Senior Staff Technical Program Manager, Robotics Systems

Job description

THE ROLE We're looking for a Senior Staff Technical Program Manager to serve as the operational and strategic backbone of Mind Robotics' core platform development. This is a founding program management role — the connective tissue between our hardware, software, and data collection teams as we scale from prototype to fleet deployment. You will own the integrated master plan for our robotics platform: the full-stack convergence of dexterous hardware, real-time control systems, and the data flywheel that trains our models. You are not a timeline tracker. You are a systems thinker who can hold the big picture, identify dependencies before they become blockers, and push every team to deliver against a shared roadmap. This role is the difference between hardware and software operating in parallel — and operating as one. You will work directly with our founder and functional leads. You will make this company move faster. WHAT YOU'LL DO Cross-Functional Program Leadership - Own the integrated master program plan across hardware, software, and data collection — maintaining a single source of truth for milestones, dependencies, and critical path items. - Identify and surface cross-functional risks before they become schedule-critical blockers; drive resolution with urgency and clarity. - Serve as the primary connective layer between the hardware engineering, software/ML, and data operations teams — ensuring no workstream operates in isolation. - Lead structured program reviews that keep leadership and teams aligned on priorities, trade-offs, and resource requirements. Hardware Program Management - Manage the complexity of our electromechanical system: part-level ownership, supplier lead times, sourcing strategies, and DVT/EVT iteration cycles. - Build and maintain a rigorous parts and supplier tracking system — ensuring every component on the critical path has an owner, a plan, and a fallback. - Partner closely with the hardware lead to translate design decisions into program-level implications across the full stack. - Proactively model the downstream impact of hardware iteration loops on software readiness and data collection timelines. Hardware-Software Integration - Own the integration checkpoints where hardware and software must converge — defining the criteria, the owners, and the escalation path when they don't. - Ensure software feature development is sequenced against hardware availability; prevent decoupled roadmaps from creating surprise dependencies. - Drive alignment on platform commitments — gripper design, sensing modalities, actuation systems — so that data collection and model training are never blocked by an unresolved hardware decision. Roadmap & Milestone Execution - Translate high-level product goals into a detailed, dependency-mapped roadmap with clear ownership at every stage. - Define and track the program milestones that matter: hardware readiness gates, data collection launch criteria, model deployment checkpoints, and fleet scale targets. - Hold the team accountable to commitments without creating bureaucratic drag — this is a role about velocity, not process for its own sake. QUALIFICATIONS - 10+ years in technical program management, with significant experience owning hardware-software integrated systems at a senior IC level. - Proven track record managing complex electromechanical programs through full development cycles — from early prototype through production or scaled deployment. - Deep instincts around hardware lead times, supplier management, and the downstream program implications of physical iteration cycles. - Experience in robotics, autonomous systems, automotive (EV/software-defined vehicle), semiconductor systems, or adjacent deep tech hardware industries. - Exceptional cross-functional operator: known for bringing clarity to ambiguous programs, not adding process overhead. - Strong technical foundation — comfortable engaging directly with mechanical, electrical, and software engineers at a level of depth that earns credibility. - Startup builder mentality: you create structure from ambiguity, own outcomes end-to-end, and move with urgency. - Experience scaling hardware systems from 0 to meaningful fleet deployment is a strong plus.