---
title: 'Commercial Program Manager - Business Development at Xona Space Systems'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/commercial-program-manager-business-development-xona-space-systems-burlingame-k1p81ebqfb0e'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-09'
---

# Commercial Program Manager - Business Development at Xona Space Systems

- **Company:** Xona Space Systems
- **Location:** Burlingame, CA
- **Compensation:** $140k–$170k
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-07-14
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-09
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/xona-space/6b0bcc25-92c9-4027-872d-be5ef3ed4f23/application

**Skills:** Program management, Business development, Sales, Knowledge of PNT systems, Knowledge of GNSS, Knowledge of alternative navigation technologies, Knowledge of industrial timing, Knowledge of consumer IoT OEM companies

> Xona is seeking a Commercial Program Manager to manage compliant project delivery for commercial customers. The role involves coordinating cross-functional teams, managing customer accounts, and aligning program schedules with business objectives.

## Job description

Xona is the navigational intelligence company bringing real-time, centimeter-level certainty to any device, anywhere on Earth.

With Pulsar – the world’s most advanced PNT satellite infrastructure in Low Earth Orbit – Xona will offer a future-proof, backwards-compatible global positioning system optimized for absolute precision, superior power, and robust protection.

The U.S. defined global navigation with GNSS (GPS) over 50 years ago, supporting everything from consumer applications, transportation systems, and time synchronization for critical infrastructure. After nearly two decades, however, the performance and security demands of such navigation systems are increasingly beyond what GNSS can support. Xona Space Systems was founded in 2019 to address these threats through its space-based low Earth orbit (LEO) constellation. Xona’s vision is straightforward: make satellite navigation dramatically more accurate, secure, and available.

In June 2025, Xona launched its first production class satellite, shaping the next era of navigational intelligence by bringing unmatched accuracy, affordability and resiliency to industries across timing, consumer IoT, defense, construction, agriculture, mining, mass mobile, and automotive.

Are you interested in joining the Xona Team as we rapidly evolve and field our LEO constellation?

We are seeking a Commercial Program Manager to ensure compliant project delivery for commercial industry customers and partners. The successful candidate will be expected to work effectively with cross-functional teams in identifying, capturing, and delivering on customer programs and schedules. Xona’s program manager must be able to maintain customer accounts and also generate new accounts, work closely with internal and external technical teams, and align these activities to Xona’s overall business objectives.

## What you’ll do

- Be the Customer Interface: Work closely with customers to match shared value propositions, build and synchronize schedules, technical requirements, and contract deliverables.
- Coordinate Across Teams: Facilitate communication across product, operations, and business teams to ensure deliverables are met.
- Interface with Leadership: Provide regular updates to the leadership team, escalating issues and proposing solutions to maintain program momentum.
- Contribute to Process Development: Collaborate with business and product team members to improve processes, tools, and reporting structures to scale with the company’s growth.
- Thrive in a Startup Environment: Ability to work in a fast-paced environment where things can move and evolve rapidly. Ability to work autonomously in a small, dynamic team.
- Communicate: Excellent communication and organizational skills, ability to create and maintain project schedules.

## Preferred Qualifications

- 2–5 years of experience in program management, or a related role.
- Technical educational background, in engineering or a related field.
- Business development and/or sales experience.
- Knowledgeable of PNT systems, GNSS, and alternative navigation technologies.
- Well networked and knowledgeable of industrial timing and/or consumer IoT OEM companies.
- PMP, AGILE training or other relevant certifications.

For U.S. Roles: To comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the United States (i.e. Green Card holder), or other protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).

For U.K. Roles: To comply with U.K. regulations, this role requires Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks, and successful candidates must be eligible to obtain UK Security Clearance (SC).

For Canada Roles: Successful candidates must obtain and hold a security clearance at the reliability status level, and pass security assessment for the Canadian Controlled Goods Program (CGP) and ITAR.

We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

## About Xona Space Systems

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Xona Space Systems is building Pulsar, a high-integrity positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) constellation in Low Earth Orbit that delivers authenticated, centimeter-accurate services as a resilient alternative to GPS.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series C – $170M raised ~April 2026)
- **Headquarters**: Burlingame, California, USA (also offices in Montreal, Canada and London, England)
- **Founded**: 2019
- **Founders**: Brian Manning (CEO), Tyler Reid (CTO), Adrien Perkins (VP of Engineering)

## Core Business
- **Primary industries**: Aerospace / Satellite Navigation, Defense & Critical Infrastructure, Autonomous Systems
- **Target customers**: B2B / B2G – enterprise, government, defense, autonomous robotics, construction, industrial IoT, and any application requiring resilient PNT
- **Mission**: “Unlock the potential of tomorrow’s technologies by providing the most robust and accurate navigation and timing services on Earth.”

