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Program Manager II – Sustaining

AeroVironment

Petaluma, CAFull-time$65–98K/yrSeen 6 days agoSeen in employer's feed 6 days ago

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At a glance

Compensation
$65–98K/yr
Location
Petaluma, CA
Schedule
Full-time
Work Authorization
Not specified

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

Requirements

Credentials this posting asks for.

Security clearance

Job overview

The Program Manager II oversees company programs across their life cycles, with responsibility for cost, schedule, and technical performance. The role serves as a central point of contact for program execution and manages activities to meet business goals and customer expectations. It coordinates teams and stakeholders, manages risks and program controls, maintains plans and budgets, and supports business development and proposal preparation.

Skills & qualifications

RequiredNice to have

Skills

Program ManagementProject Management MethodsProject Management ToolsProject Management ProcessesFirm Fixed Price Program ManagementRisk ManagementRisk Mitigation PlanningTechnical Environment ExperienceCustomer InterfaceExport License FamiliarityMicrosoft OfficeExcelWordPowerPointOutlookMicrosoft ProjectUnmanned Aircraft SystemsInternational Program ManagementIndependent WorkCross-Functional CollaborationCommunicationAnalytical ThinkingStrategic ThinkingLeadershipWork EthicIntegrityInitiative

Qualifications

Bachelor's in Business or Engineering or Equivalent5+ Years Program Management ExperienceSuccessful Multiple Projects Track RecordPMI or Equivalent CertificationActive Secret or Top Secret Clearance

Benefits

Medical Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
401(k) Match
Paid Time Off

Full job description

1035 McDowell Boulevard, Petaluma, CA

Full time

9189

Worker Type

Regular

Job Description

Summary

The Program Manager (PM) II is responsible for the execution of company programs including cost, schedule, and technical performance. The PM oversees program life-cycle and manages all activities necessary to meet business goals and objectives. Acting as the central focal point and authority for one or more Programs' execution, the PM provides a single point of contact for program activities to both internal and external customers

Position Responsibilities

  • Management of the program throughout the program's life-cycle

  • Ensures customer alignment and manage overall customer satisfaction

  • Definition, implementation, and management of program controls and success criteria

  • Identify, analyze, and manage all program-level risk

  • Coordinates and aligns project teams and their inter-dependencies

  • Establishes, communicates, and manages program priorities

  • Aligns and informs stakeholders of program's status and health

  • Leads program meetings and program reviews with the customer and executive staff

  • Develop and maintain program plans including budget, Estimate at Completion (EAC), resource allocation, and communications

  • Support the creation and maintenance of product requirements

  • Manages potential changes in program scope and advise leadership and customer of potential impact

  • Actively support the Business Development team in bidding and capturing opportunities

  • Assists and/or coordinates the preparation of cost and technical proposals. Ensures adherence to Company policies and processes

  • Other duties as assigned

Basic Qualifications (Required Skills & Experience)

  • Bachelor's degree in Business or Engineering related field is required or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience

  • Minimum 5 - 8 years of experience in Program Management

  • Proven track record of running multiple, successful projects

  • Managing firm fixed price programs and developing risk management & mitigation plans

  • Experience in a highly technical environment

  • Deep knowledge of Project Management methods, tools and processes

  • Must be able to interface effectively with internal teams as well as government and commercial customers

  • Basic familiarity with use and application of export licenses for the export of military products to foreign countries

  • Proficient in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook and Project)

  • Some travel required (up to 20%)

Other Qualifications & Desired Competencies

  • PMI (or equivalent) certification is preferred

  • Experience with Unmanned Aircraft Systems is preferred

  • Managing of International (ex-US) programs is desired

  • Active Secret or Top Secret Security Clearance strongly desired

  • Ability to work independently and interface with cross-functional disciplines

  • A strong communicator able to articulate vision/mission to team

  • Courageous and a risk taker. A mover and shaker yet collaborative and inclusive of a team approach to results

  • Committed to AV Values (Trust & Teamwork, Customer Commitment, Ownership & Results, and Innovate & Simplify) and emulates these values in all actions

  • Other competencies: Strong verbal and written skills; analytical and strategic thinking ability; leadership skills; very strong work ethic as well as honesty, trustworthiness and high integrity

  • Able to excel in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment, where small teams share a broad variety of duties

  • Displays strong initiative and drive to accomplish goals and meet company objectives

  • Takes ownership and responsibility for current and past work products

  • Is committed to learning from mistakes and driven to improve and enhance performance of oneself, others, and the company

Physical Demands

  • Ability to work in an office environment (Constant)

  • Required to sit and stand for long periods (Frequent); talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone keyboard (Frequent)

Clearance Level

No Clearance

The salary range for this role is:

$64,500 - $98,250

AeroVironment considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the location, the role and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, education/training, and key skills.

