ADAS Hardware Project Manager

Bertrandt Group; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Bertrandt US is seeking an experienced German-English ADAS Hardware Project Manager, Vehicle Prototypes to lead hardware activities in ADAS prototype and pre-series projects. The role combines project ownership with technical and disciplinary leadership across workshop operations, hardware engineering, and customer interfaces.

The position requires full lifecycle ownership of hardware ADAS tasks, coordination of US and Germany teams, and delivery of high-quality vehicle builds with strong

Qualifications

• Experience in Mercedes-Benz OEM ADAS development environment.
• 6+ years in ADAS/automotive development with hardware engineering or system integration.
• Proven technical project management and cross-functional leadership.

Responsibilities

• Own full lifecycle of ADAS prototype and pre-series hardware projects.
• Plan, track, and control timelines, milestones, and deliverables.
• Ensure on-time delivery of vehicle build-up, updates, and issue resolution.
• Manage risks, dependencies, and escalation paths across functions.
• Align priorities with customer requirements and internal capabilities.
• Oversee workshop operations, hardware engineering and OEM interfaces.

Skills

Mercedes-Benz OEM ADAS

Electrical engineering

Project management

Cross-functional leadership

Vehicle build-up

CAN network

JIRA

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Automotive Engineering

Tools

JIRA

Job description

Bertrandt US is seeking an experienced and German-English ADAS Hardware Project Manager, Vehicle Prototypes to lead and oversee all hardware-related activities within ADAS prototype and pre-series vehicle projects.

This role combines project ownership, technical and disciplinary leadership, and operational oversight, acting as the central authority across workshop operations, hardware engineering, and customer interfaces.

Scope of the Role

• Full project ownership for hardware-related ADAS activities
• Functional and disciplinary leadership across workshop and engineering teams-- both US and Germany teams. (No direct line management experience is required).
• High level of responsibility for delivery, quality, and customer satisfaction
• Central coordination point across workshop execution, hardware engineering, and OEM customer interfaces
• Strong balance between strategic project management, technical depth, and operational oversight

The Technical Project Manager ensures alignment between:

• Hardware engineering development (Germany & US)

The position is critical for delivering on-time, high-quality vehicle builds, while managing cross-functional teams including:

• Workshop Foremen
• Hardware Engineers

Key Responsibilities

Project Ownership & Delivery Management

• Own full lifecycle of ADAS prototype and pre-series vehicle projects (hardware scope)
• Plan, track, and control project timelines, milestones, and deliverables
• Ensure on-time delivery of vehicle build-up, updates, and issue resolution
• Manage risks, dependencies, and escalation paths across all involved functions
• Align project priorities with customer requirements and internal capabilities

Technical Leadership (Hardware Focus)

• Oversee all hardware-related topics across projects, including:
• 2. ECUs and vehicle networks (CAN, Ethernet)
• 3. Wiring harnesses and electrical integration
• 4. Mechanical integration and packaging concepts

• Ensure robust and scalable hardware integration strategies across vehicles
• Review and challenge technical solutions, change requests, and implementation concepts
• Act as escalation point for complex system-level issues

Workshop Operations Oversight

• Oversee execution of all workshop activities including:
• 1. Prototype build-up
• 2. Retrofits and updates
• 3. Troubleshooting and validation

• Ensure efficient coordination between Foreman and technicians
• Monitor build progress, quality, and resource utilization
• Ensure adherence to processes, safety standards, and quality requirements

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Act as central interface between:
• 1. Customers
• 3. Hardware Engineering teams (US & Germany)
• 4. Hardware Engineers (design & integration)

• Drive efficient communication and decision-making across all stakeholders
• Coordinate change management processes and implementation priorities
• Provide functional oversight across all involved roles:
• Ensure clear task prioritization and workload balance across teams
• Support escalation handling and conflict resolution
• Drive performance, accountability, and continuous improvement
• Act as primary project interface for customers on all hardware-related topics
• Provide structured updates on:
• 1. Vehicle status
• 2. Risks and issues
• 3. Timeline and deliverables
• Translate customer requirements into actionable technical and operational plans
• Align expectations and manage scope changes effectively

Process, Quality & Documentation

• Ensure structured processes for:
• 1. Hardware change management
• 2. Build configuration tracking
• 3. Issue tracking and resolution (e.g., JIRA)

• Enforce documentation standards across all teams
• Ensure traceability of:
• 1. Vehicle configurations
• 3. Issues and corrective actions
• Drive continuous process improvement across workshop and engineering interfaces and processes
• Ensure compliance with all company procedures, processes, and policies

Required Qualifications

• Experience in Mercedes-Benz OEM specific ADAS development environment
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, or related field
• 6+ years of experience in ADAS / automotive development, prototype or pre-series vehicle build-up, and hardware engineering or system integration
• Proven experience in technical project management or program leadership, cross-functional team coordination, and customer-facing roles
• Strong technical background in these 4 areas: Automotive electrical systems, networks (CAN required), ADAS hardware and sensor integration, Vehicle build-up and troubleshooting processes
• Experience managing: 1. Complex projects with multiple stakeholders and 2. International engineering interfaces (e.g., Germany-based teams)
• Excellent leadership and communication skills, as well as organizational and problem-solving capabilities
• Occasional business travels to Germany
• Valid US driver’s license
• Occasional support also on the weekends (if necessary)