Senior Staff Technical Program Manager

About Capella

Capella, an IonQ company, spans national security, advanced sensing, and next-generation compute to deliver secure, mission-ready intelligence. Capella’s culture is built on collaboration, rigorous engineering, and a shared commitment to delivering solutions that strengthen global stability and security. Team members work side-by-side with some of the most innovative minds in space systems, quantum-enabled technologies, and mission-critical operations.

Capella values curiosity, resilience, and a willingness to tackle hard problems with precision and creativity. Capella welcomes and encourages applicants whose perspectives are historically underrepresented in technology, national security, and aerospace. No prior space experience is required. Diverse viewpoints strengthen Capella’s ability to innovate and deliver meaningful impact for partners worldwide.

The Role

We are seeking a Senior Staff Technical Program Manager to lead the planning and execution of a portfolio of projects that drive the advancement of our current and next-generation spacecraft. You will be responsible for leading cross-functional engineering teams, managing full program lifecycle execution—including schedule, budget and risk. You will serve as a trusted leader to cross-functional teams, bringing deep domain expertise, sound judgment, and a track record of delivering sophisticated hardware programs in the aerospace domain.

You will also play a key role in mentoring and developing other program managers and team members, helping to elevate programmatic excellence and foster a culture of growth, accountability, and collaboration across the organization. This is an exciting opportunity to join a mission-driven team and make a direct impact on major company initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Experience leading end-to-end spacecraft programs from early development through qualification, production, and delivery
• Proven ability to manage a diverse portfolio aligned to business and technical strategy, while driving clarity, accountability, and measurable progress across multiple development efforts
• Experience managing multimillion-dollar budgets, including labor planning, materials procurement, and subcontractor oversight
• Ability to synthesize complex technical requirements into actionable work plans and effectively manage interdependencies
• Highly self-directed, adaptable, and effective in dynamic, fast-paced environment
• Ability to prioritize projects and programs based on strategic importance, resource availability and business impact
• Strong Problem-solving and proven data driving-decision making abilities, proactively identifying critical-path actions, risks, and opportunities to accelerate progress
• Recognized mentor and leader, with a track record of developing other program managers and fostering high-performing teams
• Deep familiarity with multiple project management frameworks (e.g., Waterfall, Agile, Scrum) and the judgment to tailor approaches to fit program needs
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, capable of tailoring messaging for executive, technical, and other cross-functional stakeholders

Requirements

• 12+ years of relevant experience with a Bachelor’s degree or 10+ years with a Master’s degree in engineering, systems, or a related technical discipline
• Proficiency in project management software tools and collaboration platforms such as MS Project, Smartsheet, Jira, and Confluence
• Experience with Jira/agile management
• Proven ability to manage technical development and/or R&D scope
• Must be eligible to maintain security clearance
• To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Capella Employees must be a U.S. citizen, lawful U.S. permanent resident (i.e., current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State and/or the U.S. Department of Commerce, as applicable.

The total compensation package includes base salary, bonus, equity, and a range of benefits available on our career site.