Program Manager - R&D and Continual Improvement, Ahuntsic North

Program Manager - R&D and Continual Improvement The Program Manager– R&D and Continual Improvement plays a pivotal role in overseeing both customer-driven programs and internal research and development (R&D) initiatives that advance SKYTRAC’s technology roadmap. This position focuses on the successful execution of contracts supporting customer order fulfillment, while also driving R&D and continual improvement projects to enhance product performance, reliability, and process efficiency.

The Program Manager is responsible for coordinating product development to ensure we meet the customers’ needs and expectations, ensuring all deliverables meet company standards, contractual obligations, and evolving business goals. A key aspect of this role is managing technical projects through the Continual Improvement Process, ensuring innovation and operational excellence remain tightly integrated.

This position will coordinate closely with the Sales, Engineering, Production, and Customer Service teams and report progress to leadership on both customer and internal project portfolios.

*This is an in-office position and can be located in either our Kelowna, BC or Ottawa, ON office.

R&D and Continual Improvement

Plan, organize, and oversee R&D projects, ensuring alignment with SKYTRAC’s technology roadmap, business objectives, and certification or compliance pathways

Lead projects within the Continual Improvement Process (CIP) framework—identifying opportunities for performance enhancement, process efficiency, and product innovation

Collaborate with Engineering to evaluate, prioritize, and implement design changes or emerging technologies based on customer feedback, testing results, and performance data

Champion cross-functional improvement initiatives, ensuring lessons learned from contracts, field performance, and customer support inform future development

Track and report R&D progress metrics, budget utilization, and ROI on internal projects

Facilitate stage-gate reviews and document all R&D and CIP activities for traceability and continuous learning

Contract&Program Management

Meet contractual, legislative, and environmental compliance requirements

Design product scope and requirements for contracts ensuring deliverables meet stakeholder expectations

Manage project schedules, budgets, and dependencies to ensure milestones are achieved efficiently

Maintain proactive communication between project teams, customers, and internal stakeholders to ensure alignment and issue resolution

Ensure all project deliverables—both external and internal—meet defined scope, technical standards, and organizational objectives

Maintain accurate project records, reporting, and documentation to support compliance, audits, and knowledge sharing

What You Bring Candidate Must Have’s

At least 5+ years of experience managing multi-stakeholder technical projects, within real-time data high-tech or the aviation/aerospace industry

Bachelor’s Degree or Diploma in Computer Science, Engineering, Business, or a related technical discipline

PMP Certification or equivalent project management credential

Experience in R&D or product development environments

Strong organizational and resource planning skills

Excellent verbal and written communication skills

Skilled at inspiring accountability and performance in teams

Proficiency with project management tools (e.g., MS Project, Jira, Confluence, or equivalent)

This will make you stand out

Aerospace or aviation industry experience in a technical discipline such as Engineering, Product Development, or Flight Operations

Demonstrated experience leading R&D projects through design, prototyping, and validation stages

Familiarity with continual improvement or quality and management frameworks (e.g., ISO 9001, AS9100, Lean Six Sigma, PMP)

Experience with satellite communications, avionics systems, or connected aircraft technologies

At SKYTRAC, we are a dynamic team of passionate experts. We are driven and dedicated; we take ownership of our work, and we are committed to delivering results. We value individuals who are proactive, take initiative, and demonstrate a high level of professionalism and integrity in everything they do. We thrive in a fast-paced, ever-evolving environment, embracing challenges with agility. Our commitment to growth and development has made us the trusted subject matter experts we are today.

Benefits

A positive and collaborative work culture

Engaging team-building activities

Competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits package

Performance-based bonuses

Additional days off beyond vacation entitlement

The salary range for this role is $90,000 - $120,000. The range posted is a guide and may not represent the compensation offered to the successful candidate. Compensation is based on the skills, knowledge, experience, and qualifications brought to the role.

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