Project Manager

Job Summary

This position is accountable for a program’s cost, schedule and technical performance over the program lifecycle.

The Project Manager leads the Crystal Group Integrated Product Teams (IPT).  Program IPT members can include staff from Engineering, Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, Sales, Business Development, and others. Project Managers will execute commercial and defense programs, for United States-based customers, and customers outside of the United States.   

Essential Functions 

• Leads the program’s IPT, including Engineering, Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, Sales, Business Development, and others.   

• Leads all product and system lifecycle activities from pursuit and order capture to transition to production, leveraging program plans, integrated master schedules, cadences, and reviews to plan and manage projects. 

• Manages program risks, including mitigations and contingencies. 

• Manages program opportunities, including harvest plans. 

• Manages dependencies across all teams, activities, and functions. 

• Is a key stakeholder in customer relationships, supporting the business development lead in their role as the customer relationship owner. 

• Collaborates with a wide range of entry-level to highly experienced engineers and technical personnel.  

• Possess a well-honed deception detector.

Areas of focus could be in one or more of the following

Technical Project Management:

• Collaborates with engineering teams to ensure technical requirements are met, inclusive of design, performance, and verification requirements. 

• Programs that include “significant design and development activities”: Accountable for the pursuit phase activities, include design approach review, cost and schedule estimation, planning, and demand forecasting. 

• Accountable for integration and verification activities. 

• Ensures compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements. 

• Manages configuration control and change-management processes.

Operations Project Management:

• Collaborates with Operations leadership and teams to ensure internal Operations requirements are met, inclusive of manufacturability, testability, documentation, change management, and other dimensions. 

• Accountable for planning and implementing standards and expectations for transitioning to production, including cross-functional reviews, design for manufacturability, design for testability, and other functions.  

Subcontract Project Management:

• With the Crystal Group contracts team, the Project Manager is accountable for managing subcontract scope during the pursuit, and design and development stages of the project lifecycle. 

• Act as the primary point of contact between Crystal Group and the subcontractor. 

• Ensure that the subcontractor is integrated into the Crystal Group execution plans, including the integrated master schedule (IMS), change management, quality reviews, and other activities.

Project Stakeholder Management:

• Coordinate with account management, system architects, and business development teams during proposal activities.

• Lead internal business-related activities including project status and design reviews.

Quality and Compliance:

• Ensure programs meet all applicable quality standards and certifications. 

• Accountable for ensuring projects are compliant to the contractual requirements.

• Coordinate regulatory approvals and certifications. 

• Ensure compliance to internal requirements, such as change management, design for manufacturability, serviceability, and testability.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities 

• Demonstrate experience with project management for Engineering and Operations.

• Demonstratable experience with managing project technical cost, schedule, and performance using earned value metrics. 

• Strong understanding of systems engineering principles and hardware/software integration.

• Experience with the full product life cycle, from pursuit through design and development and to transition to production. 

• Experience working with energy sector customers and understanding of power systems, grid technologies, or renewable energy solutions.

• Knowledge of defense contracting processes and requirements. 

• Understanding of export control regulations including ITAR and EAR). 

• Proficient in Microsoft Project, including scheduling, dependencies, resource and staff loading, and other project management functions.

• Excellent written and verbal communicator and presenter, and experience with collaborating and communicating with peers, leadership, customers, partners, and suppliers. 

• Strong verbal and written communication abilities. 

• Experience presenting to executive leadership and external customers. 

• Ability to work effectively in cross-functional, matrixed organizations. 

Required Qualifications

• Must be a US Person (US Citizen, person granted US Permanent Resident Card or any individual who is granted status as a "protected person”). 

• 3 to 5 years of project management experience. 

Working Conditions 

Work is primarily performed in an office environment. Occasional exposure to manufacturing floor and testing environments. May require lifting up to 25 lbs, standing for extended periods during product testing.