Manager, TPM / Infotainment

Cariad, Inc. • Mountain View, CA

20h • $185,400 - $268,830

About The Position

We are CARIAD, an automotive software development team with the Volkswagen Group. Our mission is to make the automotive experience safer, more sustainable, more comfortable, more digital, and more fun. To achieve that we are building the leading tech stack for the automotive industry and creating a unified software platform for over 10 million new vehicles per year. We’re looking for talented, digital minds like you to help us create code that moves the world. Together with you, we’ll build outstanding digital experiences and products for all Volkswagen Group brands that will transform mobility. Join us as we shape the future of the car and everyone around it.
Role Summary:
The Manager, Technical Program Management for Hardware Platform Development leads the planning and execution of assigned North American hardware computing platform deliverables. This role focuses on aligning internal hardware, electrical, mechanical, validation, and manufacturing teams, while coordinating closely with global engineering, JDM partners, and suppliers to ensure that high-compute vehicle platforms meet functional, performance, cost, and schedule targets.
This leader is responsible for driving program clarity, defining cross-functional expectations, and ensuring timely execution across the hardware development lifecycle—from concept and prototype readiness through design validation, industrialization, and production ramp. The role also manages a team of TPMs, fostering a high-performance culture built on accountability, transparency, and collaboration.
Additionally, this role serves as the Technical Program Manager for the Infotainment hardware program, owning hands-on execution of technical hardware development and working closely with cross-functional engineering teams, vehicle brands (Audi/Porsche/VW), and joint development and manufacturing partners to enable successful execution and production launch of the Infotainment hardware.

Requirements

• Deep knowledge of vehicle hardware development phases (EVT, DVT, PVT) and milestone expectations
• Experience driving safety, regulatory, and EMC-related deliverables for production hardware
• Strong understanding of hardware maturity levels, bring-up, validation strategies, and supplier/manufacturer readiness
• Familiarity with system-level integration between hardware, vehicle networks, and enabling software components
• Proven experience leading programs involving global suppliers, JDM partnerships, or contract manufacturers
• Experience supporting cost, BOM, sourcing, and manufacturability in collaboration with supply chain teams
• Familiarity with risk management for hardware programs (thermal, electrical, power, mechanical, reliability)
• Strong knowledge of Infotainment HW.
• Previous experience of TPM in Infotainment HW domain.
• Previous experience with HW product launch in Automative domain in high volume.
• 8+ years of experience managing complex hardware or integrated hardware/software programs.
• 4+ years of experience leading people and teams.
• Proven experience delivering high volume automotive hardware products to production.
• Demonstrated success managing global suppliers, JDM partnerships, or contract manufacturers.
• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field, or equivalent experience.

Nice To Haves

• Detailed understanding of vehicle network topology and in-vehicle computing system interactions
• Experience taking a hardware computing platform through to mass production
• Knowledge of functional safety and cybersecurity concepts as they apply to hardware systems
• Exposure to board-level design, SoC requirements, or embedded compute module development
• Master’s degree in Engineering or related technical discipline preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a TPM team supporting hardware execution
• Foster a culture of collaboration, inclusion, transparency, and accountability
• Manage staffing, team development, hiring strategy, and performance oversight
• Support career development and enable TPM excellence across the organization
• Drive the end-to-end execution of the high-compute Infotainment hardware platform, ensuring alignment across electrical, mechanical, validation, reliability, and manufacturing team for successful launch.
• Establish technical objectives and integration points with JDM partners, SoC vendors, and internal platform engineering
• Manage risk mitigation plans across thermal, power, mechanical, and validation workstreams
• Coordinate readiness for major hardware development gates (EVT, DVT, PVT)
• Oversee partner execution and ensure deliverables meet CARIAD’s technical and quality requirements
• Support sourcing, BOM optimization, and manufacturability topics with supply chain teams
• Facilitate technical reviews, long-lead procurement planning, and production readiness activities
• Track supplier performance, escalate issues, and drive closure on open technical items
• Define maturity expectations, milestones, and long-term hardware roadmaps in collaboration with global HPD leadership
• Build durable tools, processes, and reporting structures for hardware tracking
• Generate executive-level reporting for schedule, risk, cost, dependencies, and readiness
• Lead structured problem-solving efforts during hardware bring-up, integration builds, and validation
• Drive rapid triage and cross-functional alignment on critical hardware issues
• Define and institutionalize best practices for scale across future hardware generations

Benefits

• Benefits include medical, dental, vision, 401k with employer match and defined contribution plan, short and long term disability, basic life and AD&D insurance, employee assistance program, tuition reimbursement and student loan repayment plans, maternity and non-primary caregiver leave, adoption assistance, employee referral program and vacation and paid holidays.
• We also offer a unique vehicle lease program that covers registration and insurance fees.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager