Project Manager

Kickmaker • Austin, TX

6d • $110,000 - $150,000

About The Position

Kickmaker is an engineering consultancy and design office with end-to-end capabilities, supporting high-tech projects from strategic vision through mass production. Its teams combine hardware, software, and industrial expertise across the United States, France, and China.

The Project Manager will serve as a trusted advisor to clients including CTOs, VPs of Engineering, and founders. This advisory role also carries commercial ownership: leading discovery and strategy conversations, reframing client challenges, recommending actionable paths forward, and explaining how Kickmaker can deliver the work. The role owns strategic accounts and opportunities while guiding engineering teams and coordinating with engineering and operations leads in the US and France.

The stated annual salary range is $110,000–$150,000 for the fixed component of compensation. The position is also eligible for a variable component based on achievement of agreed objectives.

Requirements

• At least 10 years of hardware engineering experience in robotics, with deep NPI experience and products helped from prototype through production.
• Ability to debate design choices as an equal with senior client engineers and earn their trust.
• Executive presence, including a clear point of view, comfort disagreeing with C-level leaders, and ability to turn technical arguments into business decisions.
• Experience with consultative, long-cycle B2B sales.
• Excellent written and verbal English.
• US-based and authorized to work in the US.
• Ready to travel for clients.

Nice To Haves

• Background at an engineering, deep-tech, or product development consultancy taking hardware from concept to production, or experience founding a hardware startup.
• Proven transition into strategic or commercial work, such as CTO, VP of Engineering, CCO, General Manager, Principal Consultant, Senior Solutions Leader, or Director of Sales Engineering, with accounts grown or deals closed.
• R&D background, including patents, publications, or leadership of an advanced engineering lab.
• Experience with manufacturing transfer and outsourced supply chains.
• Strong network among US hardware, robotics, medtech, industrial, or consumer-electronics leaders.
• Exposure to US deployment of French or European businesses.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical strategy discussions with senior client stakeholders and constructively challenge assumptions to drive better outcomes.
• Shape and defend proposals, focusing on architecture, make-versus-buy decisions, design for manufacturing (DFM), and industrialization trade-offs.
• Own Tier 0 strategic accounts and grow them across the product lifecycle, from prototype through EVT, DVT, and PVT to mass production.
• Generate new opportunities through Kickmaker’s network, industry events, and personal thought leadership, and drive opportunities through to signature.
• Guide Kickmaker engineering teams on assigned accounts by setting technical direction, keeping delivery on track, and ensuring client success from kickoff to handover.
• Partner with engineering and operations leads in the US and France to oversee scoping and risk management.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed