---
title: 'Deputy Program Manager - SOCOM at Saronic Technologies'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/deputy-program-manager-socom-saronic-technologies-san-diego-hsbtncjk4qyw'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-11-05'
---

# Deputy Program Manager - SOCOM at Saronic Technologies

- **Company:** [Saronic Technologies](https://feeny.ai/companies/saronic-technologies)
- **Location:** San Diego, CA
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-08-20
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-11-05
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/saronic/4e9b824e-e59a-4559-86e6-87ac526419b4

## Job description

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

Job Overview

## About Our Team

Programs partners closely with Growth, Engineering, Production, Procurement, Software, and Product teams to define scope, align resources, and manage cost, schedule, and risk. It's our collective, team-driven approach that powers execution to meet and exceed the expectations of our growing customer base. In an environment where things move fast and operate in open-ended, ambiguous problem spaces, we trust and empower each team member to operate independently and take full ownership of their work. When faced with roadblocks, each team member is expected to think critically and bring potential solutions to the table. When it comes to communication, the default is transparency; sharing context, decisions, and progress freely. Lastly, feedback flows in every direction; we experiment, question, and learn together by speaking directly and honestly.

## About the Role

This is a hands-on role for someone who owns the details and gets the work done, and it is an ideal next step for a candidate ready to grow into a Program Manager. The position will be largely in-person, because close, face-to-face collaboration is how our SOCOM customers work best. A working understanding of maritime and/or autonomous systems (schematics, software, CAD, wiring diagrams, and system-level architecture) is highly beneficial for bridging communications and understanding of various lines of effort across technical, operational, and administrative teams. The DPM may support one or more lines of effort across multiple SOCOM-focused contracts at once.

## Responsibilities

Scoping & Scheduling

- Partner with Growth to translate SOCOM opportunities and customer demand into clear, defensible scope and schedules.
- Support proposal inputs, including scope, statements of work, and basis of estimate, ensuring what we propose is technically grounded, executable, and aligned to strategic, engineering, and timeline realities.
- Build and maintain work breakdown structures and execution schedules that connect growth commitments to engineering and production reality.

Program Execution

- Support the Program Manager across all five process groups (initiation, planning, execution, monitoring & control, and closeout) on one or more concurrent programs.
- Track schedules, requirements, budgets, deliverables, and integration milestones, including Government- and Contractor-Furnished Equipment (GFE/CFE).
- Coordinate design, build, on-water testing, and readiness activities to meet contract milestones, and de-risk critical path items.
- Maintain configuration and documentation compliance across all program phases.

Cross-Functional Coordination

- Serve as a day-to-day point of contact across Engineering, Production, Quality, and Training, communicating objectives, milestones, and changes so everyone knows what they own and when.
- Lead recurring coordination meetings to keep execution aligned to the delivery schedule.
- Engage confidently in technical discussions and interpret engineering documentation (BOMs, CAD, wire diagrams) to resolve issues and keep teams aligned.
- Relay feedback from field operations, testing, and customer reviews back to internal teams for continuous improvement.

Risk, Compliance & Field Support

- Identify, track, and help mitigate program risks and issues, maintaining risk registers and after-action reports across assigned programs.
- Work with Contracts and Legal to keep scope, terms, and deliverables (CDRLs) accurately captured and compliant with contractual, DoD, ABS, and DCMA standards.
- Support field operations, demos, and test events (readiness, integration, documentation, and after-action reviews), plus sustainment and logistics planning that keeps fielded systems mission-ready for operators downrange.

## Qualifications

- Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Naval Architecture, Business Administration, Project Management, or a related field.
- 5+ years in program management, preferably in a defense, engineering, or technical environment, including support to SOF or SOCOM programs.
- Familiarity with DoD program requirements, government contracting, and recognized program management standards.
- Working knowledge of maritime and/or autonomous systems, with the ability to read technical documentation and engage credibly with engineers.
- 3+ years working across software-based toolsets, including MS Project, the MS Office suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word), Confluence, and communicating with cross functional teams via Slack and other applications.
- A bias for action and ownership in a fast-paced, high-trust, rapidly growing environment.
- Willingness to travel up to 35% of the time.
- Secret security clearance eligibility required, active preferred.

## Preferred Qualification

- PMP certification or demonstrated command of project management first principles and the five process groups.
- Program management experience in shipbuilding, naval systems, unmanned systems, undersea systems, robotics, or other autonomous hardware prototyping or production focused efforts.
- Direct SOF/SOCOM experience, with familiarity with SOF-peculiar requirements, mission planning, and sustainment/logistics systems.
- Experience across multiple acquisition pathways, including FAR-based contracts, OTAs, and rapid prototyping authorities.
- Direct service-branch background in program management, acquisitions, or SOF operations.
- Advanced degree, or foreign language proficiency (e.g., Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, or Arabic).

