Technical Program Manager, Robotics & Autonomy

FieldAI • Irvine, CA

2d • Onsite

About The Position

FieldAI is seeking a technically strong Technical Program Manager to lead large-scale, customer-focused robotics and autonomy programs from inception through deployment and ongoing operations. The role owns complex delivery efforts for customers operating in real environments and requires deep technical understanding, strong execution, and cross-functional collaboration across engineering, operations, and customer-facing teams.

The Technical Program Manager serves as the technical project lead for customer engagements, coordinating work across autonomy software, systems, hardware, data, and operations. The role translates customer requirements into technical plans, milestones, and timelines; drives operational readiness and field deployments; manages risks and dependencies; and communicates status and mitigation plans to internal stakeholders and customers. The position supports on-site customer engagements and deployments, with travel of up to 30%.

The role is based with FieldAI’s Irvine team, where systems are built and tested on real hardware and sensors before being deployed in unstructured environments. The company describes its work as developing reliable, risk-aware, field-ready AI systems for robotics and embodied intelligence.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 2–4 years of experience leading complex technical programs in a fast-paced technology environment.
• Strong technical background in software, systems, or hardware engineering.
• Hands-on understanding of autonomy or self-driving software systems.
• Experience delivering projects involving robotics, embedded systems, or real-time platforms.
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and drive execution without direct authority.
• Strong understanding of software development lifecycles (SDLC) and Agile methodologies.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex technical topics to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple customer programs simultaneously.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with mobile robotics, autonomous vehicles, drones, or embedded systems.
• Background in data delivery, data capture, security, or system-level integration.
• Experience working closely with field operations or customer deployments in production environments.
• PMP, Scrum Master, or Agile certification.
• Experience in a startup or high-growth company with a strong bias for ownership and execution.
• Comfort acting as a trusted technical partner to customers in high-stakes, real-world deployments.

Responsibilities

• Lead large-scale, customer-focused robotics and autonomy programs from planning through deployment and operational handoff.
• Act as the technical project lead for customer engagements, owning execution across autonomy software, systems, hardware, data, and operations.
• Translate customer requirements into clear technical plans, milestones, and delivery timelines.
• Drive cross-functional execution with engineering, product, operations, technical support, and customer success teams.
• Oversee operational readiness and field deployments, surface operational issues, and ensure they are addressed by the appropriate technical owners.
• Proactively manage project risks, dependencies, and tradeoffs to ensure successful customer outcomes.
• Communicate project status, challenges, and mitigation plans clearly to internal stakeholders and customers.
• Support on-site customer engagements and deployments, with up to 30% travel.

What This Job Offers

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