Overview
Keysight is at the forefront of technology innovation, delivering breakthroughs and trusted insights in electronic design, simulation, prototyping, test, manufacturing, and optimization. Our ~15,000 employees create world-class solutions in communications, 5G, automotive, energy, quantum, aerospace, defense, and semiconductor markets for customers in over 100 countries. Learn more about what we do.
Our award-winning culture embraces a bold vision of where technology can take us and a passion for tackling challenging problems with industry-first solutions. We believe that when people feel a sense of belonging, they can be more creative, innovative, and thrive at all points in their careers.
Responsibilities
About the Role
We are looking for a Senior Technical Program Manager to own the outcome of programs for Aerospace and Defense group. Accountability extends beyond schedule to the solution itself: delivered on time, at target cost, with the performance that differentiates it. The role sits at the intersection of system engineering, software test development, manufacturing, and business development, and carries accountability for what those teams collectively deliver without direct authority over any of them.
The work is genuinely cross-disciplinary: system design and integration impacts software readiness affect qualification schedules, and a change on one side of that boundary creates hidden risk on the other. The role requires enough technical depth to understand both halves of that system, to recognize a developing failure mode before it is reported, and to drive the resulting decision through to a conclusion.
This is a senior-level role. You will be expected to bring structure to ambiguity, make judgment calls on incomplete information, and examine plans and readiness claims closely: whether a schedule carries realistic slack, whether test coverage assumes the first build works, whether a supplier commitment has been confirmed. Where a plan does not hold up, we expect you to say so and to implement corrective actions.
Responsibilities
Program Leadership & Execution
Serve as the primary program leader, ensuring alignment between customer objectives, contractual commitments, technical execution plans, and business goals.
• Develop and maintain integrated program schedules, resource plans, budgets, risk registers, and key performance metrics.
• Monitor program performance and recommend corrective actions to maintain commitments and achieve program objectives.
• Establish and lead regular program reviews with engineering teams, executive leadership, and key stakeholders.
Technical Leadership & System Integration
• Translate customer mission requirements and operational needs into actionable program plans, deliverables, schedules, and engineering objectives.
• Collaborate with engineering teams to resolve technical challenges, integration issues, resource conflicts, and execution barriers.
Risk, Scope & Change Management
• Identify, evaluate, communicate, and mitigate technical, schedule, cost, resource, and supply chain risks throughout the program lifecycle.
• Manage program scope, customer change requests, contract modifications, engineering change processes, and internal governance activities.
• Ensure alignment between customer requirements, program commitments, resources, and business priorities.
• Escalate critical issues appropriately and drive resolution across organizational boundaries.
Operations, Supply Chain & Deployment
• Coordinate procurement, supply chain, manufacturing, logistics, and deployment activities to support successful program execution.
• Ensure materials, equipment, and resources are available to support project schedules and customer commitments.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to mitigate supply chain and delivery risks.
Business Growth & Strategic Planning
• Support proposal development, customer engagements, technical planning, cost estimating, and program startup activities for new business opportunities.
• Contribute to portfolio planning, resource forecasting, and strategic program reviews.
• Partner with business development, engineering, and operations leaders to identify and pursue growth opportunities.
• Help shape execution strategies that improve customer satisfaction and business performance.
Compliance & Governance
• Ensure compliance with company policies, contractual requirements, security requirements, export regulations, and applicable Aerospace & Defense industry standards.
• Support program audits, customer reviews, and compliance assessments as required.
• Maintain program documentation and records in accordance with organizational and contractual requirements.
Leadership & Continuous Improvement
• Drive continuous improvement of program management processes, tools, and best practices.
• Mentor and influence team members, promoting a culture of accountability, collaboration, technical excellence, and customer focus.
• Lead through influence in a matrixed organization, fostering alignment across teams and stakeholders.
• Promote effective communication, proactive problem-solving, and execution discipline across programs.
Key Characteristics of Success
• Ability to drive highly complex technical programs without direct authority over all contributing organizations.
