Staff Engineer, Technical Program/ Project Manager

Celestica; Maple Grove (MN); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Celestica in Minnesota is seeking a Project/Program Manager to lead design and technical engineers on multi‑stream projects, directing planning, execution, and evaluation of complex designs across health tech, aerospace, and defense domains.

You will drive schedules, budgets, risks, and governance, present status to leaders and customers, collaborate across geographies, and deliver programs that meet cost, quality, and delivery objectives while maintaining documentation.

Qualifications

• 5+ years leading product development or manufacturing projects.
• Experience in a technical or highly regulated industry preferred.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Engineering; PMP certification is an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Plan and direct design engineers and technical staff on projects.
• Manage program scope, schedules, budgets, and resources.
• Lead cross-functional global teams and coordinate with customers.
• Present status to leaders and customers.
• Identify risks and implement mitigations.
• Maintain program documentation (Program Initiation document).

Skills

Project management

Stakeholder communication

Risk management

Cross-functional leadership

Change management

Negotiation

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Engineering

PMP certification

Job description

The Project/Program Manager is accountable for planning and directing design engineers and other technical engineers working on specific projects. They manage the development, implementation, and evaluation of complex designs, leading large projects with complex scope, multiple streams of work, and inter‑dependencies.

Responsibilities

• Manage two or more projects of medium to high complexity in Health Tech, Aerospace & Defense and other technology domains, leading cross‑functional global core teams, kicking off programs, establishing schedules, and driving meetings.
• Present and communicate status to business leaders and customers, reviewing and interpreting customer documentation.
• Implement change as directed in the product lifecycle process and recommend process improvements.
• Plan the overall program and monitor progress, driving the creation, review, approval, and update of the Program Plan/WBS including resources.
• Manage daily program activities throughout the program life, serving as the go‑to person for all organizational and timeline matters.
• Drive the core team to meet or exceed program objectives (Cost, Quality, Schedule, Features, Fulfillment/Continuity of Supply, Solution delivery across products & service offerings, Customer Specific Needs).
• Define program governance controls.
• Manage the program’s budget, forecasting actuals against plan/quote for income/revenue, cost/labor, and expense.
• Manage risks and issues, taking corrective measures.
• Provide leadership and technical recommendations to advance projects, including escalation and reporting to management.
• Coordinate projects and interdependencies, managing and utilizing resources across projects.
• Engage, collaborate, and coordinate with customers and internal teams across different geographies.
• Align deliverables with program outcomes, assisted by the business change manager.
• Maintain main program documentation, such as the Program Initiation document.

Knowledge / Skills / Competencies

• Experience with project management tools, software, and methodologies (project plan creation, role distribution, communication, risk management, change management, negotiation, business case generation).
• Specific knowledge in Health Tech, Aerospace & Defense (preferred).
• Strong interpersonal skills, leadership, and communication.
• Effective written and verbal communication at all organizational levels, with the ability to rapidly establish a broad network.
• Positive, can‑do attitude and collaborative nature.

Physical Demands

• Normal office environment.
• Extended periods of sitting and sustained visual concentration on a computer monitor or detailed data.
• Repetitive manual movements (e.g., data entry, mouse use, calculator).
• Occasional travel up to 25%.

Typical Experience

• Minimum of 5 years leading product development or manufacturing projects.
• Experience in a technical or highly regulated industry (e.g., Aerospace & Defense, HealthTech, Manufacturing) preferred.

Typical Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Engineering. PMP certification is an advantage.

E‑E‑O Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. Celestica’s policy on equal employment opportunity prohibits discrimination based on protected characteristics and protects against retaliation. All information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.