Senior Technical Program Manager, Ground Amazon Leo, D2D Software

Amazon Leo is building a low Earth orbit satellite constellation to bring fast, affordable connectivity to customers around the world. Direct to Device (D2D) extends Leo to standard mobile phones and devices: a fully regenerative fifth-generation (5G) mobile base station on each satellite, delivering service to standard handsets through mobile network operators (MNOs). D2D Software builds the embedded software that flies, the cloud and ground software that runs the service, and the platform that connects them. Our target is under a day from a defect being found to the fix deployed across the entire constellation, achieved by automating everything that a person would otherwise do by hand.

This role leads ground in Software Delivery & Business Ops, reporting to the Director, Software Delivery & Business Ops. It owns handovers and supplier delivery for the ground domain and the commercial core program. Before anything is handed on, the bar is: every ground and core milestone in the integrated schedule. It hands off to its customers as follows: integrated schedule to Ground Software Development and the program.

What the team needs to achieve

• Every ground and core milestone in the integrated schedule.
• Hand-offs that meet their service level: integrated schedule to Ground Software

Development and the program.

• Measured, rising capability and efficiency of the team, with manual work falling release over release.

How the team is measured

• Ground and core milestones in the integrated schedule and landing on forecast.
• Supplier deliveries for the ground domain on schedule.
• Handovers between Ground SW and the program accepted on time.

Key job responsibilities

• Own handovers and supplier delivery for the ground domain and the commercial core program.
• Meet the bar before every hand-off: every ground and core milestone in the integrated schedule.
• Work directly with engineers in the boundary teams as partners, through agreed contracts and service levels.
• Automate everything a person would otherwise do twice.
• Run the program"s mechanisms, metrics, and reviews, and clear blockers with the right people, escalating when needed.
• Identify and mitigate program risks early, build consensus across teams, and mentor other program managers.

This role runs the handovers and supplier delivery for the ground domain and the commercial core network program: core supplier delivery, ground milestones, and the integration with partner networks. Supplier delivery is part of the role: drop schedules, supplier service levels, delivery commitments, and escalations, while the engineering team owns the technical relationship and Software Integration, Verification & Reliability gives the acceptance verdict. It matters because the ground is where operators connect and where the service runs around the clock. Without it, core and ground milestones drift apart from the satellite plan, and operator integrations start without the ground being ready.

Export Control Requirement:

Due to applicable export control laws and regulations, candidates must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (i.e., current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.

About the team

D2D Software is an evolving organization of many teams: Software Architecture & Specifications; Software Delivery & Business Ops; Software Integration, Verification & Reliability; DevOps & Release; Satellite Software Development; Ground Software Development; and Customer Software Engineering & Support. Each Director owns business outcomes: delivering the commitments, and the capability and efficiency of their teams. Teams work as internal customers and suppliers with agreed service levels, interfaces are agreed centrally while designs stay local, and engineers are expected to work directly with engineers across every boundary. Milestones are committed deadlines for delivery with quality, not gates to wait on, and every team runs on one toolchain and one system of record. Every measure is derived from the systems of record, never self-reported, and we improve release over release with a target of perfection.