---
title: 'Technical Program Manager, Satellite at Xona Space Systems'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/technical-program-manager-satellite-xona-space-systems-burlingame-9cn9ds1q4gbv'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-28'
---

# Technical Program Manager, Satellite at Xona Space Systems

- **Company:** Xona Space Systems
- **Location:** Burlingame, CA
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-10-27
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-28
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/xona-space/7a875899-cfc8-4f04-8b80-9929505b782b

## 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.

## Role Overview

As Technical Program Manager, Satellite, you’ll support the execution of our satellite program across bus and payload, working closely with our program lead and engineering teams to keep a complex, fast-moving hardware program on track. You’ll own key program management workstreams, drive coordination across teams, and build deep familiarity with the hardware and development lifecycle.

You’ll have meaningful ownership, proximity to the hardware, and the opportunity to contribute to how program management operates as Xona scales. If you want to work closely with engineering teams, help drive a complex hardware program forward, and contribute to something genuinely new in space, this role is for you!

## Responsibilities

- Satellite Schedule Management: Maintain and drive the satellite development schedule across bus subsystems (power, GNC, structure) and payload (electrical, antennas, RF). Track progress against milestones, manage dependencies and critical-path items, and flag schedule risks early.
- Cross-Functional Coordination: Coordinate across avionics, RF/payload, ground software, and production teams -- translating technical progress into shared plans, clear accountability, and actionable next steps.
- Supplier & Partner Coordination: Work alongside the Supply Chain team and technical leads to track bus-vendor and payload-supplier deliverables, follow up on open items, and help keep external commitments synchronized with internal milestones.
- Risk & Issue Resolution: Maintain the risk register and issue tracker, surface risks early, and work directly with technical leads to resolve blockers before they affect the schedule. Escalate material issues to the program lead with context, impact, and a recommended path forward.
- Program Reporting: Prepare and deliver regular satellite program-status updates to leadership, maintaining a clear and accurate picture of schedule health, milestone progress, open risks, action items, and upcoming decisions.
- Meeting & Action Management: Organize and facilitate program working sessions and cross-functional meetings; capture decisions and action items; and drive follow-through to closure.
- Process Improvement: Help develop and improve lightweight, effective program-management processes suited to a small team moving quickly. Contribute ideas and practical improvements as the company scales.

Required Qualifications

- 3–5 years of experience in technical program management, project management, systems engineering, engineering operations, or a related role supporting complex hardware and/or software development.
- Experience supporting a technical development program involving hardware, embedded software, systems integration, testing, manufacturing, and/or external suppliers.
- Strong systems-thinking and organizational skills, with the ability to track interdependencies across mechanical, electrical, software, and integration workstreams while maintaining focus on the critical path.
- Demonstrated ability to build and maintain schedules, track risks and action items, and communicate program health clearly.
- Proactive and self-directed: you identify gaps, keep work moving, and know when to seek input or escalate.
- Clear communicator who can work credibly with engineers and summarize status cleanly for leadership.
- Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, evolving environment with lightweight processes and shifting priorities.

## Preferred Qualifications

- Experience supporting a satellite, spacecraft, launch-vehicle, aerospace, defense, robotics, telecommunications, or similarly complex hardware program.
- Familiarity with satellite bus subsystems, RF communications, GNSS, PNT systems, navigation payloads, or mission operations.
- Exposure to the hardware development lifecycle, including design reviews such as PDR/CDR, integration, test, manufacturing, and launch or operational readiness.
- Experience coordinating deliverables with suppliers, vendors, or technical partners.
- Proficiency with scheduling tools such as Wrike, MS Project, Smartsheet, Jira, or similar.
- PMP, CAPM, Agile, or other PM certifications are nice to have, but not a substitute for practical program execution experience.

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 Recruiter](https://feeny.ai/job/technical-recruiter-xona-space-systems-montreal-gad04nx4ktzw) — Montréal, Canada
- [Production Technician & Equipment Operator](https://feeny.ai/job/production-technician-equipment-operator-xona-space-systems-burlingame-4rjzb4svpptz) — Burlingame, CA
- [Sr. Software Engineer - Build & Release](https://feeny.ai/job/sr-software-engineer-build-release-xona-space-systems-burlingame-k6sjpw7g46s8) — Burlingame, CA
- [Production Line Lead](https://feeny.ai/job/production-line-lead-xona-space-systems-burlingame-11mcz2gv8ha1) — Burlingame, CA
- [PCB Layout Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/pcb-layout-engineer-xona-space-systems-burlingame-3m63sac71z2k) — Burlingame, CA
- [Electrical Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/electrical-engineer-xona-space-systems-burlingame-k0kdmc85kx2h) — Burlingame, CA
- [Thermal Engineer - Analysis & Test](https://feeny.ai/job/thermal-engineer-analysis-test-xona-space-systems-burlingame-s9ekzv92qp9t) — Burlingame, CA
- [RF Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/rf-engineer-xona-space-systems-burlingame-jykcvq5ps29x) — Burlingame, CA
- [Spécialiste GNSS / GNSS Specialist](https://feeny.ai/job/specialiste-gnss-gnss-specialist-xona-space-systems-montreal-6shb1yzhx57k) — Montréal, Canada
- [Production Leader / Senior Production Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/production-leader-senior-production-manager-xona-space-systems-burlingame-ad6r2ec9qdz0) — Burlingame, CA