Technical Program Manager, Hardware Modules

Title: Technical Program Manager, Hardware Modules Location: Mountain View, CA, USA; San Francisco, CA, USA

Waymo’s Technical Program Managers and Program Managers are accountable for Waymo’s roadmap execution by providing thoughtful cross-functional planning, clarity, and proactive risk management. In the face of complex technical and operational challenges with no established playbooks to follow, we act with thoughtful urgency, driving conversations, discussions, and outcomes. Our team partners closely with every function of Waymo to structure, own and drive work towards real-world deployments of the Waymo Driver across platforms and geographies.

This role follows a hybrid work schedule and reports to the Technical Program Manager, Hardware.

You will:

• Own end-to-end program management for next gen lidar and other sensing and compute modules (e.g., cameras, telematics) from concept through Proto, EVT, DVT, PVT and handover to operations
• Build and drive detailed, bottoms-up schedules with cross-functional dependencies and long-lead items; identify when work is off track and drive recovery plans
• Own the prototype build plan and build readiness (materials, line and test readiness, quality), publish build reports, and drive issues to closure
• Drive design releases, design reviews (EE/ME/FW, DFM/DFA, DFMEA/PFMEA, EMC, SI/PI, thermal) and phase-gate reviews with Engineering, Reliability, DV, Systems and Vehicle Integration teams
• Manage technical relationships with suppliers and contract manufacturers in partnership with Global Supply Management: SOWs, build schedules, open-issue lists and supplier performance
• Own the program risk register and communicate status, risks and decisions clearly to stakeholders and leadership through weekly updates and program reviews

You have:

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Optical, Systems or a related engineering field, or equivalent practical experience
• 4+ years of technical program or project management experience delivering hardware modules (sensors, cameras, electronics or electro-mechanical products)
• Experience taking at least one hardware module through a structured product development process (Proto/EVT → DVT → PVT), with working knowledge of design reviews, DFM/DFA, DFMEA, design verification (DV) and reliability testing
• Experience managing suppliers and contract manufacturers, including SOWs, build coordination and open-issue tracking
• Demonstrated ability to build and own complex schedules, manage risks and drive cross-functional issues to closure using tools such as Jira, Buganizer or Smartsheet
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to concisely summarize technical status and risks for engineers and leadership

We prefer:

• Experience with lidar, camera, radar or other perception sensor modules, including optical/opto-mechanical assembly and calibration
• Experience with automotive Tier 1 or OEM product development and quality processes (APQP, PPAP, DFMEA/PFMEA, DVP&R)
• Hands-on experience designing, building and testing a complete vehicle or robotic system as part of a small multidisciplinary team
• Experience with configuration and change management (CCB) and tracking prototype, engineering-vehicle and production configurations
• Familiarity with costed BOM management, PO tracking and material readiness planning with supply chain teams
• Experience organizing design validation across internal teams and suppliers (e.g., DVP dashboards) and aligning hardware milestones with software/perception vehicle-level testing