Engineering Program Manager

Role: Engineering Program Manager

Location: Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India (On-site)

Employment type: Full-time

Industry: Space Technology

About Catalyx Space:

Catalyx Space is building the world's best reentry systems. Our reusable ReX vehicles return payloads from orbit at unprecedented scale, up to 12 tons and 60m³ of cargo, while operating the full mission lifecycle from launch to recovery. Our core innovation is a Origami-inspired deployable heat shield that combines the scalability of an inflatable system with the robustness of a rigid structure. Built from commercial off-the-shelf components, it enables the world's widest heat shields, the largest payload return volumes, and a scalable pathway for returning everything from commercial cargo to future space nuclear assets.

Role:

As an Engineering Program Manager, you will own the integrated engineering schedule across avionics, structures, mechanisms, aerothermal, systems, and test.

You will establish and run the program cadence that keeps approximately 40 engineers aligned toward common vehicle milestones and serve as the source of truth for engineering program status, schedule, risks, dependencies, and forecast dates.

This is a hands-on program leadership role requiring a strong understanding of complex hardware development and the ability to drive cross-functional execution from design through build, integration, testing, and flight readiness.

Key responsibilities:

• Build and maintain the Integrated Master Schedule across engineering subsystems, with clearly defined dependencies and critical paths to major milestones
• Map and track cross-functional dependencies across design freeze, procurement, manufacturing, build, integration, and test
• Track long-lead components, vendor deliveries, fabrication schedules, and test-facility bookings
• Identify schedule risks and potential slips early and drive mitigation actions with relevant owners
• Run the weekly engineering program review covering commitments, progress, blockers, actions, risks, and escalations
• Maintain the program risk register with clear owners, mitigation plans, and closure criteria
• Manage change control across subsystems so engineering changes are reflected in schedules, dependencies, and program risks
• Track milestone status and provide forecast dates, assumptions, dependencies, and risks to leadership
• Establish and maintain lightweight program-management tools, workflows, and reporting systems that engineering teams actively use
• Work closely with subsystem leads and engineering leadership to drive actions to closure and maintain alignment against vehicle-level milestones

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline
• 8–12 years of experience in hardware engineering or engineering program management
• At least 5 years of experience managing an integrated hardware-development program involving multiple engineering subsystem owners
• Experience in spacecraft, launch vehicles, re-entry systems, UAVs, defense systems, automotive new-product development, or similarly complex electromechanical hardware
• Demonstrated ability to build an integrated engineering schedule from first principles
• Experience managing dependencies across design, procurement, manufacturing, integration, and test
• Experience tracking long-lead procurement, vendor deliveries, and test campaigns against hardware milestones
• Experience running structured engineering reviews and driving actions to closure
• Experience maintaining and managing technical or program risk registers
• Strong understanding of hardware-development lifecycles and cross-functional engineering dependencies
• Strong written and verbal communication skills

Nice to have:

• Experience at ISRO, DRDO, HAL, a defense prime, new-space company, or similar hardware organization
• Experience taking hardware through a complete design-build-test-flight or design-build-test-delivery cycle
• Familiarity with systems-engineering practices including requirements management, interface control, verification, and validation
• Experience with Asana, Jira, MS Project, or comparable project/program-management tools
• Experience working directly with senior engineers and technical leads to track commitments and escalate schedule or technical risks when required
• Demonstrated ability to operate in a fast-paced, test-driven hardware-development environment

Compensation & benefits:

• Competitive salary (details will be shared with shortlisted candidates), 
• health insurance
• Provident fund.

How to apply:

Apply via Zoho Recruit: https://catalyxspace.zohorecruit.in/jobs/Careers/193193000003204018/Engineering-Program-Manager?source=CareerSite

We only contact candidates from @catalyx.space emails. No fees are required at any stage of our hiring process.

Equal Opportunity: Catalyx Space is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on any protected characteristic.