## Products & Services
- **Pulsar Constellation**: A network of 258 small, software-defined satellites in LEO broadcasting secured, authenticated PNT signals. Offers native user accuracy at centimeter level and is designed to upgrade existing GPS devices via a software update.
- **Pulsar‑Verified Receivers & Simulators**: Certified hardware and test platforms for integrators. Includes reference designs and simulation tools.
- **Time Authentication Service**: A cryptographic layer that validates the origin and integrity of timing signals, providing resilience against spoofing and jamming.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation / Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed (conflicting reports may exist; no official figure available)
- **Key Metric**: Total funding $327.53M (CB Insights); latest Series C closed ~April 2026 (amount $170M)
- **Notable Investors / Partners**: Not publicly disclosed (funding specifics unknown). Key partners include Murata (MOU for LEO navigation in industrial applications), the Government of Canada (R&D collaboration to strengthen timing resilience), and the National Research Council of Canada.
- **Growth Signals**: 
  - Successfully launched Pulsar‑0, the first commercially funded navigation satellite, now in orbit for one year (June 2026).
  - 11+ patents filed (encrypted navigation signals, wireless locating, etc.).
  - Active hiring in Burlingame, Montreal, and London; 828 employees on LinkedIn as of mid‑2026.
  - Collaboration with ISED, NRC, and DRDC to broadcast Canada’s official time signal (UTC(NRC)) from space.

## Competitive Advantages
- **First‑mover with a privately funded navigation satellite** – Pulsar‑0 set a precedent for commercial LEO PNT.
- **Authenticated signals** – Cryptographic security native to the signal provides spoofing/jamming resistance unmatched by traditional GPS.
- **Software‑defined satellites** – Rapid constellation scaling and in‑orbit updates at a fraction of legacy system cost.
- **Multi‑national timing broadcast** – Ability to carry multiple official time standards (US, UK, Canada) on a shared infrastructure, creating sovereign resilience for allies.

## Strategic Focus
- **Constellation deployment** – Scale from prototype (Pulsar‑0) to a full production fleet of 258 satellites.
- **Ecosystem enablement** – Grow partner network of receiver makers, chipset vendors, and integrators (e.g., Murata, government bodies).
- **Geographic expansion** – Establish a strong presence in Canada (Montreal) and the UK (London) while deepening relationships with allied governments.
- **Defense & critical infrastructure** – Pursue contracts that require autonomous, tamper‑proof PNT for military, aviation, and grid timing.

## Why Work Here
- **Impact** – Work on “a generational technology at startup speed”; decisions are pushed to the people closest to the work. Culture of ownership and rapid iteration.
- **Compensation** – Competitive salary, equity (ownership culture), 401(k) / Roth 401(k).
- **Benefits** – 95% of healthcare premiums covered for US employees (50% for dependents); HSA/FSA options; supportive parental leave (equitable); flexible time off.
- **Workplace** – Burlingame office with catered lunches twice a week, snacks, drinks, coffee. Roles also in Montreal and London (hybrid likely per location, but remote‑first not stated).
- **Culture** – Engineering‑driven, fast‑shipping, collaborative; team includes leaders from industry and academia.

## Sources
1. [xonaspace.com](https://www.xonaspace.com/)
2. [xonaspace.com/careers](https://www.xonaspace.com/careers)
3. [xonaspace.com/mission](https://www.xonaspace.com/mission)
4. [cbinsights.com](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/xonaspace)
5. [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/xona-space-systems)

## Other roles at Xona Space Systems

- [Technical Writer](https://feeny.ai/job/technical-writer-xona-space-systems-burlingame-f9aj5k2b8g88) — Burlingame, CA
- [Développeur(-euse) principal(e) de produits, Fullstack / Senior Product Developer](https://feeny.ai/job/developpeur-euse-principal-e-de-produits-fullstack-senior-product-developer-5ms7v4x25mjs) — Montréal, Canada
- [Software Development Engineer in Test](https://feeny.ai/job/software-development-engineer-in-test-xona-space-systems-burlingame-5s17a4hg3e6s) — Burlingame, CA
- [Director of Flight Software Engineering](https://feeny.ai/job/director-of-flight-software-engineering-xona-space-systems-burlingame-8893v6jvsyb9) — Burlingame, CA
- [Cloud Security Specialist – Platforms Engineering](https://feeny.ai/job/cloud-security-specialist-platforms-engineering-xona-space-systems-burlingame-2cw1wtrhjex7) — Burlingame, CA
- [Senior Cloud Architect – Platforms Engineering](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-cloud-architect-platforms-engineering-xona-space-systems-burlingame-582tm3wbrgvm) — Burlingame, CA
- [Spécialiste GNSS / GNSS Specialist](https://feeny.ai/job/specialiste-gnss-gnss-specialist-xona-space-systems-montreal-6shb1yzhx57k) — Montréal, Canada
- [Product Manager (Ecosystem) / Responsable de Produit (écosystème)](https://feeny.ai/job/product-manager-ecosystem-responsable-de-produit-ecosysteme-xona-space-systems-xa2agjby9kae) — Montréal, Canada
- [Sr. Manufacturing Engineer - PCBA Validation](https://feeny.ai/job/sr-manufacturing-engineer-pcba-validation-xona-space-systems-burlingame-6qxd9mezckkj) — Burlingame, CA
- [Quality Assurance Inspector](https://feeny.ai/job/quality-assurance-inspector-xona-space-systems-burlingame-haa1nr5wk5t1) — Burlingame, CA