Senior TPM for AI/ML & Robotics Programs

Apptronik; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 250,000 - 285,000; Full time

Job summary

Apptronik is seeking a seasoned Staff Technical Program Manager to lead the Sunnyvale, CA site. This high-visibility role spans ML infrastructure, perception for humanoid robotics, and collaboration with a strategic AI partner.

You will stand up the site program, drive ML/perception execution, and shape how Apptronik engages with external AI teams, while scaling the program management function as the Sunnyvale team grows.

Qualifications

• Experience leading ML/AI cross-functional programs spanning data pipelines, training, evaluation, and deployment.
• Experience coordinating perception systems (vision, sensors, state estimation, scene understanding).
• Proven ability to interface with external technical partners and manage joint roadmaps.
• Comfort collaborating with engineering and research teams on architectural decisions.
• Ability to operate in ambiguous, fast-paced, resource-constrained environments.
• Track record of delivering programmatic outcomes aligned to company roadmap.

Responsibilities

• New Site Program Leadership: establish PM structure and cadence for Sunnyvale site.
• Own end-to-end ML infrastructure and perception program execution.
• Lead cross-functional perception program integration into robot stack.
• Serve as primary interface to strategic AI partner with proactive communication.
• Define strategic direction, allocate resources, and drive execution.
• Coordinate with engineering, research, operations, and executives to align stakeholders.

Skills

MLOps Leadership

Perception Systems

Partner Management

Hands-On Collaboration

Ambiguity Tolerance

System-Level Development

Cross-Disciplinary Integration

New Technology Introduction

Program Execution

Resource-Constrained Leadership

Strategic Thinking

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Computer, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, or Applied Physics

10+ years of TPM/Engineering Management

Preferred: Robotics/ Autonomous systems experience

Preferred: Master's in Engineering or CS

Tools

Edge AI inference

ML infrastructure tooling

Job description

Apptronik is seeking a seasoned Staff Technical Program Manager to lead the Sunnyvale, CA site. This high-visibility role spans ML infrastructure, perception for humanoid robotics, and collaboration with a strategic AI partner.

You will stand up the site program, drive ML/perception execution, and shape how Apptronik engages with external AI teams, while scaling the program management function as the Sunnyvale team grows.