Technical Program Manager

Purpose

Iten Defense is seeking a technically strong, growth-oriented Technical Program Manager to join the Transparent Armor team. This role supports transparent armor development programs, technology maturation, product testing, facility startup activities, and strategic customer initiatives while growing into broader technical and program leadership responsibility.

The ideal candidate combines technical credibility, disciplined program execution, mature judgment, and the interpersonal range needed to work effectively across engineering, manufacturing, customers, partners, and leadership.

Essential Functions

• Build working expertise in transparent armor materials, manufacturing processes, testing requirements, and product design.
• Support development and commercialization of next-generation transparent armor technologies.
• Coordinate technical activities across engineering, manufacturing, quality, and research teams.
• Evaluate new technologies, suppliers, manufacturing methods, and product concepts.
• Participate in design reviews, technical risk assessments, and product development planning.
• Assist with technical problem-solving related to manufacturing, quality, performance, and customer requirements.
• Help manage complex government-funded and commercial development programs, including planning, execution, tracking, reporting, schedules, risk registers, milestones, and deliverables.
• Support planning, execution, tracking, and reporting for the NCMS Transparent Armor initiative.
• Coordinate communication between customers, technology partners, subcontractors, and internal stakeholders.
• Prepare technical reports, presentations, status updates, and executive briefings.
• Coordinate ballistic, environmental, optical, and materials testing activities; analyze test results; support corrective actions; and assist with validation planning and qualification efforts.
• Support startup and growth of the transparent armor facility in Ashtabula, Ohio, including manufacturing readiness, process development, equipment evaluation, facility requirements, production workflows, operational risks, capacity planning, and continuous improvement.
• Participate in customer meetings, technical reviews, proposal activities, and meetings with government agencies, OEMs, technology partners, and industry organizations.
• Contribute to strategic growth initiatives within the transparent armor business by supporting market, customer, technical, and program planning activities.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, Chemistry, Applied Sciences, or a related technical discipline.
• Approximately 5–10 years of relevant professional experience.
• Experience contributing to or helping lead technical projects, product development efforts, or cross-functional engineering initiatives.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Willingness to travel approximately 25–40% as needed.

Preferred

Advanced degree in a relevant field or equivalent hands-on technical experience; experience in defense, aerospace, advanced manufacturing, specialty glass, ceramics, composites, government-funded R&D programs, multi-stakeholder program management, manufacturing scale-up, technology transition, new facility startup, DoD customers, primes, laboratories, consortiums, risk management, or technology maturation processes.

Competencies

• Technical curiosity and credibility to work effectively with engineers and scientists.
• Strong organization and follow-through to keep large programs on schedule.
• Clear communication with senior leaders, customers, government stakeholders, technology partners, and shop-floor personnel.
• Emotional maturity, sound judgment, humility, and composure when navigating ambiguity, pressure, technical setbacks, and cross-functional disagreements.
• Ability to learn a highly specialized technology domain and grow into a trusted deputy to the General Manager and future leader within the transparent armor organization.

Work Environment

This is a hybrid position based in Ashtabula, Ohio, with regular on-site presence required to support facility startup, manufacturing readiness, customer visits, testing activities, and cross-functional team coordination. Work may occur in office, manufacturing, laboratory, testing, customer, and partner environments. Business travel is expected approximately 25–40% as needed.

Pay: $90,000.00 - $130,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Employee discount
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Professional development assistance
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Ashtabula, OH 44004