Automotive Program Manager Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Aquent is partnering with a pioneering autonomous technology company seeking an experienced Technical Program Manager to lead complex firmware development programs for advanced vehicle hardware.

This role spans sensor and perception hardware, compute-platform BSPs and bootloaders, and infotainment ECUs. You’ll own programs from requirements and architecture through hardware bring-up, integration, validation, production release, and sustaining.

Note: this is an ONSITE role in Foster City, CA.

What You’ll Do

• Own end-to-end program management for embedded firmware development across multiple vehicle systems.
• Build and drive firmware release plans, including feature freeze, code complete, integration, validation, and final sign-off.
• Synchronize firmware deliverables with hardware build events, including EVT, DVT, and PVT.
• Coordinate dependencies across hardware, firmware, software, systems engineering, functional safety, validation, manufacturing, procurement, and vehicle development.
• Ensure bootloaders, drivers, diagnostics, and test firmware are ready for hardware bring-up.
• Lead manufacturing firmware activities, including factory flashing, provisioning, secure-key injection, end-of-line testing, version control, and contract manufacturer coordination.
• Manage release strategy, defect triage, defect burn-down, change control, and production readiness.
• Identify program risks early and drive mitigation plans to completion.
• Provide clear, concise updates to engineering teams, cross-functional partners, and senior leadership.
• Establish structured processes and reporting methods that improve execution across fast-moving programs.

Required Qualifications

• 6+ years of Technical Program Management or Engineering Program Management experience supporting firmware or embedded software programs.
• Demonstrated experience taking embedded products from requirements through bring-up, validation, and production release.
• Direct experience managing firmware in a manufacturing environment, including factory flashing, provisioning, end-of-line testing, and firmware version control through a contract manufacturer.
• Experience owning embedded software release management and defect triage, including branching strategy, code freezes, release criteria, and sign-off.
• Strong experience coordinating hardware, firmware, software, functional safety, validation, and systems engineering teams.
• Background in automotive, consumer electronics, or similarly complex hardware products strongly preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related discipline—or equivalent relevant experience.
• Proficiency with tools such as Jira, Confluence, and Gantt-based program planning.
• Familiarity with Git-based development workflows and continuous integration systems.
• Excellent communication, organization, risk management, and stakeholder-influence skills.
• Ability to remain effective and adaptable during rapid development cycles and ambiguity.

Bonus Qualifications

• Knowledge of SoC or MCU bring-up, bootloaders, secure boot, Linux BSPs, and device drivers.
• Familiarity with sensor interfaces such as MIPI/CSI, SerDes, Ethernet, SPI, and I2C.
• Experience with time synchronization, diagnostics, OTA or field updates, and firmware change control.
• Experience managing silicon, sensor, or module vendors against BSP and SDK delivery schedules.
• Experience leading at least two complete product-development cycles involving tightly integrated hardware, firmware, and software.
• Experience supporting mass production and post-production sustaining programs.
• Autonomous vehicle, automotive, aerospace, or advanced test-platform experience.
• PMP certification or an advanced engineering degree.

This is an excellent opportunity for a firmware-focused TPM who knows how to influence without formal authority, manage highly interconnected technical dependencies, and bring structure to ambitious engineering programs.