Program Manager - Major Autonomous Shipbuilding Programs

Job Overview

Saronic Technologies is a leader in revolutionizing defense autonomy at sea, dedicated to developing state-of-the-art solutions that enhance maritime operations for the Department of Defense (DoD) through autonomous and intelligent platforms.

We are seeking an accomplished Program Manager to lead a shipbuilding program with the potential scope and complexity of an Acquisition Category (ACAT) I major defense acquisition program. This role will oversee cost, schedule, and performance across all phases acquisition, design, construction, testing, delivery, and sustainment. The Program Manager will ensure successful integration of advanced naval platforms, combat systems, propulsion, C5

ISR, and weapons into ship platforms, while serving as a key industry interface with Navy stakeholders, prime contractors, and internal leadership.

• Program Leadership - Lead an industry shipbuilding program with the potential scale and rigor of an Acquisition Category (ACAT) I effort, from design through lifecycle sustainment.
• Translate Navy and DoD customer objectives into executable program plans, aligning cost, schedule, and performance with mission priorities.
• Guide multidisciplinary industry teams through complex integration efforts while collaborating with Navy program offices and partners.
• Planning & Execution - Develop and manage integrated schedules, program baselines, budgets, and risk frameworks.
• Apply disciplined systems engineering and acquisition processes across hull, mechanical & electrical (HM&E), combat systems, autonomy, and sustainment.
• Oversee integration of Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) and Contractor Furnished Equipment (CFE), ensuring timely and interoperable incorporation of subsystem and weapons technologies.
• Drive producibility, scalability, and shipyard readiness to support rapid deployment and sustainment.
• Ensure compliance with American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) standards and relevant Navy requirements and DOD regulations/CDRLs.
• Ensure disciplined application of systems engineering processes, including development of CONOPS, requirements deconstruction, and traceability, with a maintained Requirements Verification Traceability Matrix (RVTM) to validate contract deliverables and mission objectives.
• Support technical demonstrations, shipyard trials, lab and field testing, and integration activities with Navy and external partners.
• Drive iterative design-build-test-risk reduction cycles across hull, HM&E, combat systems, autonomy, and weapons integration.
• Oversee development of resilient shipboard software and hardware systems, ensuring integration with Navy Interface Control Documents (ICDs) and government-defined standards.
• Stakeholder & Subcontractor Engagement - Serve as a trusted key industry interface with NAVSEA, PEOs, program offices, and fleet stakeholders to ensure alignment with customer objectives.
• Build and manage relationships with subcontractors, suppliers, and subsystem primes to deliver integrated platforms at scale.
• Represent the company in Navy-led working groups, milestone reviews, and Integrated Product Teams (IPTs).
• Provide programmatic reporting and briefings to Navy stakeholders and senior company leadership.
• Engage with academic and research partners to incorporate innovation, autonomy, and advanced technologies into shipbuilding programs where applicable.
• Support business development and capture activities by shaping technical proposals, providing programmatic input, and ensuring customer alignment for follow-on opportunities.
• Contribute to proposals and capture activities, ensuring technical credibility, level of effort, and programmatic rigor in submissions.
• Partner with internal growth and strategy teams to identify and qualify new opportunities aligned with Navy shipbuilding priorities.
• Support development of long-term business strategies, customer engagement plans, and competitive positioning.
• Risk & Resource Management - Develop and maintain a comprehensive risk management framework, including formal risk registers, to proactively mitigate technical, schedule, financial, and industrial base risks.
• Reporting & Communication - Deliver transparent…