---
title: 'Technical Program Manager at wardstone.space'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/technical-program-manager-wardstone-space-el-segundo-qada746w7n4e'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-25'
---

# Technical Program Manager at wardstone.space

- **Company:** wardstone.space
- **Location:** El Segundo, CA
- **Compensation:** $140k–$170k
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-10-18
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-25
- **Apply:** https://jobs.gem.com/wardstone-space/am9icG9zdDoBElBCoIReysCVSDAB3iPC

## Job description

## Overview

You will keep Wardstone’s engineering moving. You’ll own the program schedule, run the status meetings, track the dependencies between teams, and make sure risks reach the founders while there’s still time to act. You’ll report to [the founders]. You’ll work across every engineering team, including mechanical, propulsion, aerodynamics, GNC, the seeker, and avionics, to get Hailstorm from design through ground test to flight. The engineering leads own the technical decisions. You’ll make sure they’re made on time, with the right people involved, and that everyone knows what was decided.

## What You’ll Do

Own the schedule

- Build and maintain the program schedule, from design milestones through ground and flight tests.
- Track the critical path and the dependencies between teams. When something slips, show what it affects and what the options are.
- Track long-lead parts and procurement with the engineering teams so hardware arrives when it’s needed. Run the program rhythm
- Run weekly status meetings and engineering syncs, with clear agendas, decisions, and action items.
- Organize design reviews, test readiness reviews, and post-test reviews.
- Send regular, concise status updates to the founders and the team. Manage risks and decisions
- Maintain the program risk register with the engineering leads, and follow up on mitigations.
- Keep a record of key decisions and interface agreements between teams.
- Escalate blockers early and help teams resolve conflicts over resources and priorities. Coordinate tests and contracts
- Coordinate test campaigns with test ranges and facilities, including scheduling, logistics, and readiness checklists.
- Track government contract milestones and deliverables, and help prepare reports and customer reviews.
- Set up and maintain the team’s project tracking tools and processes, keeping them lightweight.

Required Qualifications

- B.S. in an engineering or technical field, or equivalent experience.
- 5+ years of program or project management experience on hardware programs, preferably in aerospace or defense.
- Experience running schedules for complex, multi-team engineering programs through test.
- Enough technical depth to understand engineering tradeoffs and earn engineers’ trust.
- Clear, direct communication, in writing and in meetings.
- Experience with scheduling and project tracking tools (e.g., [Jira, Linear, MS Project, or Smartsheet]).
- Must be a U.S. person as defined by ITAR (U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or protected individual). [Must be eligible to obtain a U.S. security clearance.]

## Nice to Have

- Experience on missile, rocket, or other flight vehicle programs.
- Familiarity with DoD contracts, such as SBIR, OTA, or other government programs, and their deliverables.
- Experience coordinating flight tests or range operations.
- Prior engineering experience before moving into program management.
- PMP or similar certification.
- Prior early-stage startup experience.

## About wardstone.space

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Wardstone builds a modular, low-cost interceptor platform for air and missile defense, designed to counter threats from Group 4 UAS to medium-range ballistic missiles.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Seed stage; raised $5M)
- **Headquarters**: El Segundo, California, USA
- **Founded**: 2025
- **Founders**: Sebastian Fischer (CEO) and Tobias Fischer

## Core Business
- **Primary industries**: Aerospace & Defense, Missile Defense, Space-Based Interceptors
- **Target customers**: U.S. Department of Defense (Space Force, Missile Defense Agency, Air Force Research Labs), allied nations
- **Mission or purpose**: To out-produce, out-innovate, and out-perform adversaries by building a modular interceptor platform that can be mass-produced, rapidly adapted, and fielded at the pace of evolving threats.

