About this opportunity
Compunnel lists this Senior Technical Program Manager opportunity in foster city, California. Review the employer’s description below for duties, qualifications and application requirements.
Job description
Job Summary
The Senior Technical Program Manager will lead firmware development programs for existing and next-generation robotaxi platforms, spanning sensor and perception hardware firmware, compute platform BSP and bootloader, and infotainment ECU firmware. The role will own end-to-end program management from requirements and architecture through bring-up, integration, validation, production release, and sustaining. The TPM will coordinate cross-functional engineering teams, suppliers, and contract manufacturers while driving release plans, hardware and firmware milestones, risk mitigation, manufacturing readiness, and executive communication.
Key Responsibilities
• Own end-to-end program management for firmware development across sensor and perception hardware, compute platform BSP and bootloader, and infotainment ECUs.
• Drive programs from requirements and architecture through bring-up, integration, validation, production release, and sustaining.
• Build and manage firmware release plans covering feature freeze, code complete, integration, validation, and sign-off.
• Synchronize firmware release plans with hardware build events including EVT, DVT, and PVT and broader vehicle program milestones.
• Coordinate Hardware, Firmware, Functional Safety, Validation, Manufacturing, Procurement, and Vehicle Development teams to align priorities, dependencies, and deliverables.
• Drive bring-up readiness to ensure bootloaders, drivers, diagnostics, and test firmware are available when hardware boards arrive.
• Own firmware manufacturing activities including factory flashing and provisioning, secure key injection, end-of-line test firmware, firmware version control at contract manufacturers, and firmware content for build events.
• Establish standardized program reporting and communicate progress, accomplishments, issues, risks, and defect burn-down to cross-functional teams and leadership.
• Identify risks and dependencies early and drive mitigation actions through closure with engineering teams, contract manufacturers, and vendors.
• Establish agendas and decision points for key meetings to eliminate bottlenecks and minimize program risks.
• Support cross-functional decisions involving engineering, finance, and strategy.
• Drive release management and defect triage activities for embedded software, including branching and release strategy, code freeze, and sign-off criteria.
Required Qualifications
• 6+ years of Technical Program Management or Engineering Program Management experience supporting firmware or embedded software programs.
• Demonstrated end-to-end experience taking embedded products from requirements through bring-up, validation, and production release.
• Direct experience driving firmware through manufacturing, including factory flashing and provisioning, end-of-line test requirements, and firmware version control at a contract manufacturer.
• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related engineering discipline, or equivalent experience.
• Strong embedded systems or firmware background.
• Experience owning embedded software release management and defect triage, including branching and release strategies, code freezes, and sign-off criteria.
• Demonstrated ability to work across hardware, software, firmware, functional safety, and systems engineering teams.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to clearly and concisely report program progress, risks, issues, and decisions to cross-functional teams and leadership.
• Proficiency with program management tools such as JIRA, Confluence, and Gantt charts.
• Comfortable working with Git-based workflows and CI systems.
• Ability to operate effectively in rapid development cycles and remain flexible and calm amid uncertainty.
• Strong self-motivation, ownership, and proactive problem-solving skills.
Preferred Qualifications
• End-to-end development experience in the automotive or consumer electronics industry at the system or subsystem level.
• Working knowledge of embedded firmware development, including SoC and MCU bring-up, bootloaders, secure boot, Linux BSP, device drivers, sensor interfaces, time synchronization, field/OTA updates, and diagnostics.
• Experience with sensor interfaces such as MIPI/CSI, SerDes, Ethernet, SPI, and I2C.
• Experience holding silicon, sensor, and module vendors accountable to BSP and SDK delivery schedules.
• Experience managing two or more complete program development cycles for systems with tight hardware, firmware, and software integration.
• Experience with autonomous vehicles, test platforms, automotive processes, or aerospace processes.
• Experience managing production programs through mass production and post-production sustaining phases, including field firmware updates and firmware change control.
• Experience working with engineering, finance, and strategy teams on complex program decisions.
• Strong working relationships with senior leaders and engineering teams across functions and departments.
• Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related discipline.
Certifications
• PMP or equivalent certification.
Worksite address
foster city, CA, 94420, US
Who can apply
Review the original listing for work authorization, qualifications and employer requirements.