Senior Program Manager

Riverside Research is seeking an experienced Program Manager to oversee successful execution and provide staffing and subcontractor oversight on an enterprise-wide Research and Development (R&D) program portfolio and prime contract in support of the U.S. Department of War (DoW). As a Program Manager, you will be leading an effort to cultivate a robust ecosystem that combines university research expertise with the advanced capabilities and operational insights of frontier AI companies to drive disruptive, national security-focused AI innovation. The Program Manager will establish and manage a portfolio of fundamental AI research projects in collaboration with universities, frontier AI companies, and government representatives from various U.S. Government (USG) defense and security agencies. The Program Manager will oversee the identification, solicitation, funding, and management of high-risk, high-reward, fast-paced university-led efforts; oversee personnel and subcontractors responsible for operating a scalable, high performance computing infrastructure; and support coordination activities with frontier AI companies, universities, and USG stakeholders.

This position is located in Fairfax, VA.

Key Responsibilities:

Manage day-to-day execution of a prime contact and R&D program portfolio, maintaining project data, document, and software repositories as well as internal and external collaboration sites across several ongoing R&D projects and subcontractor efforts
• Work directly with government clients and stakeholders to serve as a trusted agent and primary focal point to lead the mapping of mission needs into realizable program and project requirements
• Communicate cross-functionally with other Riverside Research groups to align and leverage best practices in support of program security, information technology, and reporting requirements
• Create and document programmatic staffing and R&D project overviews in the form of presentations, white papers, and proposals for delivery to internal and external leadership teams
• Lead program kickoff activities, prepare agendas, and deliver early-phase program materials and reports, with regular updates provided thereafter
• Manage semi-annual solicitation releases, solution Pitch Days, and project Demonstration Days
• Conduct regular program reviews with USG stakeholders, frontier AI companies, subcontractors, and active R&D project performers
• Oversee acquisition planning and subcontract management, allocating and monitoring resources across R&D projects and delivering recommendations on project volume, duration, and execution
• Manage program and subcontractor budgets, track KPIs, and ensure overall financial health of the R&D program portfolio
• Identify and mitigate program risks, implementing corrective actions as required
• Other duties as assigned

Minimum Requirements:

• B.S. degree in engineering, computer science, business, program management, or related field
• 12+ years of experience in project or program management and business operations
• 3+ years of personnel management or supervisory experience
• 5+ years of experience managing fundamental research efforts in support of the USG defense and intelligence communities
• 5+ years of experience managing non-traditional acquisition efforts to include direct experience with Other Transaction Authority (OTA) or Commercial Solutions Openings (CSO) contract vehicles
• Excellent communication, documentation, and stakeholder coordination skills
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex, multistakeholder technical projects
• Active TS/SCI clearance

Preferred Requirements:

• B.S., M.B.A., or Ph.D. degree
• Prior experience managing or collaborating on R&D efforts with DARPA, IARPA, NSF, and university teams
• Familiarity with the state-of-the-art, R&D best practices, and go-to-market strategies in one or more of the following areas: AI/ML, high performance cloud computing, Agentic AI systems and platforms, dual-use (i.e., Commercial / Government) AI applications and solutions
• Experience working with and negotiating terms and conditions with frontier AI companies