Engineering Program Manager

viaPhoton; Naperville (IL); On-site; USD 75,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, and vision coverage

401(k) with match

Flexible PTO

10 paid holidays

Monthly team events

Job summary

viaPhoton in Naperville, IL is seeking an Engineering Program Manager to drive critical engineering projects from concept through production. You’ll connect engineering, business, and manufacturing to ensure on-time delivery within budget.

The role suits someone who excels at leading cross-functional teams, managing risks, and delivering results. A BS in Electrical, Mechanical, or Computer Engineering is required, with hands-on program management experience across tech and manufacturing domains.

Qualifications

• Must have strong project leadership experience across engineering, business, and manufacturing.
• Experience driving projects from concept through production and delivery.
• Ability to identify and resolve key project risks and issues.
• Excellent communication of status to leadership and stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Drive product development, automation, and process engineering projects from concept to completion.
• Collaborate across business, engineering, and production teams to define and achieve project success.
• Identify and resolve key project risks and issues, keeping teams aligned and focused.
• Communicate project status to leadership and stakeholders with clear reporting on plans, risks, and progress.
• Create new methodologies and solutions to support company growth and help the team scale.

Skills

Project management

Cross-functional leadership

Budget management

Risk management

Communication

Problem solving

Education

BS in Electrical, Mechanical, or Computer Engineering

Job description

Who We Are

We are changing the norm by being customer-focused, technology-led. viaPhoton is reimagining fiber optic manufacturing for the AI era. We design and deliver custom-engineered, end-to-end fiber connectivity solutions for the data centers, 5G networks, and AI infrastructure shaping the next decade, and our customers need them in weeks, not months. In five years we've grown to a team of 200+ and 4x'd our revenue in the last year alone, and we're just getting started. We're looking for people who want to do their best work with a team that's moving fast.

Who We Are

We are changing the norm by being customer-focused, technology-led. viaPhoton is reimagining fiber optic manufacturing for the AI era. We design and deliver custom-engineered, end-to-end fiber connectivity solutions for the data centers, 5G networks, and AI infrastructure shaping the next decade, and our customers need them in weeks, not months. In five years we've grown to a team of 200+ and 4x'd our revenue in the last year alone, and we're just getting started. We're looking for people who want to do their best work with a team that's moving fast.

About the Role

You’ll drive execution of our most important engineering projects from concept through production. You'll be the connector between engineering, business, and manufacturing, making sure complex work gets done on time and within budget. If you're at your best managing technical projects, leading teams through problems, and delivering results, this is your role.

• Drive product development, automation, and process engineering projects and initiatives from concept to completion
• Collaborate across business, engineering, and production teams to define and achieve project success
• Identify and resolve key project risks and issues, keeping teams aligned and focused
• Communicate project status to leadership and stakeholders with clear reporting on plans, risks, and progress
• Create new methodologies and solutions to support company growth and help the team scale

What You’ll Bring

• Have a BS degree in Electrical, Mechanical, or Computer Engineering
• Have led development, automation, or process engineering programs from concept through production
• Have overseen project planning, execution, and delivery across cross-functional teams
• Can balance competing stakeholder needs and build comprehensive project plans, timelines, and budgets
• Are self-directed, pick up new things quickly, and stay flexible as priorities shift

Want to read the full job description?

Engineering Program Manager JD

What's in it for you?

• Robust health, dental, and vision coverage that starts on day 1
• 401(k) with 4% match, vests immediately after a 90-day waiting period
• Flexible PTO that grows over time
• 10 paid holidays, including 2 floating holidays
• Monthly team events

Location: Naperville, IL

Schedule: Mon-Fri | Onsite

Compensation: $75,000 to $85,000 base, plus annual bonus

At viaPhoton, we are committed to furthering our culture of inclusion. We reinforce this through our core values and beliefs as well as our processes and strategic goals. We remind team members to seek various viewpoints, learn and be hungry with curiosity, and gain trust.

We are an equal opportunity employer and make all employment decisions based on merit and qualifications. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, health condition, genetic information, marital or family status, military or veteran status, socioeconomic background, or any other status protected by applicable law.

We provide reasonable accommodations and adjustments throughout the hiring process. If you need one, please let us know. Any personal data you share with us is handled confidentially and in line with applicable data protection law.