Staff Technical Program Manager: AI Robotics & Perception

Booster; 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 site, acting as the first TPM on the ground. This role requires high autonomy and visibility at the intersection of AI/ML infrastructure, robot perception, and strategic partnerships.

You will drive program execution across ML operations, perception, and partnerships for humanoid robotics. You will stand up the program structure for a new site, shape how Apptronik collaborates with external AI teams, and align

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a technical discipline is required.
• 10+ years of technical program management or engineering management experience.
• Robotics, autonomous systems, or embodied AI experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead as the first TPM in the Sunnyvale site, establishing PM structure, cadences and operating rhythms.
• Own end-to-end ML infrastructure and perception program execution for robotics.
• Coordinate with AI partners, translate needs into internal plans, track milestones and deliverables.
• Manage cross-functional execution across ML/AI, software, firmware, and hardware teams.
• Mentor and scale other TPMs as the team grows in Sunnyvale.
• Set strategic direction and ensure alignment with executive stakeholders.

Skills

MLOps Leadership

Perception Systems

Partner Management

Hands-On Collaboration

Ambiguity Tolerance

System-Level Product Development

Cross-Disciplinary Integration

New Technology Introduction

Program Execution

Resource Prioritization

Strategic Thinking

Education

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

Master's degree in Engineering or Computer Science (Preferred)

Job description

Apptronik is seeking a seasoned Staff Technical Program Manager to lead the Sunnyvale site, acting as the first TPM on the ground. This role requires high autonomy and visibility at the intersection of AI/ML infrastructure, robot perception, and strategic partnerships.

You will drive program execution across ML operations, perception, and partnerships for humanoid robotics. You will stand up the program structure for a new site, shape how Apptronik collaborates with external AI teams, and align