Technical Program Manager (Firmware)--Foster City, CA (Onsite)- Locals

Technical Program Manager - Firmware

Foster City, CA (Onsite)

Contract Role

In this role, you will:

Own end-to-end program management for firmware development across sensor and perception hardware, the compute platform BSP and bootloader, and infotainment ECUs, from requirements and architecture through bring-up, integration, and validation, and into production release and sustaining

Build and drive the firmware release plan - feature freeze, code complete, integration, validation, and sign-off - and keep it synchronized with hardware build events (EVT/DVT/PVT) and vehicle program milestones

Work closely with cross-functional teams - Hardware (HW), Firmware (FW), Functional Safety, Validation, Manufacturing, Procurement, and Vehicle Development - to align priorities, dependencies, and deliverables, and ensure every team understands what they need to deliver at all times

Drive bring-up readiness with the HW and FW teams so that bootloaders, drivers, diagnostics, and test firmware are ready when boards arrive, and build events are never gated by firmware

Own the manufacturing side of firmware end to end: factory flashing and provisioning, secure key injection, end-of-line test firmware, firmware version control at the CM, and the firmware content of every build event

Establish standard reports and regularly report out to cross-functional teams and leadership on program progress, status, issues/risks, defect burn-down, and accomplishments

Ensure problems are transparent and risks are identified early, and proactively drive risk-mitigation actions to closure with the relevant engineering teams, CMs, and vendors

Set agendas for key decisions to be made at each meeting to eliminate bottlenecks and minimize risks

Support key decisions working cross-functionally across engineering, finance, and strategy to reach the right conclusions

Qualifications

6+ years of Technical Program Management or Engineering Program Management experience supporting firmware or embedded software programs, with demonstrated end-to-end experience taking embedded products from requirements through bring-up and validation to production release

Direct experience driving firmware through manufacturing, including factory flashing and provisioning, end-of-line test requirements, and firmware version control at a contract manufacturer

Strong preference for candidates with end-to-end development experience in Automotive industry or Consumer Electronics at the systems or sub-system level

BS degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related engineering discipline (or equivalent experience), with a strong embedded/firmware background

Experience owning release management and defect triage for embedded software, including branching and release strategy, code freeze, and sign-off criteria

Demonstrated ability to work closely with cross-functional teams spanning hardware, software, firmware, functional safety, and systems engineering

Strong communication skills, with a proven ability to report program progress and risk clearly and concisely to cross-functional teams and leadership

Proficient in tools required to manage complex programs (e.g., JIRA, Confluence, Gantt charts), and comfortable with Git-based workflows and CI systems

Understands and deals well with rapid development cycles; remains flexible and calm in the face of uncertainty

Self-motivated and proactive problem-solver

Bonus Qualifications

Working knowledge of embedded firmware development, including SoC and MCU bring-up, bootloaders and secure boot, Linux BSP and device drivers, sensor interfaces (MIPI/CSI, SerDes, Ethernet, SPI, I2C), time synchronization, field/OTA update, and diagnostics

Prior experience holding silicon, sensor, and module vendors accountable to BSP and SDK delivery schedules

Directly managed 2+ full program development cycles for a system with tight HW/FW/SW integration

PMP or equivalent

Experience with autonomous vehicles, test platforms, and/or automotive or aerospace processes

MS degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Computer Science

TPM experience on production programs during mass production (MP) and post-MP sustaining phases, including field firmware updates and firmware change control

Strong references that highlight your ability to build strong working relationships with senior leaders and engineers across functions and departments