a { text-decoration: none; color: #464feb; } tr th, tr td { border: 1px solid #e6e6e6; } tr th { background-color: #f5f5f5; }
AI Technical Program Manager
Location: Boston, MA (Onsite)
Job Type: Contract
Job Summary
STAFFXPERT LLC is seeking an AI Technical Program Manager on behalf of our client in Boston, MA. This role is ideal for a highly technical program management professional who thrives in fast-paced, innovative environments and enjoys building structure within emerging programs. The successful candidate will lead complex, cross-functional initiatives involving hardware development, lab operations, validation activities, and engineering execution while driving alignment across multiple stakeholders.
This position requires a strong technical foundation, exceptional organizational skills, and the ability to manage risks, dependencies, and program priorities in an environment characterized by rapid growth and evolving requirements.
Key Responsibilities
Program Planning & Execution
-
Own and manage integrated program plans covering hardware development, engineering milestones, lab operations, and validation activities.
-
Develop and maintain dependency tracking across multiple engineering workstreams and proactively identify potential schedule risks.
-
Establish and lead effective program cadences, including sprint planning, milestone reviews, risk assessments, and cross-functional alignment meetings.
-
Track key action items, decisions, and commitments, ensuring accountability and timely execution.
Risk & Decision Management
-
Identify, assess, and mitigate technical, operational, resource, and schedule risks.
-
Facilitate structured decision-making processes and ensure appropriate escalation of critical issues.
-
Develop and maintain program dashboards that provide leadership with clear visibility into project status, risks, and blockers.
-
Lead tradeoff discussions and drive alignment when competing priorities impact program objectives.
Cross-Functional Leadership
-
Serve as a key liaison between engineering teams, lab operations, and organizational stakeholders.
-
Translate technical updates into actionable program insights for leadership and non-technical audiences.
-
Coordinate with partner organizations, including facilities, IT, supply chain, and external stakeholders, to resolve dependencies and remove obstacles.
-
Manage scope changes and evolving priorities while maintaining clarity on program commitments and deliverables.
Process Improvement & Tooling
-
Build and implement scalable program management processes suited to fast-moving research and development environments.
-
Evaluate and optimize project management tools such as Jira, Confluence, Asana, or similar platforms.
-
Create and maintain RACI frameworks and governance structures to ensure clear ownership and accountability across teams.
Required Qualifications
-
Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical discipline.
-
7+ years of Technical Program Management experience.
-
Minimum 3 years of experience managing programs involving hardware development, robotics, physical systems, or related technologies.
-
Strong technical understanding of hardware development processes, engineering workflows, testing, and validation methodologies.
-
Proven experience managing complex, multi-disciplinary programs in highly ambiguous or rapidly evolving environments.
-
Demonstrated success building program management processes, frameworks, and operational infrastructure from the ground up.
-
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to create executive-ready status reports, risk registers, and decision documentation.
-
Strong stakeholder management, organizational, and problem-solving abilities.
Preferred Qualifications
-
Experience within Physical AI, robotics, autonomous systems, advanced hardware, or research and development organizations.
-
Knowledge of hardware product development lifecycles, including prototype builds, validation testing, and new product introduction processes.
-
Familiarity with Agile methodologies and their application within hardware development environments.
-
Experience working in high-growth technology companies, AI organizations, large-scale technology environments, or innovation-driven R&D teams.