Project Manager – Defence Programs

Location: Hubli, Karnataka
Experience: 4–10 years in project management, program execution, engineering coordination, technical operations, or similar roles
Note: Experience limited to pure PMO reporting, generic IT project management, service-based coordination, or non-technical back-office program tracking will not be considered.

AbouttheRole
Astr Defence is looking for a Project Manager – Defence Programs to drive execution across complex defence development programs involving hardware, electronics, embedded systems, software, testing, trials, integrations, documentation, and external coordination.
This is not a passive reporting role and it is not a presentation-heavy PM role.
We are looking for someone who can understand technical programs at a system level, convert goals into execution plans, coordinate cross-functional teams, drive timelines, manage risks, prepare for reviews and trials, keep internal and external stakeholders aligned, and push programs toward real-world milestones.
You will work closely with the Founder and engineering teams to drive structured execution across critical defence projects. This role requires someone who can operate in ambiguity, absorb technical context quickly, enforce discipline without creating bureaucracy, and keep momentum through constant follow-up, problem-solving, and ground-level execution.
This role is for someone who is highly organized, technically aware, execution-focused, dependable under pressure, and able to bring order to fast-moving, high-stakes engineering environments.

WhatYou'llBeDoing

• Own end-to-end program execution across cross-functional teams including software, embedded, electronics hardware, mechanical design, industrial design, and development engineering
• Build and maintain detailed project plans, timelines, milestones, trackers, dependency maps, review cadences, and execution dashboards
• Work closely with leadership to convert strategic direction into structured project execution
• Drive daily, weekly, and milestone-level follow-up to ensure committed actions are closed on time
• Identify risks, bottlenecks, unclear ownership, and execution gaps early, and drive corrective action
• Coordinate reviews, trials, demos, validations, integrations, and field activities with strong readiness discipline
• Ensure technical discussions are converted into clear action points, owners, timelines, and closure
• Coordinate with external stakeholders, vendors, partners, and agencies for planning, documentation, readiness, and execution
• Prepare and maintain agendas, meeting notes, review packs, status summaries, execution reports, and project documentation
• Ensure that project execution is grounded in reality by verifying readiness, not just relying on assumed completion
• Travel for reviews, coordination meetings, trials, and on-ground execution support as required
• Bring structure and rhythm to project execution without slowing the engineering teams down
• Maintain strong documentation discipline across plans, revisions, approvals, records, and execution history
• Support leadership in ensuring that teams stay aligned to deadlines, deliverables, and field requirements
  
  

Requirements

• 4–10 years of experience in project management, technical program management, product execution, engineering coordination, operations, or similar roles
• Experience in defence, aerospace, drones/UAVs, robotics, hardware startups, automotive, industrial systems, electronics products, or other engineering-led sectors is strongly preferred
• Strong ability to understand technical work at a systems level and coordinate effectively across different engineering disciplines
• Demonstrated experience driving execution across cross-functional engineering teams
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English
• Excellent documentation ability — meeting notes, schedules, trackers, reports, execution plans, follow-up communication, and structured summaries
• Strong organizational ability and attention to detail
• Ability to enforce discipline, push for clarity, and drive closure without creating unnecessary friction
• Strong problem-solving ability and practical judgment
• Comfortable handling ambiguity, uncertainty, and rapidly changing priorities
• Willingness to travel and take ownership of on-ground coordination when needed
• Strong ownership mindset and execution maturity
• Proficiency with spreadsheets, documents, presentations, and project planning / coordination tools
  
  

StronglyPreferred

• Experience managing hardware development programs from concept through prototyping, testing, trials, and deployment
• Experience in field trials, engineering validation, integration planning, or manufacturing coordination
• Exposure to defence-style project environments or rugged product development cycles
• Ability to understand engineering drawings, BOMs, technical plans, validation schedules, and cross-functional dependencies
• Experience interfacing with external technical stakeholders, vendors, production teams, or partner organizations
• Strong review management discipline — readiness checklists, issue logs, action closures, and milestone control
• Ability to operate as a force multiplier for leadership in complex execution environments
  

ReadBeforeApplying
This role demands hard work, ownership, persistence, and seriousness of purpose.
If you think project management means tracking tasks from a distance, this role is not for you.
If your idea of execution is sending reminders without ensuring closure, this role is not for you.
If you prefer predictable environments, low ambiguity, and clean handoffs, this role is not for you.
Here, programs are technical, fast-moving, and unforgiving. Plans change. Dependencies break. Reviews move. Trial readiness is rarely perfect. You will be expected to bring clarity, discipline, urgency, and follow-through in the middle of that reality.
We are not looking for someone to maintain dashboards. We are looking for someone who can help move programs to the finish line.
If you want to work close to leadership, drive real engineering execution, and help build field-ready defence systems that matter, you will fit well here.

WhyJoinAstrDefence

• Work on mission-critical defence systems with real-world impact
• Be at the center of execution across cutting-edge defence programs
• Gain deep exposure to cross-functional hardware product development, trials, and field validation
• Work closely with driven engineers and leadership in a high-trust environment
• Help shape how complex defence programs are executed inside the company
• Experience the full cycle: concept → prototype → testing → trials → deployment
  

WhatYou'llGet

• High ownership and autonomy
• Direct exposure to strategic and execution decision-making
• Opportunity to drive meaningful outcomes, not just reporting
• A steep learning curve in one of the hardest technology environments
• Opportunity to grow into larger program leadership responsibilities over time
• The satisfaction of helping build systems that must work in the field
  
  

AboutUs
Astr Defence is a new-age Indian defence technology company building next-generation systems for the modern battlefield.
We are not just managing programs. We are building real products for real missions.
This is not a low-intensity management role. It is a high-responsibility execution role in a company building hard technology.