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Cleared Senior/Principal S&E Project Manager - National Security Space Systems, Onsite

Sandia National Laboratories

Albuquerque, NMFull-time$118–236K/yrSeen todaySeen in employer's feed today

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At a glance

Compensation
$118–236K/yr
Location
Albuquerque, NM
Schedule
Full-time
Work Authorization
US work authorization required

Olive lists jobs from US employers, including remote roles you can work from the United States.

Requirements

Credentials this posting asks for.

TS/SCI clearanceMaster's degree

Job overview

Sandia National Laboratories seeks a technical Project Manager to lead a portfolio of dynamically tasked studies for a high-security Department of Defense National Security Space customer. The portfolio includes analysis, modeling, and hardware demonstrations supporting Space Force acquisition planning, operations, and technical risk reduction. The role also contributes technically to study efforts and is positioned to prepare the successful candidate for greater responsibility, including line management.

Skills & qualifications

RequiredNice to have

Skills

Program ManagementTechnical CommunicationWritten CommunicationPresentation SkillsProject ManagementSystems EngineeringTechnical ManagementLifecycle ManagementRequirements EngineeringConfiguration ManagementRisk ManagementVerification and ValidationTechnical WritingLeadershipRelationship BuildingTeamworkModelingTestingAnalysisDesign of Experiments

Qualifications

MS or PhD in Relevant STEM5+ Years DoD or IC Program LeadershipDOE Q and SCI Clearance10+ Years Program or Project ManagementPMP or DAU Program Management CertificationSystems Engineering Certification or Equivalent$50K to $1-5M Project BudgetsClassified Program ExperienceTechnical Management Process ExperienceTechnical Presentation ExperienceTechnical Leadership ExperienceTechnical Paper Authorship

Benefits

401(k) Match
Paid Time Off
Medical Insurance
Tuition Assistance
Relocation Assistance

Full job description

About Sandia:

Sandia National Laboratories is the nation’s premier science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation, with teams of specialists focused on cutting-edge work in a broad array of areas. Some of the main reasons we love our jobs:

  • Challenging work with amazing impact that contributes to security, peace, and freedom worldwide

  • Extraordinary co-workers

  • Some of the best tools, equipment, and research facilities in the world

  • Career advancement and enrichment opportunities

  • Flexible work arrangements for many positions include 9/80 (work 80 hours every two weeks, with every other Friday off) and 4/10 (work 4 ten-hour days each week) compressed workweeks, part-time work, and telecommuting (a mix of onsite work and working from home)

  • Generous vacation, strong medical and other benefits, competitive 401k, learning opportunities, relocation assistance and amenities aimed at creating a solid work/life balance*

World-changing technologies. Life-changing careers. Learn more about Sandia at: http://www.sandia.gov

*These benefits vary by job classification.

What Your Job Will Be Like:

We are seeking a technical Project Manager to help lead a diverse study portfolio for a critical high security Department of Defense (DoD) National Security Space customer. The program portfolio consists of a mix of analysis, modeling, and hardware demonstration efforts that are dynamically tasked by sponsors. Individual sub-study efforts usually last 1-2 years to help inform US Space Force acquisition planning, operations and future technical risk reduction efforts. Additionally, the person filling this job will be expected to be a technical contributor as well to one or more of the sub-study efforts. The work is conducted at TS/SCI and special program levels.

This is a growth position in that successful execution will prepare the program manager for greater responsibility including line management.

On any given day, you may be called on to:

  • Work in a dynamic, high security environment delivering critical analysis, modeling and technical risk reduction capabilities for National Security Space.

  • Take responsibility for ensuring customer directed and funded efforts in the program are executed and delivered as agreed.

  • Team with Management, Portfolio Lead, Sandia Technical Leads and Business Leads to monitor, guide and track efforts, technically and financially.

  • Team with the sponsor and sponsor portfolio lead to define new study directions and opportunities.

  • Working with the Business Lead report program status, issues, risks, and successes to customer and upper Sandia management thru weekly, monthly and quarterly reporting mechanisms.

  • Team with the Business Lead to turn customer direction and guidance into proposals, contract actions and funding.

  • Work with Program and Information Security staff to obtain the necessary facilities and capabilities to execute the program.

  • Help identify Sandia staffing and capability needs to meet customer deliverables and team with Management and program staff to find solutions for these needs.

  • Provide technical contributions (modeling, testing, analysis, design of experiments, etc.) to one or more of the sub-study efforts.

This position is onsite in Albuquerque, NM. Regular travel (up to 1-2 times per month) is required.

Salary Range:

$117,500 - $235,700

*Salary range is estimated, and actual salary will be determined after consideration of the selected candidate's experience and qualifications, and application of any approved geographic salary differential.

Qualifications We Require:

  • Advanced degree (MS or PhD) in a relevant STEM field (e.g., Physics, Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science).

