Senior Program Manager - Release Management

Cyngn; Mountain View (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Life and disability insurance

Company 401(k)

Commuter Benefits

Flexible vacation policy

Remote or hybrid work opportunities

Sabbatical leave

Paid Parental Leave

Daily lunches

Monthly meal and tech allowances

Job summary

Cyngn in Mountain View, CA is seeking a Senior Program Manager to own the release management lifecycle for autonomous vehicle software and hardware systems. The role includes defining release schedules, driving program-level planning, and ensuring effective cross-functional collaboration.

The ideal candidate will have 6+ years of experience in project management within a technical environment and a Bachelor's degree in a relevant field. Competitive salary and great benefits are offered.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of program or project management experience in a technical environment.
• Proven ability to manage complex, multi-team programs.
• Experience with autonomous systems or robotics preferred.

Responsibilities

• Own the release management lifecycle from planning to deployment.
• Define release schedules considering dependencies and commitments.
• Drive program planning, tracking, and risk management.

Skills

Program or project management

Jira administration

Agile methodologies

Communication and facilitation skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Electrical or Mechanical Engineering

Advanced degree (advantage)

Job description

About Cyngn

Based in Mountain View, CA, Cyngn is a publicly‑traded autonomous technology company that deploys autonomous industrial vehicles—specifically autonomous tuggers—to factories, warehouses, and other facilities throughout North America.

Why Join Cyngn

• With under 100 employees, we operate like a startup while benefiting from the liquidity of a publicly traded company.
• Our autonomous vehicles are deployed to real clients today, so your work has tangible, visible impact.
• We emphasize collaboration and trust, fostering an inclusive environment where every perspective matters.

About This Role

Senior Program Manager to own the end‑to‑end release management process for our autonomous vehicle software and hardware systems, driving cross‑functional program execution at scale.

Responsibilities

• Own the release management lifecycle from planning through deployment, including release readiness criteria, go/no‑go decisions, and post‑release retrospectives.
• Define and maintain release schedules that account for hardware/software dependencies, customer commitments, and regulatory requirements.
• Serve as the central coordination point for all release‑related activities across engineering, QA, product, and field operations.
• Drive program‑level planning, tracking, and risk management across multiple concurrent initiatives.
• Develop and maintain release governance processes, including branching strategies, freeze windows, and rollback procedures in collaboration with engineering leads.
• Identify systemic risks and blockers across programs and drive resolution with appropriate urgency and escalation.
• Build and report on program and release KPIs, surfacing insights that inform leadership decisions on scope, schedule, and resource trade‑offs.
• Partner with product and engineering leadership to translate roadmap priorities into executable delivery plans.
• Lead cross‑functional release readiness reviews, integration testing coordination, and customer rollout sequencing.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of program or project management experience within a technical environment, with direct ownership of release management processes.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Electrical or Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline; advanced degree a plus.
• Proven ability to manage complex, multi‑team programs involving both software and hardware components.
• Deep experience with Jira administration, including workflow configuration, reporting, and cross‑project coordination.
• Strong command of Agile methodologies and SDLC practices, including experience adapting them to hardware‑coupled development cycles.
• Excellent communication and facilitation skills; able to drive alignment across engineering, product, and executive stakeholders.
• Experience with autonomous systems, robotics, or other safety‑critical industries strongly preferred.
• Track record of bringing order to complex, fast‑moving programs without slowing teams down.

Benefits & Perks

• Health benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision, HSA and FSA, Employee Assistance Program, 1:1 Health Concierge)
• Life, Short‑term and long‑term disability insurance (Cyngn funds 100% of premiums)
• Company 401(k)
• Commuter Benefits
• Flexible vacation policy
• Remote or hybrid work opportunities
• Sabbatical leave opportunity after 5 years with the company
• Paid Parental Leave
• Daily lunches for in‑office employees and fully‑stocked kitchen with snacks and beverages
• Monthly meal and tech allowances for remote employees

$140,000 - $175,000 a year

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.