Technical Program Manager

RISE Robotics; Somerville (MA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A technology company in Somerville, MA, is seeking an Engineering Program Manager to support the execution of software-enabled hardware programs. This role involves planning and coordinating engineering efforts across various disciplines to meet commercial and government customer needs. The ideal candidate will have over 3 years of experience in an execution-focused role within the hardware industry and be skilled in risk management and clear communication. Your contributions will ensure that engineering commitments are realistic and effectively communicated across teams.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience as Engineering Program Manager or similar role.
• Experience in hardware industry focusing on electrical and software engineering.
• Prior experience at a B2B startup.

Responsibilities

• Support execution of engineering programs for commercial and government customers.
• Translate customer requirements into structured engineering program plans.
• Ensure commitments are realistic, visible, and upheld.

Skills

Engineering execution

Cross-functional collaboration

Risk management

Clear communication

Education

Bachelor's Degree in STEM fields

Tools

Jira

Job description

Engineering Program Manager / Technical Program Manager

RISE Robotics is hiring an Engineering Program Manager to support disciplined execution of software-enabled hardware programs within a cross-functional team. This role focuses on planning, coordination, and delivery across mechanical, electrical, and software engineering, in close partnership with product, operations, and leadership.

This is not a people-management role and not a manufacturing program role. It is an execution and coordination role focused on translating customer and business requirements into clear engineering plans, and ensuring commitments are reasonable, visible, and upheld across the organization.

You will work as part of a broader team, supporting delivery by creating clarity around priorities, dependencies, and risks so teams can execute effectively.

This role will be on-site in Somerville, MA 4-days per week.

What you’ll do

• Support execution of engineering programs for commercial and government customers, from requirements definition through validation and delivery
• Translate customer and business requirements into structured engineering program plans with clear scope, milestones, dependencies, and ownership
• Coordinate work across internal engineering teams and external contract resources to meet program objectives
• Track progress against engineering commitments and surface risks, tradeoffs, and constraints early
• Ensure commitments are realistic, clearly understood, and upheld as conditions evolve
• Provide clear visibility into program status, risks, and tradeoffs to support organizational prioritization and decision-making
• Support validation and test activities to ensure test plans, execution, and results demonstrate compliance with design and customer requirements
• Partner with operations to align engineering execution with hardware delivery
• Maintain accurate, up-to-date program artifacts and records in Jira and related tools
• Identify recurring execution issues and work with stakeholders to improve planning and coordination practices

What success looks like

• Customer requirements are translated into executable engineering plans with clear ownership and sequencing
• Engineering commitments are realistic, clearly communicated, and consistently met
• Commitments are verified through appropriate test and validation demonstrating compliance with design requirements
• Changes to plans or priorities are surfaced early with clear context and options
• Leadership has the visibility needed to make prioritization and resourcing decisions
• Engineering time is spent executing, not resolving coordination gaps or ambiguity
• Program data is accurate, current, and trusted across the organization

• 3+ years of experience as an Engineering Program Manager, Technical Program Manager, or similar execution-focused role.

• Hardware industry experience with a focus in electrical and software engineering
• Prior experience at a B2B startup
• Bachelors Degree within science, technology, engineering and/or math fields; Electrical and computer engineering are preferred.
• Experience using Jira or equivalent tools to manage programs, dependencies, and execution tracking
• Demonstrated experience managing programs that involve both internal teams and external contract resources.
• Hands-on familiarity with engineering validation and test processes, including requirements traceability, test planning, execution, and interpretation of results.
• Support government, defense, or regulated customer programs.
• Ability to translate customer requirements into clear, executable engineering plans
• Clear written/verbal communication skills with technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Demonstrated reliability in preparation, follow-through, and stakeholder communication
• Comfort operating in an environment where priorities may shift, while accountability remains high