Senior Hardware Program Manager

ACV

$100K — $130K *
Consumer Technology
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Electrical/Mechanical Engineering or Computer Science required; Master's preferred.
  • 8+ years of experience in a technology field, with a strong hardware engineering background.
  • 3+ years of practical hardware engineering experience (EE/ME) and over 5 years in technical program management.
  • Proven track record of complex cross-functional project delivery.
  • Comprehensive understanding of systems integration and new platform launch processes (EVT, DVT, PVT).
  • Strong technical capability to liaise with diverse engineering teams.
  • Expertise in external partner management, coordinating across vendors internationally.

Responsibilities

  • Own end-to-end program execution from concept to mass production.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams including HW Engineering, Software, and Operations.
  • Define milestones, requirements, and integrated master schedules.
  • Manage relationships with external vendors and contract manufacturers.
  • Maintain real-time dashboards on program status and risk management.
  • Facilitate data-driven decisions to navigate conflicting project requirements.
  • Identify and mitigate technical risks, leading root-cause analysis sessions.

Benefits

  • Opportunity to lead next-generation hardware development.
  • Collaboration with diverse teams across technology domains.
  • Access to advanced project management tools like JIRA and Confluence.
  • Supportive company culture emphasizing trust, transparency, and employees' well-being.
  • Involvement in simplifying the customer experience and enhancing user satisfaction.
Full Job Description
A Hardware Program Manager IV to own end-to-end program execution for our next-generation hardware platforms-from early concept and architecture through EVT/DVT/PVT, software integration, validation, and mass production ramp. You will orchestrate cross-functional teams across hardware, software, and operations, driving technical execution, managing risk, and delivering ACV Auctions complex, integrated physical products at scale.

What you will do:

  • Own end-to-end program execution for next-generation hardware and device programs-from early concept and architecture through EVT/DVT/PVT, software integration, regulatory certification, and mass production ramp.
  • Collaborate deeply with cross-functional teams within HW Engineering across all domains and partner teams like Software, Operations, Product and Supply Chain to plan, execute and deliver critical programs.
  • Determine program milestones, define requirements and benchmarks for each team at each milestone, and build realistic, integrated master schedules with input from core program team members.
  • Manage external partner and vendor relationships, driving alignment with strategic partners, contract manufacturers (CMs/EMSs), component suppliers, and technology licensors to hold them to high standards of quality and timeline execution.
  • Create regular status checks and maintain clear, real-time dashboards (e.g., JIRA, Confluence) showing program status, critical path, dependency maps, and risk registers.
  • Drive execution and facilitate high-speed, data-driven trade-off decisions when schedule, cost, quality, and feature scope collide.
  • Identify, manage, and mitigate technical risks before they become crises, leading problem-solving and root-cause analysis sessions with engineering teams.
  • Rapidly build and maintain deep technical knowledge of hardware components and their system-level interactions to guide technical discussions and drive progress.
  • Actively and consistently support all efforts to simplify and enhance the customer experience.
  • Raise the bar on program management craft by establishing frameworks, mechanisms, and operating rhythms that scale across multiple concurrent programs.


What you will need:

  • Bachelors Degree (4 years) - Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, or equivalent required (Master's degree preferred).
  • 8+ years in a technology field, with 3+ years of practical hardware engineering experience (EE/ME) and 5+ years in technical program management.
  • Demonstrable track record of delivering at least one complex cross-functional project involving tight integration of hardware, firmware, and software.
  • Comprehensive understanding of systems integration, new platform launch processes (EVT, DVT, PVT), and critical path management.
  • Strong technical abilities with the capacity to work closely and credibly with highly technical teams across various domains (Integration, electrical, thermal, mechanical, firmware, OS, and cloud services).
  • Proficient in tools required to manage complex projects, specifically using JIRA and Confluence to capture, track, and manage engineering development tasks.
  • Expert in external partner management, with experience coordinating with vendors and contract manufacturers across multiple geographies and time zones.
  • Exceptional ability to articulate complex technical trade-offs to non-technical stakeholders and translate business requirements into clear technical specifications.
  • Comfortable with ambiguity, with a demonstrated ability to bring order, drive accountability, and influence without authority in highly dynamic, fast-paced environments.
  • Practical experience with root cause analysis in high-pressure situations.
  • Experience in robotics, larger consumer equipment, automotive or autonomous vehicle (SDS) systems integration is highly preferred.
  • Experience in leveraging AI tools to accelerate Engineering workflow
  • Program management certification (PMP or equivalent) is preferred.
  • Ability to read, write, speak and understand English.

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Our Values

Trust & Transparency | People First | Positive Experiences | Calm Persistence | Never Settling

Compensation: The compensation range for this position is listed in the "Job Details" section at the bottom of this posting. Please note that final compensation will be determined based upon the applicant's relevant experience, skill set, location, business needs, market demands, and other factors as permitted by law.

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