ITAR Requirement:

This position requires access to information that is subject to compliance with the International Traffic Arms Regulations (“ITAR”) and/or the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”). In order to comply with the requirements of the ITAR and/or the EAR, applicants must qualify as a U.S. person under the ITAR and the EAR, or a person to be approved for an export license by the governing agency whose technology comes under its jurisdiction. Please understand that any job offer that requires approval of an export license will be conditional on AeroVironment’s determination that it will be able to obtain an export license in a time frame consistent with AeroVironment’s business requirements. A “U.S. person” according to the ITAR definition is a U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder), or protected individual such as a refugee or asylee. See 22 CFR § 120.15. Some positions will require current U.S. Citizenship due to contract requirements.

Benefits : AV offers an excellent benefits package including medical, dental vision, 401K with company matching, a 9/80 work schedule and a paid holiday shutdown. For more information about our company benefit offerings please visit: http://www.avinc.com/myavbenefits .

We also encourage you to review our company website at http://www.avinc.com to learn more about us.

Principals only need apply. NO agencies please.

About AV:

AV isn’t for everyone. We hire the curious, the relentless, the mission-obsessed. The best of the best.

We don’t just build defense technology—we redefine what’s possible. As the premier autonomous systems company in the U.S., AV delivers breakthrough capabilities across air, land, sea, space, and cyber. From AI-powered drones and loitering munitions to integrated autonomy and space resilience, our technologies shape the future of warfare and protect those who serve.

Founded by legendary innovator Dr. Paul MacCready, AV has spent over 50 years pushing the boundaries of what unmanned systems can do. Our heritage includes seven platforms in the Smithsonian—but we’re not building history, we’re building what’s next.

If you're ready to build technology that matters—with speed, scale, and purpose—there’s no better place to do it than AV.

We are proud to be an EEO/AA Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/veterans. AeroVironment, Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and welcomes all qualified applicants. Qualified applicants will receive fair and impartial consideration without regard to race, sex, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic data, sexual orientation, gender identity or other legally protected status.

ITAR

U.S. Citizen, U.S. Permanent Resident (Green Card holder), asylee/refugee status as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) or a person approved for an export license from the appropriate governing agency.

About AV:

AV isn’t for everyone. We hire the curious, the relentless, the mission-obsessed. The best of the best.

We don’t just build defense technology—we redefine what’s possible. As the premier autonomous systems company in the U.S., AV delivers breakthrough capabilities across air, land, sea, space, and cyber. From AI-powered drones and loitering munitions to integrated autonomy and space resilience, our technologies shape the future of warfare and protect those who serve.

Founded by legendary innovator Dr. Paul MacCready, AV has spent over 50 years pushing the boundaries of what unmanned systems can do. Our heritage includes seven platforms in the Smithsonian—but we’re not building history, we’re building what’s next.

If you're ready to build technology that matters—with speed, scale, and purpose—there’s no better place to do it than AV.

Careers at AeroVironment (https://www.avinc.com/careers/our-team)

How this job compares

Set against the 11,462 open Program Manager jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 4, 2026.

Pay
  • This posting$65–98K/yr
  • California median$146–220K/yr1,137 salary ranges
  • US median$120–205K/yr9,046 salary ranges

This range's midpoint, $81K, is 56% below the California median midpoint ($185K) — in the lowest quarter of Program Manager salary ranges in California.

Openings
Olive Jobs lists 1,441 open Program Manager jobs in California and 11,462 across the US. 4% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
Hiring the most in California
Experience
This posting asks for at least 5 years of experience; Program Manager postings that state a minimum ask for 7 years at the median (9,658 postings).
Education
4,829 of the 11,462 open Program Manager jobs (42%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.

Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 4, 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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