Payload Project Manager at Axiom Space in Houston, TX

Axiom Space is building the world’s first commercial space station – Axiom Station. Serving as a cornerstone for sustained human presence in space, this next-generation orbital platform fosters groundbreaking innovation and research in microgravity, and cultivates the vibrant, global space economy of tomorrow. Today, driven by the vision of leading humanity's journey off planet, Axiom Space is the principal provider of commercial human spaceflight services to the International Space Station and developer of advanced spacesuits for the Moon and low-Earth orbit. Axiom Space is building era-defining space infrastructure that drives exploration and fuels a vibrant space economy that will empower our civilization to transcend Earth for the benefit of every human, everywhere.

Axiom Space fosters a work environment inclusive of all perspectives. We are the pioneers of commercial space, leading the transformation of low-Earth orbit into a global space marketplace. Our mission-driven team is seeking a bold and dynamic Payload Project Manager who is fueled by high ownership, execution horsepower, growth mindset, and driven to understand our world, science/technology, and life itself, for the benefit of all on Earth and beyond.

POSITION SUMMARY

We are looking for an experienced and detail-oriented Payload Project Manager to serve as the primary point of contact for client payload projects. This role oversees the end-to-end management of payload projects, ensuring alignment with customer needs and mission objectives.

The ideal candidate excels in client communication, thrives in collaborative environments, and brings expertise in project management methodologies to ensure successful payload development and integration. This position requires proactive problem-solving, organizational skills, and the ability to support real-time operations. Join us in shaping the future of commercial space exploration!

KEY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Represents Axiom Space as the primary company point of contact for the payload projects, managing the client project throughout its entire life cycle.

• Supports proposal development including task/milestone definition and detailed cost/schedule estimates.

• Develops and documents a detailed understanding of the client project including overall requirements, success criteria, and constraints.

• Establishes and maintains overall project schedules tracking budgets, key milestones, and deliverables.

• Manages all expectations and communication with the client including organization of regular meetings with client to support project development and execution.

• Organizes and leads internal payload progress meetings to support payload development schedules, mitigate potential issues and develop customer friendly solutions.

• Assists clients in defining and providing various payload data sets required by space station and transportation vehicle including developing safety, logistics, verification, and operations documentation**.**

• Assists clients by participating in major payload integration milestones including but not limited to design reviews, operations reviews, flight and ground safety reviews, verification, and certification reviews.

• Coordinates with Axiom teams to develop and offer solutions, such as:

  • Engineering team to supply client with Axiom provided hardware and software solutions ensuring that the engineering team is always informed on client and project needs.
  • Operations team to support client development of crew training and mission operations products.

• Participates in anomaly resolution when on-orbit anomalies occur during real-time ops.

• Collaborating with cross-functional teams to define project scope, goals, and deliverables.

• Communicating project progress, status, and potential issues to stakeholders and leadership.

• Implementing and maintaining agile project management methodologies throughout the project lifecycle.

• Perform additional job duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in engineering, math, or science .
• 10+ years performing Payload Integration, preferably for ISS.
• Advanced experience (10+ years) with the NASA Safety Review Panel process and requirements preferred.
• Experienced in customer interfacing role.
• Experienced in managing projects of different sizes from start to finish.
• Uses good judgement to problem-solve proactively, positively impacting hard challenges.
• Proven to deliver high quality results under tight deadlines.

Grit

• Passion for space and the mission
• Entrepreneurial, growth mindset
• Perseverance
• Resourceful, adaptable

Skills

• Executes priorities with precision and pace
• High EQ and ability to collaborate within teams and cross-functionally
• Tech-savvy in using systems and tools to move faster and smarter
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Competencies:

Embody our core values of leadership, innovation, and teamwork. In addition, to perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:

• Accountability
• Sense of Urgency
• Extreme Ownership
• Execution and Delivery
• Efficiency
• Effectiveness

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

Generally, an office environment, but can involve inside or outside work depending on the task.

Requirements

• Must be able to complete a U.S. government background investigation.
• Management has the prerogative to select at any level for which the position is advertised.
• Proof of U.S. Citizenship or US Permanent Residency is a requirement for this position.
• Must be willing to work evenings and weekends as needed to meet critical project milestones.

Physical Requirements

• Work may involve sitting or standing for extended periods (90% of the time)
• May require lifting and carrying up to 25 lbs. (5% of the time)
• Equipment and Machines
• Standard office equipment (PC, phone, printer, etc.)

Axiom Space is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Axiom Space does not discriminate on the basis of race, regional color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.