Technical Program Manager: Hardware & Sensor Systems

Skill; Foster City (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Aquent Talent seeks a Senior Hardware Technical Program Manager to lead cross-functional hardware programs for sensor-cleaning systems. You will drive development schedules, manage risks, and coordinate engineering, validation, and supplier activities to meet milestones.

Ideal candidates have extensive hardware PM experience, experience with external suppliers, and a track record of delivering complex hardware products in fast-moving environments. International travel may be required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or master's in mechanical/electrical/mechatronics or related engineering field.
• 8+ years total experience.
• 5+ years leading hardware programs.
• 3+ years hands-on hardware development with PM responsibilities.
• Ownership of complex hardware programs from development to delivery.
• Experience managing external suppliers for hardware components.

Responsibilities

• Translate milestones into hardware development roadmaps and schedules.
• Own integrated program plan from development through delivery.
• Coordinate with mechanical, electrical, firmware, systems, safety, validation, product, and operations teams.
• Serve as primary contact for international suppliers of sensor-cleaning hardware.
• Track supplier adherence to requirements, prototypes, milestones, validation plans, and delivery schedules.
• Drive cross-functional alignment on design maturity, requirements, testing, validation and launch readiness.
• Identify technical risks early; create mitigation plans and assign owners.
• Lead core team meetings; document decisions and actions.
• Maintain program documentation and concise status updates on milestones and dependencies.
• Develop budgets and financial forecasts with program leadership.
• Support quarterly planning, KPI tracking, and continuous improvement in hardware organization.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Executive communication

Cross-functional leadership

Technical program management

Risk & schedule management

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Mechanical/Electrical/Mechatronics/Systems Engineering or related field

Tools

Polarion

Jira

Smartsheet

Lucidchart

Google Workspace

Microsoft Office

Job description

Technical Program Manager: Hardware & Sensor Systems

Aquent is partnering with a pioneering autonomous-technology company seeking a Senior Hardware Technical Program Manager to support the development and delivery of vehicle sensor-cleaning systems.

This is a hardware-focused engineering program role, not a software, IT, data-operations, or general business program management position. The ideal candidate began their career in mechanical, electrical, electromechanical, or hardware product engineering and later transitioned into technical program management.

You will lead complex, cross-functional hardware programs involving engineering, firmware, systems, safety, validation, product, operations, and external suppliers. You will be responsible for driving hardware development schedules, managing technical dependencies and risks, and ensuring sensor-cleaning components meet engineering and validation milestones.

Responsibilities

• Translate corporate and engineering milestones into detailed hardware-development roadmaps, schedules, dependencies, and deliverables.
• Own and maintain the integrated program plan from early development through validation and delivery.
• Coordinate closely with mechanical, electrical, firmware, systems, safety, validation, product, and operations teams.
• Serve as the primary program contact for international suppliers developing sensor-cleaning and electromechanical hardware components.
• Track supplier adherence to technical requirements, prototype builds, development milestones, validation plans, and delivery schedules.
• Drive cross-functional alignment around design maturity, requirements, testing, validation, risks, and launch readiness.
• Identify technical and program risks early, establish mitigation plans, assign owners, and drive issues through resolution.
• Lead core team meetings, establish agendas, document decisions, and ensure action items are completed.
• Maintain program documentation and deliver concise updates covering status, milestones, dependencies, risks, decisions, and accomplishments.
• Partner with program leadership to maintain financial plans, forecasts, and program budgets.
• Develop recommendations for complex technical and program decisions by gathering input from engineering teams and suppliers.
• Support issue tracking, quarterly planning, ticket hygiene, KPIs, and continuous improvement across the broader hardware engineering organization.

Must-Have Qualifications

• Bachelor's or master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, Systems Engineering, or a closely related engineering discipline-or equivalent hands-on hardware engineering experience.
• At least 8 years of total professional experience.
• At least 5 years leading technical or engineering programs involving physical hardware products.
• At least 3 years of hands-on engineering experience in hardware product development before or alongside program management responsibilities.
• Demonstrated ownership of complex, cross-functional hardware programs from development through testing, validation, and delivery.
• Experience managing external suppliers responsible for engineered hardware components.
• Experience coordinating technical requirements, prototypes, design changes, validation activities, development schedules, and supplier deliverables.
• Ability and willingness to travel internationally as required.
• Strong understanding of hardware-development lifecycles, engineering dependencies, technical risk management, and design validation.
• Ability to influence engineering teams and suppliers without direct authority.
• Excellent program planning, documentation, executive communication, and stakeholder-management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple technical workstreams in a fast-moving and ambiguous engineering environment.

Nice-to-Have Qualifications

• Experience in autonomous vehicles, automotive, aerospace, robotics, industrial equipment, or another safety-critical hardware environment.
• Experience developing sensor systems, sensor-cleaning systems, fluid-delivery systems, or electromechanical assemblies.
• Hardware experience involving electronics, pumps, valves, tubing, nozzles, pneumatics, hydraulics, or fluid systems.
• Experience with hardware design reviews, requirements management, verification and validation, prototype builds, and production readiness.
• Experience using Polarion, Jira, Smartsheet, Lucidchart, Google Workspace, or Microsoft Office.
• PMP certification or equivalent program-management certification.

About Aquent Talent

Aquent Talent connects the best talent in marketing, creative, and design with the world's biggest brands. Our eligible talent get access to amazing benefits like subsidized health, vision, and dental plans, paid sick leave, and retirement plans with a match. We also offer free online training through Aquent Gymnasium. More information on our awesome benefits! Aquent is an equal-opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics. We're about creating an inclusive environment-one where different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives are valued, and everyone can contribute, grow their careers, and thrive.