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Saronic Technologies is seeking a Deputy Program Manager to support the delivery of autonomous surface vessels for maritime defense, primarily on SOCOM-focused contracts. This is a hands-on role ideal for a candidate ready to grow into full Program Manager responsibilities.
You will partner closely with Growth, Engineering, Production, Procurement, Software, and Product teams to define scope, align resources, and manage cost, schedule, and risk across one or more concurrent defense programs. The role requires deep engagement with technical documentation (BOMs, CAD, wiring diagrams, system architecture) and the ability to bridge communications between technical, operational, and administrative stakeholders.
Key responsibilities include:
**Scoping & Scheduling:** Translate SOCOM customer opportunities into clear, defensible scope and schedules. Support proposal inputs including statements of work and basis of estimate. Build and maintain work breakdown structures that connect growth commitments to engineering and production reality.
**Program Execution:** Support the Program Manager across all five process groups (initiation, planning, execution, monitoring & control, closeout). Track schedules, requirements, budgets, deliverables, and integration milestones. Coordinate design, build, on-water testing, and readiness activities to meet contract milestones and de-risk critical path items. Maintain configuration and documentation compliance.
**Cross-Functional Coordination:** Serve as day-to-day point of contact across Engineering, Production, Quality, and Training. Lead recurring coordination meetings. Engage confidently in technical discussions and interpret engineering documentation. Relay feedback from field operations and customer reviews back to internal teams.
**Risk, Compliance & Field Support:** Identify, track, and mitigate program risks. Maintain risk registers and after-action reports. Work with Contracts and Legal to ensure compliance with DoD, ABS, and DCMA standards. Support field operations, demos, test events, and sustainment planning for fielded systems.
The position is largely in-person due to the nature of close collaboration required with SOCOM customers. Travel up to 35% of the time is expected, including field support and test events.
Required qualifications: Bachelor's degree in engineering, Naval Architecture, Business Administration, Project Management, or related field. 5+ years in program management, preferably in defense, engineering, or technical environments with SOF/SOCOM support. Familiarity with DoD program requirements and government contracting. Working knowledge of maritime and/or autonomous systems. 3+ years with MS Project, MS Office suite, Confluence, Slack, and cross-functional communication tools. Secret security clearance eligibility required; active clearance preferred.
Preferred: PMP certification, program management experience in shipbuilding, naval systems, unmanned systems, or autonomous hardware. Direct SOF/SOCOM experience. Experience with FAR-based contracts, OTAs, and rapid prototyping authorities. Service-branch background. Advanced degree or foreign language proficiency.