Physical Demands

- Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
- Occasional standing and walking within the office
- Manual dexterity to operate a computer keyboard, mouse, and other office equipment
- Visual acuity to read screens, documents, and reports
- Occasional reaching, bending, or stooping to access file drawers, cabinets, or office supplies
- Lifting and carrying items up to 20 pounds occasionally (e.g., office supplies, packages)

## Benefits

Medical Insurance: Comprehensive health insurance plans covering a range of services Saronic pays 100% of the premium for employees and 80% for dependents Dental and Vision Insurance: Coverage for routine dental check-ups, orthodontics, and vision care Saronic pays 100% of the premium under the basic plan for employees and 80% for dependents Time Off: Generous PTO and Holidays Parental Leave: Paid maternity and paternity leave to support new parents Competitive Salary: Industry-standard salaries with opportunities for performance-based bonuses Retirement Plan: 401(k) plan with company match Stock Options: Equity options to give employees a stake in the company’s success Life and Disability Insurance: Basic life insurance and short- and long-term disability coverage Pet Insurance: Discounted pet insurance options including 24/7 Telehealth helpline Additional Perks: Free lunch benefit and unlimited free drinks and snacks in the office

[Saronic CCPA Notice for Candidates and California Employees](https://saronic-assets-public.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/Saronic%20CCPA%20Notice%20for%20Candidates%20and%20California%20Employees.pdf)

If this role is based in the United States, it requires access to export-controlled information or items that require “U.S. Person” status. As defined by U.S. law, individuals who are any one of the following are considered to be a “U.S. Person”: (1) U.S. citizens, (2) legal permanent residents (a.k.a. green card holders), and (3) certain protected classes of asylees and refugees, as defined in https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/8/1324b.

Saronic does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, age, national origin, marital status, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other reason prohibited by law in provision of employment opportunities and benefits. We are also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.

## About Saronic Technologies

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Saronic Technologies builds autonomous surface vessels (ASVs) that combine hardware, software, and artificial intelligence to deliver scalable maritime security and domain awareness for naval forces.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series D, total funding $2.6B)
- **Headquarters**: Austin, Texas, United States
- **Founded**: 2022
- **Founders**: Dino Mavrookas (CEO), Vibhav Altekar (CTO), Doug Lambert (COO), Rob Lehman (CCO)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Defense and Space Manufacturing – autonomous maritime systems
- **Target customers**: U.S. and allied naval forces, government defense agencies (B2G)
- **Mission or purpose statement**: “Redefine maritime superiority” by providing the most advanced and capable autonomous vessels to address emerging threats and revolutionize naval warfare.

## Products & Services
- **Autonomous Surface Vessels (ASVs)**: A family of unmanned vessels (including models like *Mirage*, *Cipher*, and the 150‑foot *Marauder*) designed for launch from small craft, fleet assets, or beachheads. Capabilities include adaptive path planning, passive sensor tracking, resilient multi‑channel communications, and diverse payload integration.
- **Echelon Platform**: A unified software suite for mission planning, simulation, and command‑and‑control of autonomous surface vessels.
- **Capabilities Suite**: Integrated hardware/software stack covering launch, maneuver, perceive, communicate, execute, enable, and recover.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed (latest Series D at $1.8B implies a valuation well into the billions)
- **Key Metric**: Total funding $2.6B (Seed, Series A, Series B, and Series D); annual revenue reported at $9.5M
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: 8VC (Seed lead), Caffeinated Capital (Series A lead), Andreessen Horowitz (Series B lead), Kleiner Perkins (Series D lead). Strategic acquisition of Gulf Craft (April 2025) to accelerate shipbuilding.
- **Growth Signals**: Headcount of 785 employees (+218.7% YoY), 296 active job postings, awarded a $392M Navy contract, international offices in Australia, United Kingdom, and Japan.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Founder experience**: Co‑founder/CEO Dino Mavrookas is a former Navy SEAL with eight combat tours; the leadership team includes veterans and technologists who understand military needs firsthand.
- **Proven technology**: Autonomous vessels already deployed in contested environments, with a $392M Navy contract validating the platform.
- **Vertical integration**: In‑house manufacturing and software development, plus the acquisition of Gulf Craft for scaled shipbuilding.
- **Rapid scaling**: Massive funding and headcount growth signal strong investor and customer confidence.

## Strategic Focus
- Scaling production of ASVs from prototype to full manufacturing lines (new Head of Manufacturing hired).
- Expanding vessel lineup with larger platforms (150‑foot *Marauder*) and international partnerships in the Indo‑Pacific and Europe.
- Deepening the software ecosystem (Echelon) for mission planning and manned‑unmanned teaming.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Values include “United We Win” (teamwork, respect), “Trust Fuels Triumph” (transparency, integrity), “Solutions Driven” (creative problem‑solving), and “One Mission” (national security focus).
- **Work environment**: Primarily on‑site in Austin, TX, with additional offices in Australia, UK, and Japan. High‑growth startup pace with a mission‑driven defense focus.
- **Perks & ratings**: LinkedIn employer rating 4.2/5.0 (compensation 4.5, culture 4.0, career 4.3). Notable talent drawn from SpaceX, Tesla, Anduril, Blue Origin, and Lockheed Martin.
- **Engineering culture**: Heavy emphasis on cross‑disciplinary teams (perception, navigation, ML, C2, systems integration) and building “captainless” ships.

## Sources
1. [saronic.com](https://www.saronic.com/) – Homepage, capabilities, and news (Navy contract)
2. [saronic.com/team](https://www.saronic.com/team) – Founders, leadership, values
3. [saronic.com/mission](https://www.saronic.com/mission) – Mission statement
4. [linkedin.com/company/saronic-technologies](https://www.linkedin.com/company/saronic-technologies) – Financials, headcount, funding rounds, investors, reviews
5. [jobs.ashbyhq.com/saronic](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/saronic) – Active job postings

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