Staff Technical Program Manager, Software Verification & Validation

Ford Motor Company • Palo Alto, CA

6d • $150,200 - $283,500 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Staff Technical Program Manager supports hardware and software integration planning, vehicle software integration defect management, and release management for Ford Motor Company. The role leads verification and validation (V&V) activities and coordinates software integration and testing efforts to support timely, quality releases.

The position develops and maintains program plans, schedules, and budgets; aligns testing with project milestones and resource needs; manages dependencies such as procurement of test platforms and equipment; and identifies risks and mitigation strategies. It guides the V&V team, facilitates bug triage and release go/no-go meetings, coordinates with development, product management, operations, and other cross-functional teams, and communicates status and issues to stakeholders and senior management.

The role also tracks program KPIs and deliverables, triages defects identified through software integration, lab-car testing, vehicle testing, and driver mileage accumulation, and drives issue resolution and continuous improvement of V&V processes. The position is hybrid and requires onsite work four or more days per week.

Requirements

• B.S. or M.S. in computer science, software engineering, electrical engineering, or relevant work experience as a technical program manager in the automotive software space.
• Minimum of 5 years of program management experience, focused on software development, verification and validation, or quality assurance.
• Proven track record of successfully managing complex projects in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong understanding of V&V methodologies, tools, and best practices.
• Knowledge of electric vehicles and basic EV architecture.
• Knowledge of the software development lifecycle (SDLC) and quality assurance practices.
• Excellent project management skills, including the ability to create and manage detailed project plans.
• Strong understanding of Agile/SCRUM methodologies and related tools.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams and stakeholders.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Proficiency with project management tools and software, such as Microsoft Project, Confluence, and JIRA.
• Experience in defect management.
• Experience in release management.
• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States; employment eligibility verification is required at hire.

Nice To Haves

• Direct experience with automotive and electric vehicles; candidates with experience in similar domains such as aerospace will also be considered.
• Experience validating software on HILs or other test platforms.
• PMP or other project management certifications.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage multiple validation and verification activities, ensuring timely delivery and adherence to project plans.
• Develop and maintain detailed program plans, schedules, and budgets.
• Align testing activities with project timelines, milestones, and resource allocation.
• Manage engineering team dependencies, including procurement of test platforms and equipment needed for test execution.
• Manage program risks, identify dependencies, and develop mitigation strategies to support timely milestone execution.
• Provide guidance to the V&V team and foster a culture of quality and continuous improvement.
• Lead internal bug triage meetings to identify and assign next steps for open issues.
• Coordinate with development, product management, operations, and other teams to align V&V activities with project goals.
• Communicate program status, progress, and issues to stakeholders, including senior management.
• Manage go/no-go meetings to review the technical merits of open issues and make release decisions.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to gather and analyze testing requirements.
• Drive closure of key issues by working with development teams and other technical program managers.
• Analyze defect trends and patterns and recommend process improvements.
• Improve V&V processes and methodologies, using industry best practices and emerging technologies to optimize efficiency and effectiveness.
• Track and report program status, KPIs, and deliverables to leadership and stakeholders.
• Identify program risks and work cross-functionally to resolve conflicts.
• Triage defects resulting from software integration and lab-car testing.
• Triage defects from testing outside the Software organization, including vehicle tests and driver mileage accumulation.

Benefits

• Immediate medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage.
• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, and subsidized back-up child care.
• Family-building benefits, including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement and fertility treatments.
• Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases.
• Tuition assistance.
• Established and active employee resource groups.
• Paid time off for individual and team community service.
• Paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day.
• Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior