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Joshua, Project Manager at United Launch Alliance: Advize Career Interview
A demanding college experience and a rapid rise through the Army ranks, culminating in a successful transition to United Launch Alliance via a DOD Skill Bridge program, showcase a unique and inspiring career path.
This individual's current role as Chief of Staff involves translating strategic decisions into operational actions, navigating complex challenges, and fostering a forward-thinking culture.
Mastering time management, PowerPoint, and the ability to "manage up" are highlighted as crucial skills, alongside a willingness to ask "the stupidest question." The aerospace industry's dynamic nature, coupled with the opportunity to solve seemingly impossible problems and work with expert teams, provides immense satisfaction.
A key lesson learned involves the importance of humility and continuous self-assessment, underscoring the value of resilience and embracing failure.
For aspiring students, strong STEM backgrounds, particularly in engineering, along with impactful project experience, are emphasized as valuable assets for entry-level positions.
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Joshua Adams
Project Manager
United Launch Alliance
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
MBA - University of North Alabama
Industrial, Supply Chain Management
Aerospace & Defense
Operations and Project Management
Worked 20+ Hours in School, Veteran
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Career Path of a Project Manager at United Launch Alliance
Joshua's career path has been anything but conventional, starting with a demanding college experience juggling multiple jobs and ROTC, followed by a rapid ascension through the Army ranks, where "the most educational job" led to top performance and ultimately, burnout. This led to a successful transition, utilizing a DOD Skill Bridge program, to a project manager role at United Launch Alliance, a "childhood dream," culminating in a recent promotion to Chief of Staff.
Main Responsibilities Of A Chief Of Staff At United Launch Alliance
Joshua's role as Chief of Staff at United Launch Alliance involves translating "strategic level decisions down to the operational levels," ensuring company alignment by connecting disparate resources and fostering a culture change from a legacy mindset to "forward-thinking thought processes." This requires navigating "the gray area," constantly interacting with various groups to identify and remove roadblocks.
A Day In The Life Of A Chief Of Staff At United Launch Alliance
A chief of staff's day begins early, proactively managing calendars and setting the day's plan before the "big boss" arrives; however, much of the day is "reactionary," involving crisis management and strategic communication—creating "slide decks and building messaging"—and often requires identifying and connecting resources to improve efficiency and the work environment through extensive networking.
Most Important Skills for a Project Manager at United Launch Alliance
Joshua, a Project Manager at United Launch Alliance, emphasizes time management as "probably number one," prioritizing tasks and strategically planning "what can I accomplish today," and "what can I not accomplish." Beyond technical skills, the ability to "manage up," anticipating the needs and perspectives of superiors, and mastering PowerPoint for clear and concise communication, are highlighted as unexpectedly crucial for career advancement, with PowerPoint described as "the reason I have been fast tracked for the majority of my career."
Favorite Parts of Being a Chief of Staff at United Launch Alliance
Joshua, a Project Manager at United Launch Alliance, thrives on the "gray area" of his role, orchestrating teams of experts to achieve seemingly impossible goals ("move a rocket a hundred feet") by reframing challenges and facilitating collaborative problem-solving. This experience, combined with exposure to high-level organizational dynamics, provides valuable career advancement, enabling Joshua to understand "how an organization works" and better align operational tasks with strategic objectives.
Biggest Challenges Faced by a Chief of Staff at United Launch Alliance
Joshua's biggest challenge as a Project Manager is managing scope within the "gray area" of their role, requiring constant prioritization and strategic planning to effectively act on numerous ideas and initiatives stemming from observations across various departments, preventing projects from stalling. The struggle involves creating a long-term plan to execute these ideas rather than simply delegating them, ultimately ensuring projects are successfully implemented.
Favorite Parts Of Working In The Space Industry As A Project Manager
Joshua, a Project Manager at United Launch Alliance, loves the dynamic, innovative nature of the aerospace industry, particularly the space sector's rapid evolution driven by competitors like SpaceX and Blue Origin. This necessitates constant adaptation and the invention of new processes and methodologies—as Joshua describes it, "there's no manual, there's no school that'll teach you how to do any of it"—making each project a unique challenge.
What Type Of Person Thrives In The Space Industry According To A Project Manager At United Launch Alliance
Historically, success in the space industry favored "conservative, risk-averse" individuals prioritizing "quality," but Joshua, a Project Manager at United Launch Alliance, notes a shift towards innovative leaders who can "think outside the box" and manage risk effectively. This requires a balance: maintaining a focus on safety and quality while embracing new approaches to improve efficiency, as exemplified by Joshua's emphasis on identifying and mitigating risks with "innovative thinking."
What a Project Manager at United Launch Alliance Wishes They Had Known Before Entering the Aerospace Industry
Even in a highly technical field like rocket science at United Launch Alliance, Joshua, a Project Manager, learned that asking "the stupidest question" is often the most effective way to solve problems, because "no one truly has a full grasp of what's happening". This simple yet powerful approach allows for a fresh perspective and challenges assumptions, proving valuable throughout their career.
Entry-Level Positions for Project Managers at United Launch Alliance
Entry-level positions at United Launch Alliance, according to Joshua, a Project Manager, primarily favor STEM backgrounds, specifically "engineering," with aerospace or industrial engineering being ideal. However, Joshua emphasizes the value of undergraduate project experience, such as capstone projects, as "real job experience" that should be highlighted on resumes, even if it initially feels like "imposter syndrome," because this type of experience is highly valuable.
Significant Career Lesson from a Project Manager at United Launch Alliance
Joshua, a high-performing Project Manager, learned early in their military career to "never tie pride to success," a lesson reinforced by a commander's warning about the fleeting nature of top performance. This humility, they explain, prevents complacency and encourages continuous self-assessment, ultimately safeguarding against the devastating consequences of unchecked confidence.
College Experiences That Helped A Project Manager At United Launch Alliance Succeed
Joshua's undergraduate experience, characterized by "three jobs, six classes a quarter, and joining the Army," pushed the individual to their limits, resulting in numerous failures that proved invaluable. These experiences taught the individual their limits, fostered resilience ("it helped harden me up"), and instilled valuable lessons like focusing on a single task ("always just do one thing"), ultimately shaping their professional bearing and success as a Project Manager at United Launch Alliance.
How Identity Influenced a Project Manager at United Launch Alliance
Joshua's military experience provided valuable leadership skills directly transferable to private industry, with traits like being "very candid, uh, very direct" proving highly beneficial in a project management role at United Launch Alliance. The transition, however, presented challenges including "imposter syndrome" and a significant culture shock, highlighting the importance of self-awareness and seeking mental health support during this adjustment period.
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