Technical Program Manager, Thermal Systems

Alten USA; Foster City (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

ALTEN Technology USA is seeking a Technical Program Manager to lead end-to-end vehicle programs for autonomous robotics, based in Foster City, CA. You will coordinate hardware, software, and validation workstreams and ensure on-time milestones.

The role requires 5+ years in TPM for automotive/robotics, a engineering degree, and expert JIRA setup. We offer mentorship, career growth, and comprehensive benefits.

Qualifications

• 5+ years delivering complex automotive, aerospace, or robotics hardware programs.
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field.
• Deep understanding of vehicle systems, development cycles, and prototype testing.
• Expert-level capability structuring JIRA boards, workflows, and dashboards.
• Proven ability to work autonomously with a calm demeanor under shifting priorities.

Responsibilities

• Own the end-to-end delivery of critical vehicle program milestones, proactively clearing bottlenecks.
• Partner with hardware, attribute, controls and program to surface and architect recovery plans.
• Design and maintain lightweight JIRA workflows, sprint cadences, and reporting rituals.
• Act as the primary interface for cross-functional requests, coordinating hardware, software, and validation dependencies.
• Translate complex data into concise updates for leadership.
• Coordinate with engineers to maintain the timelines.

Skills

Technical PM

Automotive hardware

JIRA workflows

Cross-functional comms

Leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related technical field

Tools

JIRA

Job description

We’re ALTEN Technology USA, an engineering company helping clients bring groundbreaking ideas to life—from advancing space exploration and life-saving medical devices to building autonomous electric vehicles. With 3,000+ experts across North America, we partner with leading companies in aerospace, medical devices, robotics, automotive, commercial vehicles, EVs, rail, and more.

As part of the global ALTEN Group—57,000+ engineers in 30 countries—we deliver across the entire product development cycle, from consulting to full project outsourcing.

When you join ALTEN Technology USA, you’ll collaborate on some of the world’s toughest engineering challenges, supported by mentorship, career growth opportunities, and comprehensive benefits. We take pride in fostering a culture where employees feel valued, supported, and inspired to grow.

Workplace: On-site, 5 days per week

Location: Foster City, CA

ALTEN Technology is supporting an autonomous vehicle client who is preparing for mass production of its cutting‑edge autonomous robots. The goal of the Vehicle Development team is to develop a vehicle from the ground up that is capable of L4 autonomy and can be produced at scale. The Vehicle Development team is responsible for not only the design, but also the testing of the robot we are building. We are seeking a skilled Technical Program Manager to join our Thermal Systems team. You will play a key role in ensuring program deliverables are met and the team is on track on the day‑to‑day activities.

Responsibilities

• Own the end‑to‑end delivery of critical vehicle program milestones, proactively clearing technical bottlenecks to keep programs on track.
• Partner with hardware, attribute, controls and program to surface and architect immediate recovery plans.
• Design and maintain lightweight JIRA workflows, sprint cadences, and reporting rituals that maximize engineering focus and minimize admin debt.
• Act as the primary interface for cross‑functional requests, ensuring hardware, software, and validation dependencies are tightly coordinated.
• Translate fast‑moving, complex technical data into concise, actionable updates for leadership.
• Coordinate with engineers to maintain the timelines.

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of technical program management experience delivering complex automotive, aerospace, or robotics hardware programs.
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field (or equivalent practical experience).
• Deep understanding of vehicle systems, development cycles, and prototype/pre‑production testing.
• Expert‑level capability structuring JIRA boards, workflows, and dashboards for real‑time project health visibility.
• A proven “closer” mindset with a high sense of autonomy, excellent synthesis skills, and a calm demeanor under shifting priorities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree (MS/PhD) in Mechanical, Aerospace, or Electrical Engineering.
• Direct experience working with autonomous vehicle platforms, thermal systems, or vehicle engineering.
• Experience in a fast‑paced startup or high‑growth “execution‑first” environment.

Salary Range

• $120,000 - 135,000
• The actual salary offered is dependent on various factors including, but not limited to, location, the candidate’s combination of job‑related knowledge, qualifications, skills, education, training, and experience

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, genetic information, or pregnancy.

Compliance Notice: Alten USA is a federal contractor subject to the requirements of the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and Executive Order 11246. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

Drug Screening Requirement: As a federal contractor, Alten USA maintains a drug‑free workplace. All candidates selected for employment will be required to successfully complete a pre‑employment drug screening as a condition of hire.