Program Manager

Description

Onsite, Redmond, WA

Must-Have Skills             

• Program Management
• Operations
• Legal

Nice-to-have Skills          

• Previous Experience in Big-Tech

Years of Experience:      

• 7+ years of experience as PM or TPM or Operations Manager

Degrees/Certifications Required:            

• Bachelors

Summary

• Program manager with experience in Program Planning & Execution o Implement program goals, roadmaps, and success metrics in collaboration with engineering, product, and operations teams. o Develop and maintain detailed timelines, milestones, and delivery schedules.
• Drive cross-functional coordination across hardware, embedded systems, AI, and field teams.
• 2/Ability to create Purchase Orders, Purchase requests, on-board and vendors/CWs.

Description.

• Vendor shall work at direction for assisting with Technical Program Management (TPM), operations and university contract work and will oversee cross-functional programs within the Robotics Team, ensuring the successful development, testing, deployment, and scaling of robotic systems.
• The TPM will also manage vendor contracts and support operations to ensure timely and cost-effective execution across the full lifecycle of hardware and software development.

Such Services shall include the following:

Program Planning & Execution

• Implement program goals, roadmaps, and success metrics in collaboration with engineering, product, and operations teams.
• Develop and maintain detailed timelines, milestones, and delivery schedules.
• Drive cross-functional coordination across hardware, embedded systems, AI, and field teams.
• Collaborate with Universities to robotics areas such as locomotion, navigation and dexterous manipulation and execute contracts.
• Manage all deliverables with the universities, work with professors and track milestones

Stakeholder Management

• Serve as the primary liaison between engineering, product, QA, manufacturing, operations, and executive stakeholders
• Create clear communication channels between engineering and non-technical stakeholders.
• Communication and Collaboration: Communicate effectively with FAIR researchers, contract workers, and other stakeholders. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure successful project execution.

Engineering Coordination

• Track and facilitate development across Teams.
• Hiring and Management of Contract Workers: Recruit and hire contract workers with experience in robotics and data collection. Manage the performance and development of contract workers.
• Enable agile/hybrid workflows (standups, retrospectives, sprint planning).

Vendor Contract Management

• Identify, evaluate, and onboard vendors and suppliers for hardware components, software services, and manufacturing.
• Draft, negotiate, and manage vendor contracts, service level agreements (SLAs), and terms of delivery.
• Coordinate with legal and finance teams to streamline procurement and budget tracking.
• Monitor vendor performance, manage invoicing schedules, and ensure contractual compliance

Operations Management

• Equipment Procurement: Identify and procure necessary equipment for data collection, including robots, sensors, and software. Ensure that all equipment is properly installed, calibrated, and maintained.
• Collaborate with supply chain and operations teams to ensure timely procurement, delivery, and inventory management of robotic components.
• Lab Setup and Operations: Collaborate with various facilities, and power teams to facilitate set up of a safe and efficient robotics lab as per Client’s requirements. Ensure compliance with all relevant regulations and standards.
• Support operations readiness for pilot programs and production ramp-up.
• Develop and track operations KPIs (lead times, fulfillment rates, unit economics).
• Ensure smooth handoff of systems from engineering to manufacturing and field teams.

Risk & Dependency Management

• Proactively identify and mitigate risks across technical and operational domains.
• Manage interdependencies between engineering teams and external vendors.
• Plan for contingencies related to supply chain disruptions, production delays, or regulatory changes. 

Key Projects/Day-to-Day Responsibilities:           

• Lead cross-functional robotics programs, ensuring development, testing, and deployment success.
• Manage university partnerships and contracts in robotics research areas.
• Oversee vendor contracts, procurement, and operations for hardware and software.
• Track KPIs, manage risks, and coordinate between engineering teams and vendors.

What makes this role interesting?           

• This role is interesting because it involves working on a unique and new robotics project, offering the opportunity to be part of an innovative initiative.
• Competitive market comparison & Unique Selling Points  Unique focus on robotics and University collaborations sets it apart from other program management positions.