Program Manager of Technical Development

DLB Associates

18d•$140,000 - $185,000•Remote

About The Position

The Program Manager of Technical Development is responsible for the technical quality, standards, and capability of the Field Services workforce. The role ensures commissioning execution is technically rigorous and consistent across projects and sites by developing field competency, owning technical standards and SOPs, and continuously improving processes and workflows. The Program Manager partners with the Program Managers for Projects and People and reports to the Associate Director, providing technical input for staffing readiness, delivery risk, and training investment decisions. The role’s primary objective is to make commissioning execution correct, consistent, and scalable across Field Services programs while building a workforce capable of handling complex systems and abnormal conditions without relying on a small group of senior experts. The position is remote within the United States, requires residence near a major airport, and involves approximately 50% domestic travel plus occasional international travel.

Requirements

Deep technical expertise in electrical and/or mechanical commissioning systems.
Demonstrated ability to develop and enforce technical standards at program scale.
Experience developing SOPs, workflows, and technical process documentation.
Advanced troubleshooting and system-level thinking capability.
Strong training, mentoring, and technical knowledge-transfer capability.
Ability to translate field observations into scalable process improvements.
Ability to leverage AI and emerging technologies to improve standards development, training delivery, and technical documentation.
Ability to operate effectively in a high-growth, distributed, remote environment.
Ability to work successfully remotely through effective communication and organizational skills, self-motivation, proactiveness, and resourcefulness in a distraction-free workspace.
Effective oral and written communication of technical and non-technical information.
Ability to work independently and as a team member with moderate supervision.
Ability to analyze complex information and develop plans to address identified issues.
Proficiency in MS Office Suite and commissioning documentation tools.
Organizational skills and ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Construction Management, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
Minimum 8 years of experience in commissioning or mission-critical construction.
Must hold or be able to obtain NFPA 70E and OSHA 30 certifications as required.
Must reside near a major airport.
Must hold a valid driver’s license and be able to rent vehicles.
Must hold or be able to obtain a valid REAL ID or passport for domestic air travel.

Responsibilities

Develop, implement, and maintain commissioning SOPs, workflows, templates, and client programmatic requirements across programs.
Monitor consistent application of technical standards across active projects and sites, and proactively address deviations.
Own technical onboarding for new projects and programs, including integrating workflows, documenting client requirements, and training field teams before execution.
Maintain a centralized, accessible repository of technical processes, deliverables, and field insights.
Provide technical input on proposals and scope reviews to ensure execution approaches, staffing qualifications, and deliverable commitments are technically sound.
Identify workforce technical skill gaps and develop plans to address them through training, mentoring, and field coaching.
Deliver or coordinate onsite technical training, hands-on instruction, and real-time coaching during commissioning execution.
Build workforce capability in troubleshooting, system-level understanding, and response to abnormal conditions.
Partner with the Program Manager – People on development planning and provide technical competency input into promotion-readiness calibration.
Assess Technical Lead and SME performance, identify development needs, and identify succession candidates within the technical track.
Serve as the primary escalation point for complex technical issues during commissioning and testing, resolving them at this role’s level before escalating to the Associate Director.
Provide technical oversight and support during critical project phases, high-risk testing activities, and complex system integrations.
Ensure technical accuracy and rigor in testing documentation, commissioning plans, and reports.
Audit technical deliverable quality across active projects, identify recurring issues, and initiate root cause analysis and standards updates as needed.
Conduct regular site visits to observe technical execution, validate standards compliance, and provide field coaching.
Capture project lessons learned and incorporate them into SOPs, workflows, and training content.
Continuously improve technical processes so standards become more efficient, scalable, and consistently adopted.
Develop programmatic responses to recurring technical execution gaps rather than relying on one-off interventions.
Prepare the technical capability and standards-compliance section of routine reporting for Associate Director review and compilation.
Partner with the Program Manager – Projects to support field application of technical standards and provide early warning about technical gaps affecting schedule, quality, or delivery risk.
Partner with the Program Manager – People to align training priorities with workforce readiness and communicate capability requirements for staffing and hiring decisions.
Provide the Associate Director with input on capability gaps, workforce readiness, and technical risk across the program portfolio.
Coordinate with the Associate Director of Technical Development on programmatic and departmental standardization and training initiatives.
Complete assigned tasks and deliverables on time and on budget.
Perform other related duties as assigned.

Benefits

Choice of comprehensive medical plans, including two PPO-style plans and a high-deductible health plan with HSA option.
Flexible spending accounts (FSA).
Dental and vision plans.
Medical, dental, and vision benefits extended to a spouse or domestic partner and dependent children up to age 26.
401(k) with company match and a self-directed brokerage account option.
PTO, including additional paid time off during the last week of the year.
Company-paid life insurance coverage for employees and eligible dependents.
Short- and long-term disability and AD&D coverage.
Professional development opportunities, tuition reimbursement, and professional licensing assistance.
Paid parental leave after one year of employment.