Technical Project Manager, R&d

Crusoe · Data AI · Denver, CO - US · Digital Infrastructure Group (DIG)

The Technical Program Manager, R&D will drive programs evaluating and advancing next-generation AI data center technologies. This role involves managing initiatives from early-stage evaluations and partnerships through pilot-scale validation and production handoff, coordinating across R&D, engineering, and external partners. The focus is on operational execution and ensuring R&D outputs are validated and ready for hyperscale deployment.

What you'd actually do

  1. Own and drive R&D programs end-to-end—from early-stage technology evaluation and partner engagement through pilot-scale deployment and production handoff for hyperscale rollout. Bring structure, rigor, and pace to programs that are inherently exploratory.
  2. Serve as R&D’s program interface to engineering teams across the company. Coordinate joint planning, manage shared initiative pipelines, and ensure R&D outputs are aligned with the needs of the teams building and deploying infrastructure.
  3. Coordinate the operational aspects of technology evaluations: vendor engagements, test protocols, data collection, success criteria, and structured go/no-go decision frameworks. Ensure evaluations are completed on schedule with clear, documented outcomes.
  4. Manage relationships with external technology vendors, emerging startups, design firms, and development partners engaged in R&D programs. Own scope definition, deliverable quality, schedule accountability, contracts, and commercial terms. Help coordinate joint evaluations and pilot programs with industry and research partners.
  5. Drive alignment across R&D, engineering, operations, and leadership stakeholders. Translate technical complexity into clear program milestones, risk registers, and decision points that enable rapid execution.

Skills

Required

  • 7+ years of progressive experience in technical program management, project management, or systems engineering
  • Meaningful portion in data center infrastructure, manufacturing, or related industrial environments
  • Engineering degree or equivalent technical foundation
  • Genuine technical fluency
  • Working familiarity with data center infrastructure—power distribution, cooling systems, facility design, or compute/networking
  • Demonstrated track record of delivering complex, cross-functional programs on time
  • Comfortable managing ambiguity, competing priorities, and multiple concurrent workstreams
  • Experience managing external vendors, contractors, or design partners including contract negotiation, scope management, and delivery accountability
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills
  • Ability to translate technical program details into clear executive summaries
  • Facilitate productive discussions across diverse engineering disciplines

Nice to have

  • Direct experience in data center construction, commissioning, or operations
  • Background in manufacturing environments, particularly modular or containerized systems
  • Experience with power systems, cooling technologies

What the JD emphasized

  • early-stage technology evaluation
  • pilot-scale validation
  • production handoff
  • hyperscale deployment
  • technology evaluations
  • vendor engagements
  • external technology vendors
  • emerging startups
  • pilot programs
  • complex, cross-functional programs