## Products & Services
- **Hailstorm (Ground-Based Interceptor)**: A right-sized, modular surface-based interceptor demonstrated in the Mojave (Mach 2.5, 40,000 ft). Uses a large particle cloud (1 km diameter) to kinetically neutralize hypersonic and ballistic missiles, reducing cost and sensing requirements.
- **Space-Based Interceptor Constellation**: Satellites equipped with kinetic interceptors designed to counter hypersonic and ballistic missiles from orbit. Part of the “Golden Dome” concept.
- **Modular Platform Architecture**: Interchangeable components allow mission-specific configuration, rapid upgrades, and parallel production across multiple suppliers.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed
- **Key Metric**: Total Funding — $5M seed round (raised from Nova Threshold, Liquid 2 Ventures, Bow Capital, B5 Capital, Allegis Capital)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Y Combinator (fall 2025 cohort), relationships with AFWERX, Space Systems Command, Air Force Research Labs, Navy Joint Special Operations Command
- **Growth Signals**: Accepted into Y Combinator; first prototype (Hailstorm-Ground) successfully flown; letters of support for a $3M SBIR grant; inbound requests for additional use cases; hiring multiple engineering roles.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Modularity**: Standardized, interchangeable components decouple production from single bottlenecks, enabling surge manufacturing and supply chain resilience.
- **Cost advantage**: Interceptors are designed to be “right-sized” to the threat, drastically reducing per-unit cost compared to traditional “exquisite” interceptors (e.g., THAAD, GMD).
- **Unique kill mechanism**: Large particle cloud increases probability of intercept without requiring precise hit-to-kill, reducing sensor and actuator costs.
- **Incremental path**: Starting with ground-based interceptors before scaling to space-based systems, allowing technology maturation and customer validation.

## Strategic Focus
- Near-term: Deliver ground-based interceptors to fill the “missing middle” threat band (Group 4 UAS to MRBMs) and secure SBIR/IRAD contracts.
- Medium-term: Deploy space-based interceptors as part of the U.S. “Golden Dome” missile defense architecture.
- Continuous improvement: Open architecture to integrate new technologies without redesigning the entire platform.

## Why Work Here
- **Mission-driven**: Direct impact on national security and countering hypersonic threats.
- **Early-stage startup**: Opportunity to shape the company’s technology and culture from the ground up.
- **Engineering focus**: Roles span mechanical, electrical, avionics, propulsion, GNC, simulation, and sensing.
- **Compensation & equity**: Competitive salaries ($100k–$160k for engineers) plus equity grants.
- **Location**: El Segundo, CA — a growing aerospace startup hub near LA Air Force Base and Space Force facilities.
- **Work environment**: Likely on-site/hybrid (El Segundo office); YC alumni culture with fast iteration and hands-on testing (e.g., Mojave flight tests).

## Sources
1. [wardstone.space](https://wardstone.space/)
2. [wardstone.space/careers](https://wardstone.space/careers)
3. [wardstone.space/ourstory](https://wardstone.space/ourstory)
4. [spacenews.com](https://spacenews.com/startup-bets-on-new-approach-to-space-based-missile-defense/)
5. [ycombinator.com](https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/wardstone)

## Other roles at wardstone.space

- [Technical Recruiter](https://feeny.ai/job/technical-recruiter-wardstone-space-el-segundo-weysaczpdk42) — El Segundo, CA
- [Avionics Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/avionics-engineer-wardstone-space-el-segundo-hjfd9cjytfsy) — El Segundo, CA
- [MBA Intern](https://feeny.ai/job/mba-intern-wardstone-space-el-segundo-wk15p8cdft3h) — El Segundo, CA
- [Head of Manufacturing](https://feeny.ai/job/head-of-manufacturing-wardstone-space-el-segundo-gwv1rsn8dzc6) — El Segundo, CA
- [Supply Chain Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/supply-chain-manager-wardstone-space-el-segundo-mvxgw8kaqgbk) — El Segundo, CA
- [Operations and Logistics Associate](https://feeny.ai/job/operations-and-logistics-associate-wardstone-space-el-segundo-cmpqg5jyxv5j) — El Segundo, CA
- [Mechanical Technician](https://feeny.ai/job/mechanical-technician-wardstone-space-el-segundo-z5daq08jrxsw) — El Segundo, CA
- [Avionics Technician](https://feeny.ai/job/avionics-technician-wardstone-space-el-segundo-vcwqpsgege8z) — El Segundo, CA
- [Propulsion Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/propulsion-engineer-wardstone-space-el-segundo-52f0qfp1273z) — El Segundo, CA
- [Senior Aerodynamics Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-aerodynamics-engineer-wardstone-space-el-segundo-7ra1j3qjsywx) — El Segundo, CA