Mission Manager

<div>Hermeus is a venture-backed defense aviation company reclaiming the lost art of rapid iterative prototyping to build the fastest aircraft in the world today. By prioritizing relentless hardware iteration, we deliver high-speed systems at the pace of the modern battlefield. We work with the Department of War to provide the high-speed capabilities our nation and its allies need to maintain a durable, asymmetric advantage.</div><div><br></div><h3>About the Role:</h3> <p>We are seeking a proactive and detail-oriented&nbsp;Mission Manager to support the successful expansion at our next-generation airbreathing propulsion test facility, HEAT, located in Jacksonville, FL. This role will work closely with the Chief Engineer and cross-functional teams to ensure the program milestones and deliverables are delivered on time, within budget, and in alignment with technical, operational, and stakeholder requirements.</p> <p>The Mission Manager will serve as the main customer interface and contract deliverable owner, managing the day-to-day execution of the contract, milestones, deliverables, and customer stakeholder communication. This is a pivotal role that requires both strategic foresight and tactical execution in a highly technical, high-stakes environment.</p><h3>Key Responsibilities:</h3><div> <div><em>Government Customer Engagement &amp; Deliverable Execution</em></div> <ul style="list-style-type: disc;"> <li>Serve as a primary point of contact for the government customer, supporting regular status briefings, milestone reviews, and deliverable coordination.</li> <li>Ensure all program deliverables—including documentation, engineering artifacts, schedules, and contract-required reports—are developed, reviewed, approved, and submitted on time.</li> <li>Align on government expectations, technical direction, and contractual requirements, and translate them into actionable program activities.</li> <li>Ensure high-quality execution and compliance with all delivery commitments.</li> <div><em>Program Planning and Execution</em></div> <li>Assist with development of the program schedule, milestones, and work breakdown structures (WBS) in collaboration with engineering leads and contractors.</li> <li>Track progress against cost, schedule, and performance baselines; provide regular updates to senior leadership and government stakeholders.</li> <div><em>Supplier &amp; Contractor Management</em></div> <li>Support the selection, onboarding, and oversight of suppliers and contractors, ensuring delivery of key work packages on time and to spec.</li> <li>Assist with subcontracts, statements of work (SOWs), deliverables, and performance milestones.</li> <div><em>Team and Stakeholder Coordination</em></div> <li>Facilitate meetings, action tracking, and resolution of issues across engineering, logistics, safety, security, and operations functions.</li> <li>Ensure alignment between technical activities (led by the Chief Engineer) and broader program objectives, contract deliverables, and customer expectations.</li> <div><em>Risk and Change Management</em></div> <li>Maintain and update the project risk register; proactively identify, assess, and mitigate schedule, funding, or integration risks.</li> <li>Manage scope changes and assess impacts on schedule, cost, resources, and contract execution and deliverables.</li> <div><em>Budget and Resource Oversight</em></div> <li>Assist in budget planning and monitoring; track obligations, expenditures, and funding profiles in coordination with finance teams.</li> <li>Assist with coordinating resource needs and staffing plans to ensure adequate coverage across phases of the project and timely contract execution.</li> </ul></div><h3>Required Qualifications:</h3><div> <ul type="disc"> <li>Bachelor’s degree in <strong>Mechanical Engineering</strong>, <strong>Aerospace Engineering</strong>, or a related field (Master’s or PhD preferred).</li> <li><strong>5–10 years of experience</strong> managing complex technical programs or infrastructure projects, preferably in aerospace, defense, or R&amp;D environments.</li> <li>Demonstrated experience in direct execution of deliverables under contract to a government customer.</li> <li>Strong understanding of project management best practices (e.g., execution, risk analysis, scheduling, budget planning).</li> <li>Familiarity with propulsion test infrastructure, ground test facilities, or aerospace systems integration.</li> <li>Experience managing external suppliers and contractors in high-complexity technical environments.</li> <li>Excellent written and verbal communication skills; adept at briefing senior leadership and managing multi-stakeholder dynamics.</li> <li>Proficiency in project management tools (e.g., MS Project, Jira, Confluence).</li> <li>Must be a U.S. Citizen and able to obtain and maintain a US Security Clearance (TS preferred).</li> </ul></div>