We are seeking a Hardware Production Program Manager to own the end-to-end production planning, qualification, and lifecycle of our cutting-edge aerial sensors and robotic drone payloads
In this role, you will bridge the gap between complex hardware design and flawless operational execution
You will run the programs behind New Product Introduction (NPI), repeat production builds, and sustain engineering support for our existing fleet - driving schedules, procurement, and cross-team coordination
If you are a natural problem solver who thrives in a fast-paced robotics environment and loves turning complex engineering prototypes into reliable, scalable products, we want to hear from you
Production Program Management & NPI:
Own the hardware build ecosystem: Create and manage comprehensive NPI and repeat build timelines, ensuring procurement, staffing, tooling, and documentation are set up for success
Balance the fleet: Align closely with Operations to understand hardware demand and field repair needs. Partner with the technicians and their functional leads to sequence work across new builds, repairs, and fleet movements
Procurement ownership: Manage procurement pipelines and BOMs, and execute procurement with vendors for a majority of sourced components
Production leadership: Hire and develop staffing required to meet production and sustainment volumes. Develop and leverage external vendors for production when commercially reasonable
Schedule and risk ownership: Maintain the single source of truth for build status, dependencies, and risk. Escalate early and clearly when timelines are threatened
Technical conduit: Act as the primary technical bridge across engineering and operations teams to accelerate debugging and issue resolution
Field support: Coordinate troubleshooting of complex issues occurring in the field; ensure clear ownership is assigned and root-cause resolutions are documented
Process scaling: Scope and implement critical process improvements for part tracking, unit history, and issue tracking as our hardware scales
System Performance Management: Track issues across hardware fleet under support to identify common issues and develop solutions to implement in the field to reduce excessive costs and improve system performance
Blocker mitigation: Anticipate production or field blockers early and implement creative, agile engineering solutions to keep timelines on track- Process-driven mindset: Proven track record of developing tools, documentation (SOPs), or processes to improve build efficiency and consistency
Ability to travel: Support a distributed engineering team and worldwide operations. Travel up to 10% of time may be required
Execution & agility: The ability to ruthlessly prioritize competing demands, manage tight timelines with many moving pieces, and creatively fill operational gaps
Communication: Exceptional, concise communication skills with the ability to translate highly technical issues into clear updates for cross-functional stakeholders
Technical breadth: A deep understanding of electro-mechanical assemblies, aerial sensors, and payload integration, allowing you to assess field issues and dive deep into root-cause analysis when required
Program leadership: Proven track record driving hardware programs to completion through influence rather than direct authority - coordinating technicians, engineers, and vendors toward a shared schedule
Experience: 5+ years in engineering, product development, hardware program management, or hardware manufacturing, with a strong preference for complex robotic, aerospace, or drone platforms
AI proficiency: A track record of leveraging AI to solve operational challenges, balanced with the discernment to recognize its limitations. You proactively deploy your own technical toolkit to drive results
Experience with PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) and ERP systems for tracking hardware changes and inventory
Experience with manufacturing testers (electrical, mechanical, reliability) to qualify built systems or subassemblies
Experience managing contract manufacturers or outsourced build partners