Contract - Sr Staff TPM/NPU

Cariad, Inc.•Mountain View, CA

23h•Hybrid

About The Position

We are CARIAD, an automotive software development team with the Volkswagen Group. Our mission is to make the automotive experience safer, more sustainable, more comfortable, more digital, and more fun. To achieve that we are building the leading tech stack for the automotive industry and creating a unified software platform for over 10 million new vehicles per year. We’re looking for talented, digital minds like you to help us create code that moves the world. Together with you, we’ll build outstanding digital experiences and products for all Volkswagen Group brands that will transform mobility. Join us as we shape the future of the car and everyone around it. Role Summary: The Sr Staff Technical Program Manager, NPU within the NPU Hardware & Software organization, is intended for an individual with a broad background in technical program management and semiconductor development, with significant experience managing complex chip development programs from architecture through production and external partner relationships. This role is responsible for driving the successful execution of CARIAD’s Neural Processing Unit (NPU) development, orchestrating the chip development lifecycle and managing schedules, dependencies, and deliverables across internal teams and external design partners. Additionally, this role owns end-to-end program execution for the NPU from architecture definition through tapeout, validation, and production readiness, working in close partnership with hardware and software engineering leads to coordinate complex interdependencies and ensure delivery against functional, quality, and schedule targets.

Requirements

Expert communicator across cultural and team boundaries
Expertise in motivating teams and fostering a collaborative and productive environment
Background in managing multiple and competing stakeholder interests; establishing trust, clear roles and responsibilities, and goodwill between partner engineering organizations
Experience managing cross-functional and/or cross-team projects
Stakeholder management expertise with ability to coordinate complex partner relationships
Risk assessment and mitigation capabilities with proactive problem-solving approach
Coordination expertise across technical teams and external partners
Collaborate and work with partners for hardware development and tests
Collaborate and work with multiple teams across geographies and time zones
Extensive knowledge of semiconductor development lifecycle including architecture, RTL design, verification, physical implementation, and validation
Strong understanding of chip design methodologies, EDA tools, and silicon manufacturing processes
Experience with both hardware and software development coordination in complex system programs
Knowledge of automotive industry standards and functional safety (ISO 26262) processes
Familiarity with AI/ML hardware architectures and NPU-specific design challenges
Proven track record of managing cross-functional teams and external partner relationships in semiconductor industry
10+ years of experience in technical program management with focus on semiconductor or chip development
5+ years of experience managing complex chip design programs from architecture through production
Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering.

Nice To Haves

Prior experience with NPU, GPU, or AI accelerator development programs
Background in automotive ADAS/AD applications and real-time system requirements
Experience with advanced packaging technologies and system-in-package integration
Knowledge of automotive qualification processes and production ramp methodologies
Experience with GenAI tools for accelerated engineering workflows and AI-assisted development practices
Enthusiasm for adopting innovative AI-augmented development practices and continuous learning in rapidly evolving GenAI technologies
Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering.

Responsibilities

Responsible for achieving project objectives on time, on specification, on budget and on quality deliveries for the complete NPU development lifecycle
Prepare, maintain and track formal project plans including schedules and deliverables across hardware design, verification, software, and system integration teams
Communicate engineering requirements, specifications, project schedule, and budget constraints to cross-functional teams, including engineers, senior management and external partners
Responsible for project reporting, risk management, and escalation processes
Administer a formal design review process to validate each development phase completion and readiness for next phase
Coordinate milestone tracking and dependency management across internal teams of 15+ engineers
Serve as primary interface with foundry partners (TSMC, GlobalFoundries, etc.) for process technology and manufacturing readiness
Manage relationships with design services partners for physical implementation, packaging, and test development
Coordinate with IP vendors for processor cores, interface IP, and memory controllers integration
Establish project schedules, technical requirements and delivery milestones with all external partners
Facilitate joint development activities including design reviews, milestone assessments, and technical problem resolution
Develop and maintain comprehensive risk registers with mitigation strategies and contingency plans
Coordinate cross-functional risk assessment meetings and drive resolution of technical and schedule risks
Establish quality gates and review processes aligned with automotive functional safety (ISO 26262) requirements
Support silicon validation planning and coordinate with test teams for comprehensive NPU verification
Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance development efficiency and quality