Technical Program Manager

3M•Austin, TX

12d•$250,253 - $305,864•Onsite

About The Position

This position provides an opportunity to transition from other private, public, government or military experience to a 3M career. As the Technical Program Manager for EBO, you will drive the technical and operational success of new product introduction (NPI) and sustaining programs from development through hyperscale volume production. You will lead and align a cross-functional team of engineers-including Product Engineering, Supplier Quality Engineering, Test Engineering, and DFx-to ensure contract manufacturers are fully prepared to meet production readiness and scale requirements. You will serve as the primary technical escalation point for issues related to ferrule production processes, driving root cause analysis and resolution to keep programs on schedule and quality targets intact. Your ability to manage complexity, anticipate risk, and coordinate across engineering, manufacturing, and supply chain functions will directly enable seamless transitions from NPI into mass production-ensuring 3M continues to deliver reliable, high-quality products at scale.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or higher (completed and verified prior to start)
Seven (7) years of combined experience in product engineering, process engineering, manufacturing engineering, or technical program management within a hardware/optics manufacturing environment.
Five (5) years of demonstrated experience leading or directly supporting new product introduction (NPI) programs from development through mass production.
Five (5) years of hands-on experience with root cause analysis and corrective action processes (e.g., 8D, DMAIC, fishbone/Ishikawa analysis) in a manufacturing or production environment.
Three (3) years of experience working directly with contract manufacturers (CMs) or external manufacturing partners on process qualification, technical issue resolution, or production ramp activities.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Manufacturing Engineering, or related technical field.
Experience with fiber optic components, connectors, or ferrule manufacturing processes specifically.
Background in high-volume, hyperscale, or precision manufacturing environments (e.g., semiconductor, optics, electronics, or medical device manufacturing).
Familiarity with Design for Excellence (DFx) principles, including Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and Design for Test (DFT).
Experience with statistical process control (SPC), process capability analysis (Cpk/Ppk), and yield improvement methodologies.
Working knowledge of quality systems and standards such as ISO 9001, IATF 16949, or similar.
Experience with PLM, MES, or quality management software systems (e.g., Windchill, SAP QM, Minitab).
Proven ability to mentor and develop junior engineers or technical team members.
Strong communication skills with experience presenting technical findings to senior leadership and cross-functional stakeholders.
Experience working in a global, matrixed organization with cross-time-zone collaboration.
Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional, technical teams (engineering, quality, manufacturing) to resolve complex production issues.
Hands-on experience with root cause analysis and corrective action processes (e.g., 8D, DMAIC, fishbone/Ishikawa analysis) in a manufacturing or production environment.
Experience working directly with contract manufacturers (CMs) or external manufacturing partners on process qualification, technical issue resolution, or production ramp activities.
Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional, technical teams (engineering, quality, manufacturing) to resolve complex production issues.
Willingness and ability to travel domestically and internationally (as required) to support contract manufacturer sites, up to approximately 25% of the time.

Responsibilities

Technical lead for manufacturing operations at Vendor(s)
Drive contract manufacturer preparation for pre-production builds
Serve as the primary technical authority and escalation point for all issues related to ferrule production processes, driving deep root cause analysis and hands-on problem-solving to ensure effective, permanent closure.
Provide technical leadership and direction to a cross-functional team of engineers (Product Engineering, Supplier Quality Engineering, Test Engineering, DFx, and others) throughout new product introduction (NPI) and sustaining production phases.
Own the technical readiness assessment of contract manufacturers, ensuring processes, tooling, and quality systems are fully capable of supporting hyperscale volume production.
Drive technical decision-making on process design, yield improvement, and manufacturability, partnering closely with DFx and process engineering to optimize production outcomes.
Lead technical deep-dives and root cause investigations for critical production issues, ensuring corrective and preventive actions are technically sound and sustainable at scale.
Guide engineering teams in resolving complex, cross-disciplinary technical challenges spanning product design, process engineering, and manufacturing execution.
Evaluate new process technologies, equipment, and methods to improve ferrule production quality, throughput, and cost-efficiency.
Collaborate with contract manufacturers' technical teams to troubleshoot production issues on-site or remotely, ensuring rapid and effective resolution.
Ensure technical solutions align with 3M quality standards, reliability requirements, and applicable regulatory guidelines.
Communicate technical risks, findings, and recommendations clearly to engineering leadership and cross-functional stakeholders to support informed decision-making.
Mentor and provide technical guidance to engineers on the team, fostering strong problem-solving capability and technical rigor.