Program Manager – Emerging Technology

Vertiv; Westerville (OH); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Vertiv in Westerville, Ohio is seeking a Program Manager – Emerging Technology to coordinate 2-3 large research programs across multiple business units and external partners. The role focuses on removing friction so scientists can advance research while maintaining budgets and timelines.

You will lead cross-functional teams, manage external labs and vendors, and track progress with dashboards, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities and risk mitigation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor degree in Engineering, Technology Management or related field.
• MBA or advanced technical degree preferred.
• 5-7 years of program or project management experience in relevant industries.
• Experience leading cross-functional technology development or product commercialization programs.
• Strong executive communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Knowledge of DFSS, FMEA, TRP frameworks preferred.
• PMP certification preferred.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end delivery of 2-3 large research programs with milestones and dependencies.
• Facilitate planning with researchers, engineers, data engineers and external partners.
• Coordinate with labs, vendors, and contract researchers; manage SOWs and timelines.
• Monitor spend, resources, and forecast variances across teams.
• Maintain dashboards and provide leadership visibility on health and milestones.
• Coordinate across Business Units to align roadmaps and unblock resources.

Skills

Program management

Cross-functional leadership

Stakeholder management

Risk management

Budget forecasting

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

MBA

Tools

Microsoft Project

Smartsheet

Power BI

Microsoft 365

Job description

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Program Manager – Emerging Technology coordinates and manages complex, multi-disciplinary research programs that span multiple business units, research domains, and external partnerships. The role’s primary purpose is to remove organizational and logistical friction so domain scientists can focus on research, and ensure dependencies, budgets, and timelines across teams stay visible and aligned.

Job Summary

This position will be based onsite at our Westerville, OH location.

Responsibilities

• Program Coordination: Own end-to-end delivery of 2-3 large research programs; establish timelines, milestones, and cross-team dependencies; expedite blockers to leadership.
• Stakeholder Alignment: Facilitate planning meetings across Research Scientists, Research Engineers, Data Engineers, and external partners (universities, vendors, contract labs); ensure alignment on objectives and resource needs.
• External Resource Management: Coordinate with external labs, academic partners, vendors, and contract researchers; manage SOWs, timelines, deliverables, and communication.
• Budget & Resource Tracking: Monitor program spend, resource allocation across internal and external teams, and forecast variances.
• Status & Reporting: Maintain program dashboards; provide leadership with visibility on health, risks, and upcoming milestones.
• Cross-BU Coordination: Work with product/commercial teams to ensure research roadmaps align with business priorities; unblock resource conflicts between business units.
• Risk Management: Identify dependencies, critical path risks, and resource constraints early; develop mitigation plans.

Preferred Areas Of Technological Focus

• Thermal Management and Advanced Cooling Systems
• Data Center Infrastructure and Architecture
• Power Systems and Power Conversion
• Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Solutions
• High-Performance Computing (HPC) Environments
• Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Processes

Requirements

• Bachelor Degree in Engineering, Technology Management, or related technical discipline.
• MBA or advanced technical degree preferred.
• 5-7 years of program or project management experience in technology, critical infrastructure, data center, power systems, energy storage, thermal management, or related industries.
• Experience leading complex cross-functional technology development or product commercialization programs.
• Strong understanding of data center infrastructure technologies including power, thermal, digital management, or energy systems.
• Experience with NPDI methodologies.
• Strong executive communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Knowledge of DFSS, FMEA, requirements traceability, and technology readiness frameworks preferred.
• PMP certification preferred.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365, Microsoft Project, Smartsheet, and Power BI.

Preferred

• Background in engineering, science, or technical field (degree or 5+ years hands-on experience).
• Experience managing research programs or innovation initiatives.
• Familiarity with academic partnerships or contract research organizations.
• Background in data center, thermal management, power systems, or related industries.

About Us

The successful candidate will embrace Vertiv’s Core Principles & Behaviors to help execute our Strategic Priorities.

OUR CORE PRINCIPLES: Safety. Integrity. Respect. Teamwork. Inclusion.

OUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

• High-Performance Culture
• Customer Focus
• Operational Excellence
• Innovation
• Financial Strength

VERTIV BEHAVIORS

• Own it
• Act with urgency
• Foster a customer-first mindset
• Think big and execute
• Lead by example
• Drive continuous improvement
• Learn and seek out development
• Promote transparent & open communication

About Vertiv

Vertiv (NYSE: VRT) brings together hardware, software, analytics and ongoing services to enable its customers’ vital applications to run continuously, perform optimally and grow with their business needs. Vertiv solves the most important challenges facing today’s data centers, communication networks, and commercial and industrial facilities with a portfolio of power, cooling and IT infrastructure solutions and services that extend from the cloud to the edge of the network. Headquartered in Westerville, Ohio, USA, Vertiv employs around 34,000 people and does business in more than 130 countries. Visit Vertiv.com to learn more.

Work Authorization

Vertiv will only employ those who are legally authorized to work in the United States. This is not a position for which sponsorship will be provided. Individuals with temporary visas such as E, F-1, H-1, H-2, L, B, J, or TN or who need sponsorship for work authorization now or in the future, are not eligible for hire.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Vertiv is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. We promote equal opportunities for all with respect to hiring, terms of employment, mobility, training, compensation, and occupational health, without discrimination as to age, race, color, religion, creed, sex, pregnancy status (including childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity / expression (including transgender status or sexual stereotypes), genetic information, citizenship status, national origin, protected veteran status, political affiliation, or disability. If you have a disability and are having difficulty accessing or using this website to apply for a position, you can request help by sending an email to [e-mail].