Technical Program Manager - Vehicle Testing

Goken America; Foster City (CA); On-site; USD 96,432 - 107,452; Full time

Job summary

Goken America in Foster City, California is seeking a Technical Program Manager to coordinate cross-functional efforts across hardware, software and vehicle systems. You will partner with engineering leaders to build schedules, define milestones, identify risks and communicate progress with clarity and precision.

You will drive risk assessment, manage dependencies, and deliver structured program updates for leadership while continuously improving our development framework and reporting practices.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, CS or equivalent experience.
• 7+ years engineering experience, testing preferred.
• 2+ years in technical program management, cross-functional leadership.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with engineering leaders to identify risks and implement recovery plans.
• Manage and improve JIRA structures, sprint cadences, and reporting rituals.
• Coordinate cross-functional requests ensuring clear dependencies and timely closure.
• Track supplier and internal engineering deliverables to meet milestones and targets.
• Create and deliver technical presentations communicating status, decisions and impacts.
• Identify process improvements and establish best practices across teams.

Skills

Cross-functional leadership

JIRA / project tracking

Stakeholder alignment

Strong communication

Analytical thinking

Risk management

Program planning

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or CS

Tools

JIRA

Job description

Summary

This role will work cross functionally with engineering leaders across hardware, software, vehicle systems, and products to manage vehicle test planning and coordination. You will partner with engineering teams to build schedules, define milestones, identify risks, and communicate progress with clarity and precision.

Responsibilities

• Work with engineering and test leads to identify execution risks — such as vehicle downtime, instrumentation delays, or hardware shortages — and implement immediate recovery plans.
• Run, maintain, and continuously improve our JIRA structures, sprint cadences, and reporting rituals. Goal is to create a system that allows engineers to focus on engineering while self-coordinating through your framework.
• Manage and disposition all cross-functional requests, ensuring dependencies between stakeholders are clearly defined and closed.
• Plan, track, and coordinate supplier and internal engineering deliverables to meet program milestones and performance targets.
• Create and deliver technical presentations that clearly communicate program status, decisions, and impacts across teams.
• Collaborate with engineering and cross functional partners to assess needs, identify process improvements, and establish best practices.
• Communicate challenges early, highlight risks, and drive mitigation plans across teams.
• Analyze and report on issues found in deployed hardware systems or software.
• Ensure all impacted teams understand their requirements, dependencies, and delivery expectations at all times.
• Develop standardized reporting for leadership on program status, risks, and accomplishments.
• Set agendas and drive decision making in recurring program meetings to remove blockers and reduce risk.
• Perform other duties as needed.

Qualifications

• Minimum Bachelors in engineering, computer science, or equivalent experience.
• 7+ years of experience in engineering (testing experience strongly preferred)
• 2+ years of experience in technical program management
• Strong familiarity with hardware, software, and/or automotive development lifecycles.
• Proven success managing complex, cross functional technical programs using JIRA
• Demonstrated ability to build strong working relationships with senior leaders and engineering teams.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to break down ambiguous technical problems into structured plans.
• Experience driving alignment among diverse stakeholders with competing priorities.
• Ability to maintain a high level view while delivering clear, structured, concise communication tailored to each audience.

The pay range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base pay only. Actual salary offer may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations.

California Pay Range: $70 USD - $78 USD

Goken is committed to fostering a respectful, inclusive, and engaging workplace across all global locations. We value diversity and provide equal opportunities for career growth and professional development, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by law.