Technical Program Manager

Horizontal Talent; Foster City (CA); On-site; USD 77,000 - 124,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Retirement plan

Job summary

Horizontal is hiring a Technical Program Manager to oversee firmware programs for next-generation robotaxi systems in Foster City. The role requires coordinating hardware, software, manufacturing, and cross-functional teams from early development through release and sustaining support.

The candidate will manage firmware release plans, align schedules with hardware builds, and drive risk mitigation while communicating status and decisions to leadership.

Qualifications

• 6+ years in firmware or embedded software program management.
• Experience guiding embedded products from requirements through bring-up, validation, and production release.
• BS in Electrical/Computer Engineering, CS, or related field (or equivalent).

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end firmware program management across hardware, software, and manufacturing.
• Develop and execute firmware release plans through milestones.
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams to align schedules with vehicle program timelines.
• Prepare program status updates highlighting risks and mitigation.

Skills

Firmware program management

Embedded software

Cross-functional leadership

Release management

Communication

Ownership & problem-solving

Education

BS in Electrical/Computer Engineering or CS

MS in related field (preferred)

Tools

JIRA

Confluence

Git workflows

CI systems

Gantt charts

Job description

Join a fast-moving autonomous vehicle engineering environment as a Technical Program Manager focused on firmware programs that support next-generation robotaxi systems. This on-site role in Foster City offers the opportunity to guide complex firmware efforts across hardware, software, manufacturing, and cross-functional teams from early development through release and sustaining support.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end program management for firmware efforts spanning sensor and perception hardware, compute platform boot and board support, and infotainment electronic control units.
• Build, maintain, and execute firmware release plans across feature freeze, code complete, integration, validation, and sign-off milestones.
• Align firmware schedules with hardware build events and overall vehicle program timelines to keep development moving smoothly.
• Partner closely with hardware, firmware, validation, manufacturing, procurement, safety, and vehicle development teams to coordinate deliverables and dependencies.
• Drive readiness for hardware bring-up by ensuring bootloaders, drivers, diagnostics, and test firmware are prepared before boards arrive.
• Oversee firmware-related manufacturing activities, including factory flashing, provisioning, secure key handling, end-of-line test firmware, and version control at contract manufacturers.
• Create and share clear program status updates, including progress, risks, issue tracking, defect trends, and accomplishments.
• Identify risks early, communicate them clearly, and help drive mitigation actions to completion with the right teams and partners.
• Support key meetings by preparing agendas, removing blockers, and helping teams reach timely decisions.
• Collaborate across engineering, finance, and strategy to support sound program decisions.

Skills

• 6+ years of technical or engineering program management experience supporting firmware or embedded software programs.
• Proven experience guiding embedded products from requirements through bring-up, validation, and production release.
• Hands-on experience managing firmware through manufacturing, including flashing, provisioning, end-of-line testing, and version control at a contract manufacturer.
• Strong background in release management and defect triage for embedded software.
• Ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams across hardware, software, firmware, functional safety, and systems engineering.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to present program status and risks clearly to technical and leadership audiences.
• Comfort using program management tools such as JIRA, Confluence, Gantt charts, Git-based workflows, and CI systems.
• Ability to adapt quickly in a fast-paced, high-change environment while staying organized and calm.
• Self-driven problem-solving mindset with a strong sense of ownership and follow-through.
• BS degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field, or equivalent experience.

Preferred Skills

• Experience in automotive or consumer electronics environments at the system or subsystem level.
• Working knowledge of embedded firmware topics such as SoC and MCU bring-up, bootloaders, secure boot, Linux BSPs, device drivers, and diagnostics.
• Familiarity with sensor interfaces and related technologies such as MIPI/CSI, SerDes, Ethernet, SPI, I2C, and time synchronization.
• Experience supporting field or OTA updates and firmware change control.
• Experience holding silicon, sensor, or module vendors accountable for delivery schedules and dependencies.
• Background supporting multiple full program development cycles with tight hardware, firmware, and software integration.
• PMP certification or equivalent.
• Experience with autonomous vehicles, test platforms, or automotive/aerospace development processes.
• Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Computer Science.
• Experience supporting production and post-production sustaining programs, including firmware updates and change management.

Horizontal is committed to fostering a workplace where diverse perspectives are valued, inclusion is prioritized, and everyone has the opportunity to contribute and succeed. We encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply and bring their unique experiences to the team.

Applications will be accepted for 4 weeks. For those that join the team, we offer competitive compensation and benefits including medical, dental, vision, and retirement. The pay range for this role is $56 - $90 per hour based on qualifications and experience.