Senior Hardware NPI Program Lead for AI Infra

asteralabs; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Astera Labs is seeking a Principal Engineering, Hardware NPI Program Manager to lead complex hardware programs from design release through productization, validation, readiness, and launch. You will drive integrated plans across product, hardware, systems, manufacturing, operations, supply chain, quality, finance, and customer-facing teams.

You will own schedules, dependencies, risks, decisions, and outcomes, ensuring customer-ready hardware and scalable connectivity platforms for AI

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, CS, operations or related field; equivalent experience.
• 8-12 years in hardware NPI or technical program management.
• Experience guiding hardware products through development, validation, manufacturing, or launch.
• Working knowledge of hardware development, PCB/PCBA manufacturing, BOMs, engineering changes, supplier coordination, and manufacturing release.
• Demonstrated ability to manage integrated schedules, milestones, risks, action items, budgets, and cross-functional dependencies.
• Strong written and verbal communication; ability to influence teams without direct authority in a fast-paced environment.
• Willingness and ability to travel internationally as needed.

Responsibilities

• Define PCBA program schedules, build quantities, milestones, budgets, dependencies, and readiness criteria from concept through launch.
• Lead prototype and new-product builds through PCB and PCBA fabrication, assembly, bring-up, validation, shipment readiness, and launch.
• Establish readiness reviews, decision forums, dashboards, and escalation paths that keep teams aligned.
• Develop recovery recommendations when materials shortages, engineering changes, supplier constraints, or other risks threaten delivery.
• Align product, hardware, systems, validation, manufacturing, quality, supply chain, finance, operations, and customer-facing teams around shared outcomes.
• Identify blockers early, assign accountable owners, drive decisions to closure, and elevate issues with clear recommendations.
• Communicate concise, decision-oriented updates to technical teams, senior leaders, executives, customers, contract manufacturers, and external partners.
• Improve program-management processes, documentation, repositories, reporting, and performance metrics so execution becomes more predictable.
• Coach team members on readiness, documentation, supplier communication, decision-making, and escalation practices.

Skills

Cross-functional leadership

Program management

Communication

Travel internationally

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Tools

PCB/PCBA manufacturing

Bill of Materials management

Job description

Astera Labs is seeking a Principal Engineering, Hardware NPI Program Manager to lead complex hardware programs from design release through productization, validation, readiness, and launch. You will drive integrated plans across product, hardware, systems, manufacturing, operations, supply chain, quality, finance, and customer-facing teams.

You will own schedules, dependencies, risks, decisions, and outcomes, ensuring customer-ready hardware and scalable connectivity platforms for AI