Senior / Staff Technical Program Manager, Platform Software

Waabi

3d

About The Position

Waabi is seeking a Senior / Staff Technical Program Manager to own program-level execution for platform software across its hardware platforms. The role focuses on cross-functional integration among physical infrastructure, onboard software, embedded systems, hardware platform, systems engineering, vehicle reliability, and operations teams. The program manager connects teams with different delivery cadences, identifies gaps and critical-path dependencies, and ensures risks are visible and owned so platform software for trucks is delivered on time.

The role partners closely with Hardware Platform Managers to coordinate work needed to bring up different platforms. It establishes integrated plans, roadmaps, reporting, and scalable tracking processes, while ensuring stakeholder inputs are captured before design commitments are made. The position also tracks software releases, bring-up and test campaigns, test coverage, sign-off readiness, and milestone alignment. It requires a self-starting, technically broad and risk-focused program leader who can introduce useful structure, influence cross-functional teams, and turn ambiguity into clear milestones and success criteria.

Waabi is a technology startup developing technologies for autonomous transportation, including commercial autonomous trucks and robotaxis. The role is based in the United States; the posting lists an annual salary range of $150,000–$230,000 USD, plus equity incentives and an annual performance bonus. The company describes its workplace as inclusive and accessible and provides accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.

Requirements

• At least 5 years of technical program management experience, with a strong focus on cross-functional software integration programs for hardware platforms.
• Demonstrated experience working across teams with meaningfully different development cadences, such as robotics, autonomous vehicles, industrial automation, IoT, or defense systems.
• Deep understanding of software development lifecycles.
• Proven ability to build cross-functional program structure from scratch, including dependency maps, risk registries, executive reporting, and milestone tracking.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including writing concise executive one-pagers and facilitating engineering dependency reviews.
• Experience in autonomous vehicles or robotics.
• Familiarity with embedded systems and software development and their constraints.
• Hands-on experience with program tracking tools such as Jira, Asana, and Microsoft Project.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with onboard compute bring-up, physical infrastructure, or hardware-in-the-loop testing.
• Familiarity with hardware development and systems and safety processes, and their effects on software delivery timelines.
• Working understanding of automotive development processes such as ASPICE and how to adapt them to a nimble environment.
• Experience establishing or scaling a triage process for field issues across engineering teams.
• Background in systems engineering, computer engineering, electrical engineering, or a related technical discipline.

Responsibilities

• Define and maintain integrated platform software program plans covering key milestones, cross-team dependencies, and on-time delivery.
• Partner with Hardware Platform Managers to coordinate physical infrastructure, onboard software, and embedded systems work for bringing up different platforms.
• Capture and integrate stakeholder inputs into program plans before design commitments are finalized.
• Build and maintain dependency maps across Physical Infrastructure, Onboard Software, Embedded Systems, Hardware, and Operations; identify the critical path and ensure each dependency has an owner and ETA.
• Own reporting into executive forums and surface risks early with data-backed Path to Green options.
• Track platform software releases, bring-up and test campaigns, test coverage, sign-off readiness, and milestone alignment.
• Build cross-functional roadmaps that provide shared visibility into interdependencies and sequencing.
• Champion tools that provide a single source of truth for program work and ensure consistency across programs.
• Build scalable tracking mechanisms and systematic processes that work at fleet scale.
• Identify unrealistic assumptions and distinguish genuine blockers from process gaps through engagement with engineering teams.
• Create and iterate processes from scratch, adding structure without unnecessary overhead.
• Escalate problems early and provide options and clear status updates or Path to Green plans.
• Translate ambiguous goals into programs with defined success criteria, directly responsible individuals, and trackable milestones.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation and equity awards.
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage for full-time employees.
• Unlimited vacation.
• Flexible hours and work-from-home support.
• Daily drinks, snacks, and catered meals when in the office.
• Regular team-building activities and social events, on-site, off-site, and virtually.
• Annual performance bonus.

What This Job Offers

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