Program Manager, Special Projects

Hadrian - Manufacturing the Future

Hadrian is building autonomous factories that help aerospace and defense companies manufacture rockets, satellites, jets, and ships up to 10x faster and up to 2x cheaper. By combining advanced software, robotics, and full-stack manufacturing, we are reinventing how America produces its most critical parts.

We’re accelerating our mission with the launch of Factory 3 in Mesa, Arizona, a 290,000-square-foot facility creating 350 new jobs. We are expanding rapidly to support thousands of future hires, launching Hadrian Maritime to expand into naval production, and introducing a Factory-as-a-Service model that delivers complete systems instead of individual parts.

Hadrian is backed by leading investors including T. Rowe Price, Lux Capital, Founders Fund, and Andreessen Horowitz, our fast-growing team is united around reindustrializing American manufacturing for the 21st century and beyond.

The Role:
Hadrian is building autonomous factories to support the defense industrial base. As we scale delivery across programs in aerospace, national security, and advanced manufacturing, we’re looking for program managers to lead customer-facing execution and manage infrastructure delivery across new and existing factory footprints.

This is a customer-facing execution role focused on driving outcomes across technical, complex, cross-functional programs. Programs can span both internal and external efforts; for example, leading an R&D capability buildout internally or partnering with a defense customer to scope a greenfield factory. You’ll spend your time communicating with stakeholders, managing timelines, coordinating delivery, and maintaining accountability across both internal and external teams. The strongest candidates will bring experience in high-complexity, customer-facing environments, whether from management consulting, industrial programs, or defense delivery. They should have a track record of owning execution and leading from the front in ambiguous or high-stakes settings. We are seeking multiple candidates at varying levels of experience and seniority to support parallel programs and delivery surfaces.

This role offers the opportunity to grow into program leadership across $100M+ delivery surfaces, spanning new factory sites, high-priority federal programs, and scaled technical infrastructure.

What You’ll Do:

• Own delivery across cross-functional programs from early-stage scoping through execution and milestone tracking

• Drive coordination across internal teams (e.g. engineering, supply chain, software, operations) to unblock execution and maintain delivery momentum

• Lead execution governance by establishing clear cadences for cross-functional coordination, executive reporting, and delivery accountability

• Maintain external-facing timelines, program dashboards, and milestone definitions in partnership with program leadership

• Support internal and external communication including risk tracking, status updates, executive reporting, and program reviews

• Oversee and manage program budgets, including spend visibility, burn rate, and alignment with delivery milestones

• Partner with project managers to ensure tactical deliverables roll up into clear milestones and customer expectations

• Monitor program scope and deliverables to track changes and clarify owner responsibilities

• Operate as a program lead and primary point of contact for both internal and external stakeholders

Preferred Background:

• 5+ years in a program, operations, or project execution role within aerospace, defense, manufacturing, or adjacent high-complexity fields

• Candidates with a background in management consulting or equivalent program management experience leading complex, multi-stakeholder programs in high-precision operational environments are strongly preferred

• Experience with factory or physical infrastructure delivery, including CapEx programs or scaled manufacturing environments

• Experience leading delivery within technical, ambiguous, or startup-like environments

• Familiarity with common program tooling, including Microsoft Project, Airtable, Gantt charts, and risk tracking frameworks

• Ability to independently manage large bodies of work while surfacing blockers and driving cross-team resolution

• Proven ability to create clear, persuasive program deliverables including slides, briefs, and progress updates for both internal and external audiences

• Willingness to travel up to 40% to factory sites, customer locations, and suppliers as needed

Benefits for Full-time Employees

• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans for employees

• 401k

• Relocation support may be provided for certain situations, based on business need.

• Flexible vacation policy

• Equity

ITAR Requirements

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.

Use of AI in hiring

Hadrian uses AI-assisted tools in our recruiting and hiring processes to help our team work more efficiently. This may include tools that help organize and analyze recruiting data, as well as an AI-powered notetaker that can record and transcribe interviews and help coordinate feedback. These tools support our team and are not used to make hiring decisions. All candidate evaluations and hiring decisions are performed by humans. If an interview will be recorded, you will be notified in advance and may opt out at any time with no impact on your candidacy. Candidate data processed through these tools is subject to the same protections described in our Privacy Policy.

Hadrian Is An Equal Opportunity Employer

It is the Company’s policy to provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. The Company does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race inclusive of traits historically associated with race (including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles, such as braids, locks and twists), color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, national origin (including, in California, possession of a drivers license), ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, height or weight, medical condition, family care status, military or veteran status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, exercise of reproductive rights, any other basis protected by local, state, or federal laws, or any combination of the above characteristics. When necessary, the Company also makes reasonable accommodations for disabled candidates and employees, including for candidates or employees who are disabled by pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.