Program Manager, Development Testing Operations

Aurora Innovation•Pittsburgh, PA

About The Position

Aurora’s Product Operations team plays a critical role in turning development priorities into safe, executable testing outcomes. We partner closely with Engineering, Safety, and Operations to ensure development testing is planned, coordinated, and executed with rigor and speed. We are seeking a Program Manager I, Development Testing Operations to support the planning and execution of development testing activities across Aurora’s testing environments. This role is focused on program execution, coordination, and operational discipline, translating engineering requirements into structured test programs while balancing schedules, assets, and constraints. This is a hands-on role suited for someone who thrives in fast-paced environments and enjoys bringing clarity to complexity. You are the bridge between 'What' engineering wants to build and 'How' operations actually executes it. You will own the operational lifecycle of your assigned workstreams - from the first technical requirements doc to the final verification mile In this role you will Partner with Engineering, Safety, and Operations to turn development requirements into executable testing plans and milestones.

Requirements

3+ years of experience in Program Management, Project Management, Product Operations, Technical Operations, or a related role
Ability to develop a functional understanding of hardware/software stacks, including how sensors, calibration, and software versions interact to impact vehicle behavior.
Demonstrated experience with change management principles and successfully driving process improvements within an organization
Experience supporting technical or development programs in a cross-functional environment
Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple workstreams and competing priorities
Clear written and verbal communication skills, with comfort coordinating across technical and non-technical teams
Safety focused, with the ability to operate effectively in environments where safety is a core requirement
Flexible schedule with ability to work days, nights, and (or) weekends when required
Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, evolving environment with shifting priorities

Nice To Haves

Technical aptitude, including the ability to understand technical designs, SDLC concepts, challenges, and risks, and work closely with cross-functional teams
Proven experience managing relationships and expectations with senior leadership and cross-functional stakeholders
Experience supporting testing, validation, or development programs in a technology or engineering-driven organization
Comfort using basic data, dashboards, or reporting to support prioritization, risk tracking, and execution decisions
Experience in autonomous vehicle, automotive, robotics, logistics, or similarly complex operational environments
Passion for shipping new-to-market products and the ability to dynamically adapt to new responsibilities required to do so.

Responsibilities

Review and refine incoming test requests for clarity and feasibility to ensure "first-time execution success" and minimize re-testing.
Ensure all development tests are intentional, well-scoped, and directly aligned with defined engineering outcomes.
Establish a tight loop between execution teams and engineering stakeholders, translating technical blockers into actionable bug reports or process improvements.
Identify and advocate for necessary operational tooling, hardware diagnostics, and infrastructure support required to unblock testing for your assigned workstreams.
Define and manage "Operational Readiness" criteria for new features or hardware, ensuring safety protocols, tooling, and documentation are ready before testing.
Track progress and dependencies, proactively identifying blockers and escalating risks with context and recommended solutions.
Maintain clear program documentation, timelines, and status reporting for all cross-functional stakeholders.
Drive change adoption and capture lessons learned to incrementally improve development testing workflows.