Senior Program Manager – Research & Engineering / Test & Evaluation

Senior Program Manager – Research & Engineering / Test & Evaluation

Location: Arlington, VA (Will need to travel to Yorktown and Suffolk once a month or every two months)
Clearance: Active TS/SCI Required

 

Position Summary

PAC Group is seeking an experienced Senior Program Manager to support the Department of Defense’s Research & Engineering (R&E) mission within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research & Engineering (OUSD(R&E)). This role provides strategic leadership across mission engineering, test and evaluation (T&E), experimentation, systems integration, and technology transition efforts supporting advanced defense capabilities.

The ideal candidate combines strong program leadership with a solid technical understanding of defense research, systems engineering, mission engineering, experimentation, and operational test activities. Success in this role requires the ability to bridge engineering, operational, acquisition, and executive stakeholders while driving complex initiatives from concept through capability transition.

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Primary Responsibilities

• Lead complex Department of Defense programs supporting Research & Engineering, Mission Engineering, Test & Evaluation, and capability transition initiatives.
• Provide program management oversight for multidisciplinary engineering teams supporting mission engineering assessments, experimentation campaigns, and technology integration.
• Coordinate activities across government, military, industry, FFRDCs, UARCs, and laboratory partners to ensure alignment of technical objectives and mission outcomes.
• Support development and execution of mission engineering analyses, operational concepts, mission threads, CONOPS, CONEMPs, and Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs).
• Manage integration activities supporting prototype development, experimentation events, technology demonstrations, and operational assessments.
• Apply systems engineering principles to evaluate interoperability, digital engineering, cybersecurity, AI-enabled capabilities, and systems-of-systems integration.
• Oversee program schedules, technical risks, budgets, deliverables, and stakeholder communications across multiple engineering efforts.
• Translate technical findings into executive-level recommendations that inform acquisition, modernization, and capability transition decisions.
• Facilitate collaboration between engineers, scientists, operational users, acquisition professionals, intelligence organizations, and senior defense leadership.
• Support mission engineering and experimentation activities including T-REX, J-REX, Joint Test & Evaluation (JT&E), and related R&E initiatives.
• Develop executive briefings, decision papers, technical reports, and program documentation for senior DoD leadership.
• Ensure program execution aligns with Department of Defense policies, acquisition pathways, and strategic modernization priorities.

Required Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI security clearance.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Systems Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, Operations Research, Engineering Management, or related technical discipline (Master’s preferred).
• 10+ years of progressively responsible program management experience supporting Department of Defense Research & Engineering organizations.
• Demonstrated experience managing technical engineering programs involving Mission Engineering, Test & Evaluation, systems integration, or advanced technology development.
• Strong understanding of:
  • Research & Engineering organizations
  • Mission Engineering
  • Systems Engineering
  • Test & Evaluation methodologies
  • Digital Engineering
  • Modeling & Simulation
  • Systems-of-Systems Integration
  • Technology Transition
• Experience supporting senior DoD executives, Program Executive Offices (PEOs), OUSD(R&E), Joint Staff, Service headquarters, or Combatant Commands.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience managing multidisciplinary technical teams across engineering, science, acquisition, and operational communities.

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Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Engineering, Systems Engineering, Engineering Management, Operations Research, National Security Studies, or related field.
• 15+ years supporting defense Research & Engineering organizations.
• Experience within OUSD(R&E), OUSD(A&S), Joint Test & Evaluation (JT&E), DARPA, Service laboratories, or Defense Innovation organizations.
• Familiarity with:
  • Digital Engineering
  • Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE)
  • Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Systems
  • Operational Experimentation
  • Rapid Prototyping and Rapid Fielding
  • Defense Acquisition System
  • JCIDS
  • PPBE
• PMP, DAWIA, INCOSE CSEP, or equivalent professional certification.
• Prior military service supporting technical or engineering organizations.

If you’re passionate about advancing cutting-edge defense technologies, leading high-performing engineering teams, and supporting the nation’s most critical Research & Engineering initiatives, we’d like to hear from you.

 

Benefits

• Healthcare Insurance
• Federal Holidays
• Sick/PTO Time Accrual
• Monthly Phone Stipend
• Employer 401(k) Matching

Application Process

Qualified candidates should submit a resume and cover letter to info@gopacgroup.com or on our website.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pacgroupllc/