Ask HN: What is the career trajectory like of Program Manager after DARPA stint? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: What is the career trajectory like of Program Manager after DARPA stint?

2 pointsgodelmachine5 comments

Hello everyone,

We all know DARPA is one awesome organization that is pushing the boundaries of technology & engineering, and to achieve this, it relies on Program Managers who are hungry for opportunities to test limits and are at the top of their fields.

So my question is, what do Program Managers, after serving their 5 year term with DARPA, normally do? Do they set up their own business revolving around the technlogy they helped foster whilst at DARPA, or do they create a career path of their own?

I'm very curious to know this. Any suggestions would be highly appreciated. It would be GREAT if some former/ current Program Manager with DARPA answers this & offers his first hand insights & perspectives.

Thanks in advance :)

Those that are at the top of their game and technical normally go to work for the CIA, NSA, DIA, Pentagon, INSCOM, USSOCOM, top government contractors (Leidos, Boeing, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, CSRA, Booz Allen Hamilton, SAIC, etc.) or go to a top regular commercial company like Apple, Google, Facebook or Microsoft that are heavy into research into future technology and implementing prototypes or real world products.

They normally end up with their own team if they were a top technical PM and receive funding for programs they get to create at their new job.

Have you heard of any PM who later switched to a purely technical role, like maybe Technology Architect?

Nope, they are normally pretty high up in the org chart due to them brining so much to the table when they onboard to where there are no longer any pure technical roles.

This is a great question. I don’t know the exact answer but have worked with some. I’ve seen many stay at darpa more than 5 years. I’ve also seen them jump to PM positions in DoD and NIST.

Thanks for letting me know about PM's switching to DoD & NIST :)

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