• Strong understanding of Aerospace & Defense customer environments and mission-driven solution delivery.
• Ability to integrate efforts across multiple engineering disciplines, suppliers, and stakeholder groups.
• Skill in balancing customer expectations, technical realities, business objectives, and execution risks.
• Strong executive communication and customer relationship management capabilities.
• Focus on delivering mission-critical solutions while maintaining schedule, cost, quality, and compliance commitments.
Qualifications
You May Be a Good Fit If You
• Have 8+ years of technical program or project management experience leading complex engineering programs from requirements development through integration, customer acceptance, deployment, and sustainment.
• Have significant experience delivering complex, customer-funded programs involving integrated hardware, software, RF, and test systems.
• Possess sufficient technical depth to effectively engage with systems, electrical, mechanical, software, manufacturing, and test engineering teams and facilitate technical decision-making across disciplines.
• Have a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Systems Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
• Have 10+ years of experience in customer-facing technical roles such as applications engineering, systems engineering, program management, product management, solution delivery, or product development.
• Demonstrate strong program planning, risk management, dependency management, resource coordination, and change management skills throughout the program lifecycle.
• Possess excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with engineers, program leadership, executive management, and customers.
• Have experience coordinating R&D, solution engineering, manufacturing operations, procurement, logistics, quality, and customer support organizations.
• Are proficient with Microsoft Project, Smartsheet, Jira, Confluence, Microsoft Office applications, or equivalent program management tools.
• Have experience developing integrated master schedules, executive program reviews, customer status reports, and technical program metrics.
• Can effectively translate customer mission objectives into executable engineering plans and measurable program outcomes.
Preferred Qualifications
• PMP, Agile, Scrum, or equivalent program management certification.
• Experience leading development and delivery of custom solutions for government, defense, aerospace, or other highly regulated industries.
• Experience managing programs involving RF systems, automated test systems, system integration, radar or electronic warfare applications.
• Familiarity with ITAR, EAR, export-classification processes, and export compliance requirements.
• Have experience leading requirements reviews, design reviews, integration activities, verification testing, validation testing, customer acceptance testing, and solution deployment activities.
• Active U.S. security clearance, or the ability to obtain and maintain one.
Success in This Role Looks Like
• The solutions ship on the committed date, at or below target cost, and meet the performance specifications that differentiate it. Customer milestones and contractual commitments are met
• Risks and issues are identified early and driven to closure
• Cross-functional teams work to a single agreed plan, and schedule or cost deviations are raised by the program manager early enough to act on
• Program documentation and reporting are accurate, current, and accessible
• Predictable, no-surprise program execution
Additional Requirements
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance.
• Ability to access export-controlled information in accordance with U.S. export regulations and company policies.
Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.
Santa Rosa, CA Pay Range: MIN $149,850.00 - MAX $249,750.00
Loveland, CO Pay Range: MIN $138,750.00 - MAX $231,250.00
This position requires access to certain goods, software, technology, or technical data subject to U.S. export control laws and regulations. Under these laws and regulations, U.S. persons (which includes U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents, refugees, and asylees) working for Keysight can access export-controlled items without authorization from the U.S. government. For any individual who is not a U.S. person, Keysight may need authorization from the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Commerce, or other appropriate federal agency before the individual can access export-controlled items. Employment in this position for non-U.S. persons is contingent on Keysight’s ability to obtain any required government authorizations.
Most offers will be between the minimum and the midpoint of the Salary Range listed above.
Note: For other locations, pay ranges will vary by region
US Employees may be eligible for the following benefits:
• Medical, dental and vision
• Health Savings Account
• Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
• Life, Accident, Disability insurance
• Business Travel Accident and Business Travel Health
• 401(k) Plan
• Flexible Time Off, Paid Holidays
• Paid Family Leave
• Discounts, Perks
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Adoption Assistance
• ESPP (Employee Stock Purchase Plan)
Careers Privacy Statement Keysight is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
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