefits
- Highly competitive equity grants included in the majority of full time offers
- Comprehensive, competitive benefits package available at little to no cost to employees supporting health, recovery, and whatever comes next
Workplace
- Located in Santa Ana, CA
