Principal Program Manager

VEIR • Woburn, MA

2h • $170,000 - $200,000

About The Position

VEIR is a U.S.-based designer and manufacturer of category-defining superconducting power delivery systems built for the extreme energy demands of the AI era. Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Woburn, Massachusetts, VEIR commercializes next-generation superconducting technology into deployable, real-world systems, delivering ~10× higher power density than conventional options. VEIR’s initial focus is AI data centers behind the meter, with solutions engineered for repeatable deployment through reference designs and integrated controls.

The Principal Technical Program Manager owns end-to-end execution of VEIR product development, from ideation through at-scale production and deprecation, against VEIR's Product Development Process. This role is accountable for the integrated product development schedule, Exit Gate readiness, and the cross-functional interdependencies that determine whether we hit our milestones. It is the most technically senior program role at VEIR, with deep enough technical understanding to challenge engineering trade-offs and broad enough scope to see the downstream effects of decisions. The role leads the Technical Project Managers and sets the technical program management standard for the company. Technical program management at VEIR is an active, challenging function, not a reporting one. The Principal Technical Program Manager sets this expectation and backs the Technical Project Managers when they push on a plan that does not hold up, serving as the escalation point when a functional lead resists the challenge. When a test fails or a program misses, this role is accountable for ensuring the investigation converges and a credible recovery plan closes it out.

Requirements

• 10+ years of technical program management experience in hardware product development, with clear ownership of programs from concept through volume production.
• Deep working knowledge of a phase-gate or stage-gate product development process, and demonstrated ownership of gate readiness and deliverable compliance.
• Strong technical foundation — able to engage credibly on electrical, mechanical, thermal, and systems-level engineering trade-offs.
• Proven experience building and owning integrated master schedules across engineering, product management, supply chain, manufacturing, and operations.
• Demonstrated ability to identify cross-functional interdependencies and anticipate risk before it becomes schedule impact.
• Track record of leading and influencing matrixed teams and holding senior technical stakeholders accountable without formal authority.
• Exceptional communicator — drives clarity, resolves conflict, and escalates cleanly with a recommendation.
• Bachelor's degree in engineering

Nice To Haves

• Power electronics, low- and medium-voltage systems, cabling, or superconducting systems experience strongly preferred.
• Prior people management experience leading program or project managers.
• Experience taking a first-of-a-kind hardware product from prototype to manufacturing readiness at a startup or scaling company.
• Experience with grid infrastructure, transmission, utility, or data center power equipment.
• Advanced degree a plus.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end delivery of assigned products through PDP Phases 0–6: ideation, requirements and concept design, preliminary design and prototype testing, detailed design and integrated system testing, product launch and manufacturing readiness, at-scale production and sustain, and deprecation.
• Build and own the integrated product development schedule, defining milestones, dependencies, and the critical path across engineering, product management, supply chain, manufacturing, quality, and operations.
• Own Exit Gate readiness — confirm deliverable requirements are defined by the cross-functional team, tracked, and genuinely met before a program advances, and run the gate review.
• Support Product Management in the decision making process for system level trade-off decisions, and tracking the evaluation of identified improvements: what requirement are we solving, what customer value does it create, what does it cost in time and risk, and is good enough already available?
• Own the integrated view of engineering, product management, supply chain, manufacturing, and operations deliverables — taking planning and tracking burden off functional leads so they can focus on the technical work.
• Map cross-functional interdependencies rigorously and continuously; make the second- and third-order effects of a schedule change visible before the change is made.
• Drive schedule adherence with clear owners and dates, and hold the organization accountable to commitments made.
• Partner with the Principal Commercial Program Manager to confirm design maturity and hardware availability before VEIR quotes a customer commitment, and to ensure installation, commissioning, and O&M documentation is delivered with the hardware.
• Anticipate risk ahead of the team — look around the corner, pressure-test assumptions, and bring mitigation options rather than surfaced problems.
• Own the product program risk register and drive mitigation to closure.
• Ensure root cause investigations following test failures or escapes are convened, converge on an answer, and close with a credible recovery plan — Engineering owns the technical conclusion, this role owns that it happens and holds.
• Require contingency planning on critical path items so programs have a validated Plan B before they need one.
• Lead, coach, and develop the Technical Project Managers; set the standard for planning rigor, technical challenge, communication quality, and follow-through — and back them when a challenge meets resistance.
• Communicate program status, risk, and required decisions clearly to the executive team, and escalate with a recommendation attached.

Benefits

• Healthcare coverage with 100% employer paid premiums for medical, dental, and vision
• 401(k) Retirement Savings Program
• 12 Company Holidays + unmetered PTO
• 12 Weeks 100% Paid Parental Leave for all new parents
• Stock Options
• Employee Assistant Program (EAP)
• Regular teambuilding, off-sites, and lunch & learns

What This Job Offers

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