Contract Program Manager, Hardware Development

BrainChip; Laguna Hills (CA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

BrainChip is seeking a Technical Program Manager for hardware development in Laguna Hills, CA. The role leads silicon, hardware, firmware, software, and system integration programs, aligning teams and delivering milestones. You will build schedules, manage risks, and drive technical decisions across multiple engineering disciplines.

We value experience with ASIC/SoC, tapeout planning, and cross-location collaboration. Relocation assistance may be available for qualified candidates.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or related technical discipline.
• Five+ years of technical program, engineering program, project, or product-development management experience.
• Experience managing hardware, embedded, semiconductor, or hardware-software development programs.
• Ability to manage technical dependencies across multiple engineering disciplines.
• Experience with schedule-building, risk management, and milestone coordination.
• Strong organizational, communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to influence technical teams without formal authority.
• Experience communicating with engineers, executives, and external partners.
• Experience with Jira, Smartsheet, MS Project, Confluence, or similar tools.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex technical programs across silicon, hardware, firmware, software, validation, and operations.
• Develop integrated schedules linking hardware and software milestones.
• Coordinate dependencies across architecture, engineering, system integration, testing, and product teams.
• Identify program risks, clarify ownership, and drive resolution plans.
• Facilitate cross-functional reviews, milestone meetings, and leadership updates.
• Track decisions, dependencies, deliverables, and critical-path activities.
• Support ASIC tapeout planning and silicon-readiness activities.
• Coordinate firmware, drivers, development tools, boards, and pre-silicon platforms.
• Assist hardware bring-up, system integration, validation, and production release.
• Work with engineering leaders on priorities, resources, schedules, and tradeoffs.
• Establish program dashboards, rhythms, and communication processes.
• Improve collaboration across geographically distributed teams.

Skills

Technical PM

Cross-functional

Leadership

Communication

Risk management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering

Tools

Jira

Smartsheet

MS Project

Confluence

Job description

Contract Program Manager, Hardware Development

Job ID 27785401. Location Laguna Hills, CA, 92653, US. Remote Yes. Hybrid Yes. Other Location Description.

We are seeking a Technical Program Manager to lead cross-functional programs spanning silicon, hardware, firmware, software, system integration, and product delivery.

We will partner with technical teams to turn complex development plans into coordinated execution. This includes building schedules, managing dependencies, identifying risks, facilitating technical decisions, and ensuring that hardware and software teams remain aligned through major product milestones.

Direct ASIC tapeout experience is valuable, but we will also consider candidates who have led sophisticated hardware-development programs involving embedded systems, processors, automotive electronics, robotics, aerospace, consumer devices, or advanced computing platforms.

The position is based in Laguna Hills, California. Relocation assistance may be available for qualified candidates.

What You’ll Do

• Lead complex technical programs across silicon, hardware, firmware, software, validation, and operations
• Develop integrated schedules connecting hardware-development and software-readiness milestones
• Coordinate dependencies across architecture, engineering, system integration, testing, and product teams
• Identify program risks, clarify ownership, and drive teams toward resolution plans
• Facilitate cross-functional reviews, milestone meetings, and leadership updates
• Track decisions, technical dependencies, deliverables, and critical-path activities
• Support ASIC and SoC development, tapeout planning, and silicon-readiness activities
• Coordinate firmware, drivers, development tools, boards, and pre-silicon platforms
• Support hardware bring-up, system integration, validation, qualification, and production release
• Work with engineering leaders to evaluate priorities, resources, schedules, and technical tradeoffs
• Establish practical program dashboards, operating rhythms, and communication processes
• Improve collaboration across engineering teams in multiple locations

What We’re Looking For

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical discipline
• Five or more years of technical program, engineering program, project, or product-development management experience
• Experience managing complex hardware, embedded, semiconductor, or hardware-software development programs
• Ability to understand technical dependencies across multiple engineering disciplines
• Experience building schedules, managing risks, and coordinating major development milestones
• Strong organization, communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills
• Ability to influence technical teams without relying solely on formal authority
• Experience communicating with engineers, functional leaders, executives, and external partners
• Experience with Jira, Smartsheet, MS Project, Confluence, or similar tools

Preferred Experience

• Experience with ASIC, SoC, FPGA, semiconductor, processor, or embedded-system development
• Exposure to tapeout, silicon bring-up, post-silicon validation, or production release
• Experience coordinating firmware, drivers, SDKs, embedded software, or hardware-validation activities
• Experience with AI hardware, automotive systems, robotics, aerospace, networking, or consumer electronics
• Previous engineering or technical product-development experience
• Familiarity with foundries, packaging, boards, test, manufacturing, or external development partners
• Experience working across geographically distributed engineering teams
• PMP, PgMP, Scrum, or another relevant program-management certification