  • A minimum of five (5) years of experience managing or leading Department of Defense or Intelligence Community programs for US Space Force or other National Security Space agencies.

  • Active DOE Q and SCI or equivalent.

  • Demonstrated ability to clearly communicate to both technical and non-technical audiences and upper-level management in written and presentation format.

Qualifications We Desire:

  • Ten (10) years of experience in program or project management, especially on high security classified programs.

  • Certification in project management, either (a) a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification OR (b) completion of the Defense Acquisition University Level III Program Management certification (previous certification title) or the current Defense Acquisition University "Advanced Program Management" certification.

  • Certification in Systems Engineering/Technical Management, either thru (a) a certification program, (b) a degree program in Systems Engineering or (c) thru Defense Acquisition University Level III Systems Engineering (previous certification title) or the current Defense Acquisition "Engineering and Technical Management - Practitioner" certification.

  • Demonstrated experience communicating with diverse technical and non-technical staff and leaders on diverse technical topics, on financial matters and on the strategic and tactical direction of a program.

  • Experience managing projects with total budgets ranging from the $50k to $1-5M range.

  • Experience building relationships and establishing credibility with scientists, engineers, and technical project teams.

  • Experience in technical management processes: lifecycle management, requirements engineering, configuration management, risk management, verification and validation, etc.

  • Experience developing tools and processes to optimize technical management of science and engineering projects

  • Experience presenting in technical field to demonstrate mastery of a technical and programmatic subject area. Such presentations could include to upper-level management and seniors for major reviews and/or conference presentations.

  • Demonstrated teaming skills, including the ability to work effectively with leadership at multiple levels, customers, other organizations, and technical leads.

  • Demonstrated technical writing and presentation skills, including an ability to succinctly explain complex technical concepts.

  • Demonstrated leadership experience involving technical and programmatic responsibilities.

  • Demonstrated ability to effectively interface with management, customers, and stakeholders at all levels.

  • Demonstrated experience authoring papers, for instance generating classified /unclassified reports, writing a thesis or publishing in refereed publications.

  • The ability to travel up to two times a month for meetings with sponsors and key partners.

About Our Team:

We provide architectures and enabling technologies for pathfinding space-based solutions to national security problems. 6353's focus is on expansion and evolution of mission capabilities for the Space Mission Engineering Program and the Science and Technology Advancing Resilience for Contested Space (STARCS) internal research and development campaign. Responsibilities of 6353 are to foster research and develop solutions in the areas of Space Situational Awareness (SSA) and Space Control (SC) and nurture strategic partnerships with various government agencies, universities, and industry partners operating and supporting space missions.

Posting Duration:

This posting will be open for application submissions for a minimum of three (3) calendar days, including the 'posting date'. Sandia reserves the right to extend the posting date at any time.

Security Clearance:

Position requires a Department of Energy (DOE) SCI security clearance to start, or equivalent active security clearance with another U.S. government agency (e.g., DOD). Sandia is required by DOE to conduct a pre-employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Applicants for employment need to be able to obtain and maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance and SCI access, both of which require US citizenship. SCI access may also require a polygraph examination. If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain these levels of access may be impacted.

Applicants offered employment with Sandia are subject to a federal background investigation to meet the requirements for access to classified information or matter if the duties of the position require a DOE security clearance. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause a clearance to be denied or terminated by the DOE, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment.

EEO:

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status and any other protected class under state or federal law.

NNSA Requirements for MedPEDs:

If you have a Medical Portable Electronic Device (MedPED), such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, drug-releasing pump, hearing aids, or diagnostic equipment and other equipment for measuring, monitoring, and recording body functions such as heartbeat and brain waves, if employed by Sandia National Laboratories you may be required to comply with NNSA security requirements for MedPEDs.

If you have a MedPED and you are selected for an on-site interview at Sandia National Laboratories, there may be additional steps necessary to ensure compliance with NNSA security requirements prior to the interview date.

Job ID: 699234

Job Family: PM

Regular/Temporary Position: R

Full/Part-Time Status: F

How this job compares

Set against the 23,277 open Project Manager jobs on Olive Jobs, counted October 28, 2026.

Pay
  • This posting$118–236K/yr
  • New Mexico median$102–184K/yr121 salary ranges
  • US median$110–178K/yr14,596 salary ranges

This range's midpoint, $177K, is 27% above the New Mexico median midpoint ($139K) — in the top quarter of Project Manager salary ranges in New Mexico.

Openings
Olive Jobs lists 188 open Project Manager jobs in New Mexico and 23,277 across the US. 4% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
Hiring the most in New Mexico
Experience
This posting asks for at least 5 years of experience; Project Manager postings that state a minimum ask for 7 years at the median (20,219 postings).
Education
This posting asks for a master's degree; 134 of the 23,277 open Project Manager jobs (under 1%) ask for a master's degree or higher.

Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on October 28, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.

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