Technical Program Manager Systems Engineering

JOB TITLE: Technical Program Manager - Systems Engineering
LOCATION: Foster City, CA (Hybrid; 3 days in office/week)
PAY RANGE: $80 - $90/hr.
DURATION: 6 Months

TOP 3 SKILLS:

• 6+ years of experience in HW Program Management or Engineering Management, with a strong background in leading cross-functional HW/SW integration during product development phases
• Proven experience executing the systems engineering V-model, including translating high-level requirements into detailed engineering specifications and validation plans
• Strong ability to manage complex, matrixed environments using tools like JIRA and Gantt charts, with excellent communication and stakeholder alignment skills

Job Description:
The Advanced Hardware Engineering (AHE) team is in charge of delivering all the autonomous hardware (including sensor integration, sensor cleaning, and in-cabin sensing), telematics, infotainment electronic control units, and electrical components that go into the future fleet of self-driving vehicles. We are looking for a dedicated contractor to support the Autonomy Hardware Systems Engineering team and the Senior Manager of Autonomy Hardware Systems Engineering.

As with any startup, we move fast here, and many candidates will be asked from time to time to wear many hats. We would love to hear from you if you are up for solving very challenging problems across numerous cross-functional teams, delivering milestones with numerous dependencies and scaling your impact by developing and adopting structured ways of working. Additionally, if you are an expert at herding cats and influencing without formal authority, then this role was made for you!

In this role, you will:

• Support the execution of the engineering V-model, ensuring a seamless flow from systems requirements down to subsystem and component requirements, and up through component and systems validation.
• Act as a Program Navigator to set mission-driven priorities, align teams on shared objectives, establish accountability, and develop an effective business rhythm for system validation and integration milestones.
• Define tasks, resources, and timelines in collaboration with cross-functional teams and suppliers to ensure successful program delivery that meets the company s milestones. This includes scoping and facilitating the analyses and experiments that enable architecture and requirements definition, test campaigns, test enablement, and requirements validation.
• Serve as a Problem Solver by proactively identifying obstacles, seeking root causes, and implementing solutions that drive progress while clearly articulating impacts on upstream and downstream deliverables.
• Actively invite diverse perspectives as we drive consensus across HW, SW, Systems Engineering, and Safety teams.
• Foster a culture of respect and psychological safety, delivering on commitments reliably and establishing standard reports to provide concise communication to key stakeholders on program status, risks, and accomplishments.

Qualifications:

• 6+ years of experience in HW Program Management or Engineering Management work - managing cross-functional teams on HW/SW integration in the development phase
• BS degree in an engineering discipline or equivalent experience
• Proficient in standard project management tools (e.g., JIRA, Gantt charts).
• Demonstrated success in defining and executing the systems engineering V-Model, with a track record of enabling the connecting of high-level product requirements to concrete engineering specifications.
• Exceptional skill in navigating matrixed environments and providing clear, well-structured, and concise communications tailored to each appropriate audience.
• Self-motivated, flexible problem-solver with a proven ability to create and organize engineering workflows to drive organizational clarity.

Bonus Qualifications:

• Proficient in requirements management and traceability tools (e.g., JAMA, DOORS, Polarion).
• Functional Safety Knowledge: Familiarity with ISO 26262 and SOTIF standards.
• Automotive Testing Methodologies: Familiarity with automotive test standards and executing sensor test frameworks that incorporate metrics from downstream SW algorithms.

BENEFITS SUMMARY: Individual compensation is determined by skills, qualifications, experience, and location. Compensation details listed in this posting reflect the base hourly rate or annual salary only, unless otherwise stated. In addition to base compensation, full-time roles are eligible for Medical, Dental, Vision, Commuter and 401K benefits with company matching.

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