Principal Engineering Program Lead - Vehicle Launch

KARMA AUTOMOTIVE, LLC; Irvine (CA); Hybrid; USD 190,000 - 225,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Plan

401(k) with Employer Match

Relocation Assistance

Hybrid Work Schedule

Life & AD&D Insurance

Job summary

Karma Automotive, Inc. is seeking a Principal Engineering Program Manager to lead complex vehicle engineering programs from concept through production.

You will own the integrated program plan, phase-gate readiness, dependencies, and delivery of scope, timing, cost, quality, tooling, and launch objectives. The role influences Engineering, Purchasing, Manufacturing, Quality, Finance, Supply Chain, and Vehicle Program Management; drives governance routines, risk mitigation plans, and

Qualifications

• BS in Mechanical, Electrical, Software, Systems Engineering, or related technical discipline; advanced degree and/or PMI/PMP certification preferred.
• 10–15 years of experience in automotive engineering, vehicle development, technical program management, or engineering project management, preferably within an OEM or Tier 1 environment.
• Demonstrated success leading complex vehicle or systems programs from concept through production launch, including phase-gate governance, launch readiness, technical issue resolution, and cross-functional execution.
• Expert-level project management capability, including integrated master scheduling, critical-path management, dependency tracking, risk management, resource planning, KPI reporting, and executive stakeholder communication.

Responsibilities

• Own the integrated engineering program portfolio and associated program plans from concept through PV, launch readiness, and SOP, including milestones, dependencies, critical paths, deliverables, and phase-gate exit criteria across multiple concurrent initiatives.
• Lead cross-functional execution across Engineering, Purchasing, Manufacturing, Quality, Finance, Supply Chain, and Vehicle Program Management to align portfolio priorities, resources, investments, scope, timing, cost, quality, tooling, and build objectives.
• Establish, lead, and continuously improve the Engineering Program Management function and governance framework, including phase-gate criteria, milestone readiness reviews, executive operating cadence, issue escalation forums, program management standards, decision documentation, and portfolio-level operating routines.
• Drive disciplined program management using MS Project, Jira, SharePoint, and related tools to maintain schedules, action registers, risk logs, dependency maps, resource plans, and executive dashboards across the engineering portfolio.
• Lead risk and issue management across technical, schedule, cost, supplier, resource, and launch-readiness domains, balancing risks and dependencies across programs, defining mitigation plans, assigning owners, and driving closure.
• Develop and standardize engineering gateway templates, readiness checklists, KPI scorecards, target-tracking methods, and operating rhythms that improve organization-wide program predictability and execution maturity, while coaching, mentoring, and developing project and program managers on consistent program management practices.
• Build organizational capability by establishing consistent program management practices, developing talent, and identifying opportunities to improve team structure, capacity, accountability, and effectiveness as the engineering portfolio grows.
• Lead vehicle and engineering target-setting governance, ensuring targets are defined, cascaded, approved, tracked, and verified across applicable programs through each gateway and delivered on time to SOP.
• Coordinate parts readiness, tooling kickoffs, material availability, build planning, and vehicle-volume/part-strategy decisions, and lead cross-program and supplier escalations to prevent shortages and protect timing.
• Serve as a strategic advisor to executive leadership by framing portfolio and program trade-offs, preparing recommendations, communicating program health, and escalating risks before they impact milestones or broader business outcomes.
• Provide leadership, coaching, and mentorship to program and project management professionals, with the potential to assume direct people-management responsibility as the Engineering Program Management organization expands.
• Establish clear expectations, performance standards, and accountability mechanisms for program management resources and support the development of high-performing teams.
• Perform other duties, as assigned.

Skills

Program management

Cross-functional leadership

Strategic planning

Risk management

Executive communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Tools

MS Project

Jira

SharePoint

Job description

Karma Automotive, Inc. is seeking a Principal Engineering Program Manager to lead complex vehicle engineering programs from concept through production.

You will own the integrated program plan, phase-gate readiness, dependencies, and delivery of scope, timing, cost, quality, tooling, and launch objectives. The role influences Engineering, Purchasing, Manufacturing, Quality, Finance, Supply Chain, and Vehicle Program Management; drives governance routines, risk mitigation plans, and