Technical Program Manager: Hardware & Sensor Systems

Aquent; Foster City (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Vision benefits

Dental benefits

Paid sick leave

Retirement plan with match

Online training

Job summary

Aquent Talent is partnering with a pioneering autonomous-technology company in Foster City, CA, to hire a hardware-focused program leader. This role shapes the future of transportation by delivering robust sensor-cleaning hardware and leading cross-functional hardware programs.

You will own development schedules, manage technical risks, and coordinate with mechanical, electrical, firmware, safety, validation, product and operations teams, while guiding external suppliers to meet milestones from

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in an engineering discipline with hands-on hardware experience.
• 8+ years of total professional experience.
• 5+ years leading technical programs involving physical hardware.
• 3+ years hands-on hardware development experience.
• Experience with external suppliers of hardware components.
• Willingness to travel internationally.

Responsibilities

• Translate milestones into hardware development roadmaps.
• Maintain integrated program plan from development to delivery.
• Coordinate with mechanical, electrical, firmware, systems, safety, validation, product, and operations teams.
• Lead with international suppliers on sensor-cleaning hardware.
• Track supplier adherence to requirements and milestones.
• Drive cross-functional alignment on design maturity and validation.
• Identify risks and implement mitigation plans.
• Lead core team meetings and maintain documentation.
• Manage financial plans, forecasts, and budgets.
• Develop recommendations for complex technical decisions.
• Support issue tracking and KPI-driven improvements.

Skills

Program management

Cross-functional leadership

Hardware development

Supplier management

Risk management

Stakeholder management

Executive communication

Multi-project management

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Mechanical, Electrical, Mechatronics, Systems or related

Tools

Polarion

Jira

Smartsheet

Lucidchart

Google Workspace

Microsoft Office

Job description

Join a pioneering autonomous-technology company at the forefront of innovation, where your expertise will directly contribute to shaping the future of transportation. We are seeking a visionary leader to drive the development of critical hardware systems, ensuring the reliability and performance of advanced autonomous vehicles. This is an unparalleled opportunity to make a tangible impact on cutting-edge technology that will revolutionize how the world moves.

As a key contributor, you will be instrumental in bringing groundbreaking hardware solutions to life, specifically focusing on advanced sensor-cleaning systems. This is a hands‑on, hardware‑centric engineering program role where your deep technical background will be leveraged to navigate complex challenges, manage cross‑functional teams, and collaborate with international suppliers. Your leadership will be vital in transforming engineering concepts into robust, validated products, directly influencing the safety and efficiency of next‑generation autonomous technology.

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, KPI's, 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.

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