Role Overview
The Technical Program Manager (TPM), Robotics is responsible for driving the successful delivery of robotics and autonomous systems programs from concept to deployment. This role combines strong technical expertise in UAV/robotics systems with program leadership, cross-functional coordination, and client engagement.
The TPM oversees multiple technical projects, aligns engineering, operations, and product teams, and ensures that robotics programs meet performance, safety, and regulatory requirements while delivering value to clients.
Key Responsibilities
1. Program Strategy & Client Engagement
- Serve as the primary technical liaison between clients, engineering teams, and internal stakeholders for robotics and UAV programs.
- Translate client operational needs into scalable robotics solutions, system architectures, and program roadmaps.
- Lead technical discovery sessions, solution workshops, and program kickoff meetings.
- Develop program-level proposals, technical documentation, and commercial scopes aligned with technical feasibility and cost efficiency.
- Maintain strong relationships with clients and stakeholders throughout the program lifecycle.
2. Program Planning & Cross-Functional Leadership
- Drive planning and execution of robotics programs involving multiple projects, teams, and deployments.
- Define program timelines, technical milestones, resource allocation, and delivery roadmaps.
- Coordinate across hardware, firmware, software, flight operations, and field engineering teams to ensure alignment and integration.
- Facilitate program reviews, sprint planning, technical checkpoints, and risk mitigation discussions.
- Track program performance, manage dependencies, and escalate critical risks when necessary.
3. Technical Program Oversight
- Provide technical leadership across robotics and UAV system development programs.
- Guide integration of flight controllers, payloads, communication systems, onboard sensors, and autonomous capabilities.
- Leverage expertise in ArduPilot firmware, hardware architecture, mission planning, and system tuning to support engineering teams.
- Ensure system reliability, performance validation, and compliance with aviation regulations and safety standards.
- Review system architecture decisions and ensure alignment with long-term product and platform strategies.
4. Field Deployment & Operational Readiness
- Oversee technical readiness for field trials, pilot deployments, and operational rollouts.
- Coordinate site surveys, system configuration, environmental testing, and operational validation.
- Support field teams during complex deployments, troubleshooting, and system optimization.
- Ensure documentation of testing results, flight performance data, and lessons learned to improve future deployments.
5. Program Delivery & Continuous Improvement
- Ensure successful delivery of robotics programs across development, integration, and deployment phases.
- Drive post-deployment support coordination with engineering teams to resolve field issues and implement system improvements.
- Capture program insights, technical learnings, and best practices to improve future program execution.
- Support internal roadmap planning by providing field feedback, technical insights, and client requirements.
Qualifications
Must-Have
- Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Robotics, Mechatronics, Electronics, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
- 3-5+ years of experience in robotics, UAV systems, or autonomous systems development and deployment.
- Proven experience managing complex technical programs or cross-functional engineering projects.
- Excellent stakeholder management and client-facing communication skills.
Nice-to-Have
- PMP, Agile, or Technical Program Management certification.
- Experience with ROS / ROS2, PX4, or autonomous robotics frameworks.
- Familiarity with UAVCAN, companion computers, edge AI, or autonomy stacks.
- Working knowledge of geospatial tools and aerial data processing platforms (Pix4D, Agisoft, etc.).
- Experience with aviation compliance, safety cases, and operational risk assessments.
- Strong working knowledge of ArduPilot ecosystem (Pixhawk, MAVLink, Mission Planner, QGroundControl).
- Experience with UAV hardware integration, system testing, and field operations.
Key Competencies
Technical Program Leadership
- Systems Thinking in Robotics & Autonomous Platforms
- Cross-Functional Team Coordination
- Structured Problem Solving
- Strategic Planning & Execution
- Stakeholder & Client Management
- Clear Technical Communication
- Delivery Under Complex Operational Constraints
