Sr. Program Manager - Missile Warning integration & Test (SME)

Stellar Solutions, a nationally recognized “Great Place To Work”, has exciting opportunities providing Engineering solutions for innovative new-entrant space companies, as well as established space systems manufacturers, commercial space system operators and service providers, and other industry stakeholders including investors.  

At Stellar Solutions, we offer talented, energetic, and immediately productive resources to satisfy our customers’ critical needs in systems engineering and integration, mission operations, program management and strategic planning. We are a leading service and expertise provider for high-tech commercial ventures, spanning communications, earth observation and remote sensing systems and data products, to the infrastructures that support earth orbiting and beyond earth orbit businesses.

Stellar Solutions is seeking a Senior Program Manager to serve as a senior Missile Warning subject matter expert (SME) and enterprise leader for a modernized, open-architecture Missile Warning ground enterprise. This role provides expert leadership across integration, test, operational acceptance, and sustainment efforts - supporting a Government customer working to increase the pace and reliability of software and hardware delivery into operations through DevSecOps and CI/CD practices.

The ideal candidate will bring deep mission understanding and the ability to lead cross-contractor, cross-segment teams in a complex environment where end-to-end integration and test must be orchestrated across multiple stakeholders and vendor solutions.

Key responsibilities include:

• Provide expert program leadership for the Missile Warning Integration & Test team, including prioritization, execution oversight, and delivery accountability.
• Serve as a senior independent advisor for problem definition, analysis, requirements development, and implementation supporting complex integrated system fielding to the Missile Warning mission area.
• Lead and coordinate enterprise integration and test strategy, including planning, synchronization, readiness activities, execution oversight, and results reporting for incremental and operational deliveries.
• Drive collaboration across Government and contractor stakeholders to resolve integration issues spanning command & control, mission data processing, ground communications/relay elements, infrastructure services, cyber, networks, and operational workflows (as applicable to the customer environment).
• Provide recommendations and strategic guidance for system optimization, resiliency, sustainment, and operational availability, including risk identification and mitigation planning.
• Support program execution in a high-tempo delivery model, helping teams improve delivery cadence through improved test approach, automation, process discipline, and cross-team alignment (consistent with DevSecOps principles).
• Partner with operational stakeholders and support organizations to ensure effective transition of capability to operations and sustained performance in a mission environment that may require continuous (24/7/365) operational/test support coverage.
• Develop and deliver briefings and decision-quality artifacts for senior leaders; communicate complex technical and programmatic topics clearly to technical and non-technical audiences.

Required Skills

• 15+ years of relevant experience supporting Missile Warning mission systems (e.g., ground enterprise, command & control, mission data processing, operational acceptance, integration & test, or closely related mission capability).
• Demonstrated success as a senior leader managing complex, cross-organization efforts involving multiple vendors and stakeholders.
• Strong experience in integration and test leadership for operationally relevant systems (planning, execution oversight, defect/risk management, readiness, and reporting).
• Ability to independently produce high-quality program artifacts (e.g., plans, schedules, status, decision briefings, risk registers, action tracking) with minimal supervision.
• Familiarity with DevSecOps / CI/CD delivery environments and how integration/test practices must adapt for frequent, incremental deployments.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; proven ability to brief senior Government and contractor leadership.

Desired Skills

• Experience supporting modernization of large-scale, software-intensive ground enterprises using open architecture and multi-vendor integration models.
• Prior exposure to environments where integration, test, and operations support are closely coupled to improve operational availability and reduce fielding timelines.
• Knowledge of test automation approaches, operational monitoring concepts, and practices that improve deployment speed without sacrificing mission assurance.
• Experience supporting national security space mission areas beyond Missile Warning (e.g., missile defense support, battlespace awareness, technical intelligence), as applicable.

Security Clearance & Other Requirements

• U.S. Citizen
• Top Secret (TS) clearance with a current SSBI and ability to start at Authority to Proceed (ATP)
• Ability to work on site per customer mission needs; some travel may be required based on stakeholder coordination and program events.

Location

• This position is located in El Segundo, CA - On-site at a Government customer location (region-specific details provided during candidate engagement). Aurora, CO can be considered as alternate location. 

Compensation

The typical salary range for this position is USD $165,000 - $190,000 per year. Individual pay is determined by many factors including work location, job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. This position is also eligible for a discretionary annual performance bonus, retirement plan and other benefits (all in addition to salary).

Deliverables may include reports, briefings, spreadsheets, plans, schedules, or other artifacts as directed by the Government, using Government-approved systems/software and processes governed by applicable guidance, instructions, policy, and/or direction. The nature of this work will, at times, require quick responses to stringent deadlines and always in a high-quality, professional manner.