Staff Technical Program Manager

Apptronik Apptronik · Robotics · HQ · PMO

Staff Technical Program Manager to lead complex, cross-functional programs for a human-centered robotics company developing AI-powered humanoid robots. The role involves setting strategic direction, driving alignment, shaping technical and operational frameworks for scaled production, mentoring other TPMs, and influencing org-wide priorities. Requires extensive experience in system-level product development, NPI, cross-disciplinary integration (including AI/ML teams), and program execution in resource-constrained environments.

What you'd actually do

  1. Own Program execution end to end. Set strategic direction, identify resource requirements, and be accountable for executing on company goals and roadmap. Challenge assumptions at the org level and foster a results-driven culture.
  2. Partner directly with engineering leadership to execute solutions and adapt quickly when priorities shift. Coordinate across multiple organizations including engineering, operations, supply chain, finance, and executive leadership to keep all stakeholders aligned and informed.
  3. Define long-range program strategy and create clear paths to success. Develop schedules, define milestones, and build execution frameworks that scale across multiple programs.
  4. Proactively communicate program status, risks, trade-offs, and decisions to executive stakeholders. Clearly articulate requirements, goals, and milestones across teams and up to leadership.
  5. Mentor and develop other TPMs. Define and continuously improve program management practices, frameworks, and tooling that elevate the entire function.

Skills

Required

  • 10+ years of experience in program management or engineering management
  • Extensive experience leading complete hardware + software product life cycles from concept through deployment and scaled production, across multiple concurrent programs.
  • Deep ability to engage with engineering teams on architectural decisions, interface definition, and complex technical problem-solving — operating as a peer to engineering leadership, not just managing schedules.
  • Demonstrated success transitioning multiple products from prototype to manufacturing, including DFM/DFA considerations and managing through ramp.
  • Expert-level experience coordinating mechanical, electrical, firmware, product, software, and AI/ML teams to deliver fully integrated, sophisticated systems.
  • Strong track record of driving measurable outcomes at scale, managing critical path and interdependencies across portfolios, and delivering against company roadmap goals.
  • Experience leading system integration and scaling hardware/software platforms into commercial production.
  • Proven ability to align product, engineering, and executive teams, prioritize across competing demands, and execute successfully in fast-paced, limited-resource settings.
  • Demonstrated experience mentoring TPMs, defining program management standards, and raising the maturity of the program management function.
  • Ability to translate company strategy into actionable program plans and influence roadmap decisions through data-driven insight.
  • Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Computer, Mechanical Engineering or Applied Physics required

Nice to have

  • Experience in robotics
  • Master's degree in Engineering

What the JD emphasized

  • human-centered robotics
  • humanoid robot
  • Apollo
  • manufacturing and logistics
  • healthcare
  • embodied AI
  • full robotics stack
  • commercialization
  • mass production
  • Staff Technical Program Manager
  • cross-functional programs
  • product lines
  • engineering organizations
  • strategic direction
  • program execution
  • executive stakeholders
  • engineering leadership
  • technical and operational frameworks
  • humanoid robots at scale
  • mentor other program managers
  • influence org-wide priorities
  • trusted partner
  • ambitious and highest-risk initiatives
  • Ownership
  • accountable for executing on company goals and roadmap
  • Challenge assumptions at the org level
  • foster a results-driven culture
  • Orchestration
  • execute solutions
  • adapt quickly when priorities shift
  • Coordinate across multiple organizations
  • engineering, operations, supply chain, finance, and executive leadership
  • keep all stakeholders aligned and informed
  • Planning
  • Define long-range program strategy
  • create clear paths to success
  • Develop schedules
  • define milestones
  • build execution frameworks that scale across multiple programs
  • Communication
  • Proactively communicate program status, risks, trade-offs, and decisions to executive stakeholders
  • Clearly articulate requirements, goals, and milestones across teams and up to leadership
  • Leadership & Mentorship
  • Mentor and develop other TPMs
  • Define and continuously improve program management practices, frameworks, and tooling
  • elevate the entire function
  • System-Level Product Development Leadership
  • leading complete hardware + software product life cycles
  • concept through deployment and scaled production
  • multiple concurrent programs
  • Hands-On Technical Partnership
  • engage with engineering teams on architectural decisions
  • interface definition
  • complex technical problem-solving
  • peer to engineering leadership
  • New Product Introduction (NPI)
  • transitioning multiple products from prototype to manufacturing
  • DFM/DFA considerations
  • managing through ramp
  • Cross-Disciplinary System Integration
  • coordinating mechanical, electrical, firmware, product, software, and AI/ML teams
  • deliver fully integrated, sophisticated systems
  • Program Execution & Results Orientation
  • driving measurable outcomes at scale
  • managing critical path and interdependencies across portfolios
  • delivering against company roadmap goals
  • Deployment & Commercialization Readiness
  • leading system integration and scaling hardware/software platforms into commercial production
  • Influence in Resource-Constrained Environments
  • align product, engineering, and executive teams
  • prioritize across competing demands
  • execute successfully in fast-paced, limited-resource settings
  • Mentorship & Function Building
  • mentoring TPMs
  • defining program management standards
  • raising the maturity of the program management function
  • Strategic Thinking
  • translate company strategy into actionable program plans
  • influence roadmap decisions through data-driven insight
  • Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Computer, Mechanical Engineering or Applied Physics
  • 10+ years of experience in program management or engineering management
  • leading cross-functional teams in both hardware and software
  • demonstrated experience operating at a senior or staff level
  • Experience in robotics
  • Master's degree in Engineering