Senior Engineering Program Manager II - New Ventures

Own phase gate execution (Concept, SP, EVT, DVT/PVT, Mass Production) with formally defined entry/exit criteria, evidence packages, and readiness reviews

Prepare and present gate readiness assessments to leadership -- evidence-based arguments for why the program is or is not ready to proceed, not status slides

Establish and enforce governance cadence: weekly execution reviews, bi-weekly risk reviews, monthly executive briefings, and ad-hoc decision forums when issues demand rapid resolution

Maintain the decision log -- every material decision, who made it, what alternatives were considered, what evidence supported it, and what constraints applied

Own the risk register end-to-end: identification, qualitative and quantitative assessment (likelihood, severity, detectability, schedule/cost impact), response planning, and active monitoring

Conduct structured risk analysis using FMEA methodology for hardware and manufacturing processes

Drive risk response strategies (avoid, mitigate, transfer, accept) with assigned owners, funded mitigations, and measurable triggers

Quantify schedule confidence on key milestones -- probabilistic assessment, not single-point estimates

Track risk velocity and trending: which risks are heating up, which are cooling down, and what the aggregate posture looks like week over week

Serve as the primary hardware execution voice to VP-level and C-level leadership -- milestone readiness, risk posture, budget health, and critical path

Translate complex technical situations into decision frameworks: options, tradeoffs, recommendation, and rationale

Represent the hardware program in cross-program reviews, QBRs, MBRs, and customer trial readiness assessments

Manage expectations proactively -- bad news delivered early with a mitigation plan is always better than surprises at the gate

Manage contract manufacturer relationships across multiple international sites (Taiwan, Belgium, Poland) -- accountability, delivery performance, quality, and cost

Own PCB/PCBA supply chain execution: fab house qualification, dual-sourcing strategy, yield tracking, root cause analysis on quality escapes, and supplier corrective actions

Drive factory readiness for each build phase: test fixtures, assembly stations, calibration equipment, operator training, SOPs, production line layout, and throughput validation

Lead hardware build execution at contract manufacturers -- on-site during critical builds

Manage vendor budgets, purchase order tracking, and statement-of-work execution within approved spend envelopes

Drive procurement planning aligned to the IMS: long-lead item identification, vendor lead time management, and material availability gates

Lead design reviews (CDR, TRR, MRR) and drive engineering closure on open items with assigned owners and due dates

Partner with EE, ME, FW, and test engineering to ensure design intent translates into manufacturable, testable, certifiable hardware

Drive DFM/DFA/DFT reviews at the design stage -- before parts are ordered, not after

Manage the BOM lifecycle from prototype through production: ECO processes, alternate part qualification, and design-to-cost optimization

Coordinate hardware certification activities (FCC, CE, radio type approval) with test labs and regulatory agencies, ensuring certification milestones are integrated into the IMS

Ensure export control compliance (ITAR/EAR) for international hardware shipments and controlled technical data access at contract manufacturer sites

Drive product safety and reliability requirements through design, manufacturing, and field operations

Ensure execution is aligned to the division's strategic objectives: international GA by EOY 2026, customer trials mid-year, and next-gen product announcements at key industry events

Track and report program-level KPIs: schedule performance, cost performance, risk burn-down, milestone completion rate, and build yield

Drive lessons learned capture at each phase gate as a living input to the next build cycle and to next-generation products

Identify and champion process improvements across program execution, tools, and cross-functional interfaces

10+ years of engineering program management in hardware product development (aerospace, defense, robotics, automotive, medical devices, or complex consumer electronics)

Track record of owning and delivering complex multi-disciplinary hardware products from prototype through mass production at scale (10K+ units), managing the interdependencies across hardware, firmware, test, manufacturing, certification, and supply chain simultaneously

Direct experience managing contract manufacturers in Asia (Taiwan, China, Korea, or Japan) including on-site build oversight and supplier quality management

Integrated Master Schedule ownership: building, maintaining, and defending schedules with 500+ tasks, cross-functional dependency chains, and critical path analysis

Formal risk management practice: risk registers, quantitative scoring, FMEA, response planning, risk trending, and executive risk communication

Phase gate process ownership: defining entry/exit criteria, assembling evidence packages, and presenting readiness arguments to senior leadership

Change control and configuration management discipline across hardware revisions and multi-site builds

Deep understanding of PCB/PCBA manufacturing, supply chain management, yield optimization, and supplier corrective action processes

Strong technical foundation: ability to read schematics, understand mechanical tolerances, and engage credibly with EE, ME, and FW engineers on design and manufacturing tradeoffs

Excellent written and verbal communication: executive-ready briefings, vendor negotiations, and the ability to translate technical complexity into leadership decision frameworks

Bachelor's degree in engineering, physics, or related technical field

Must be able to qualify for an export control license (ITAR)

PgMP (Program Management Professional) or PMP certification

Experience with autonomous systems, UAS/drones, or robotics hardware

Familiarity with Earned Value Management (EVM) principles applied to hardware programs

Experience with schedule risk analysis (Monte Carlo simulation or equivalent probabilistic methods)

Experience managing programs with $5M+ annual budgets and 5+ active vendors simultaneously

MS Project, Jira, Confluence, or equivalent integrated scheduling and tracking toolsets

Lean/Six Sigma methodology, PFMEA, or structured quality framework experience

Experience with ITAR/EAR-controlled hardware programs and international shipment compliance

Multi-lingual or experience working across culturally diverse international teams

Own the integrated hardware schedule, present critical path posture and top 5 risks to leadership with confidence

Establish direct relationships with all contract manufacturers and key component vendors

Complete a full risk register review and present aggregate risk posture with current evidence

Absorb current program state mid-flight: every open risk, every pending build, every vendor dependency, every certification milestone

Successfully execute at least one major hardware build milestone (EVT or PVT) with formal phase gate review

Reduce hardware-related schedule variance through proactive vendor management and early-warning systems

Be the recognized single-threaded owner for all hardware execution decisions -- engineering, manufacturing, and leadership know you are the person

Establish governance rhythm that the entire cross-functional team relies on

Ship certified hardware for international customer trials on schedule

Build and execute the production ramp plan for international launch

Deliver a lessons-learned package that feeds the playbook for next-generation products

Demonstrate measurable improvement in schedule predictability and risk response effectiveness vs. the baseline you inherited

Competitive salary and 401k with employer match

Discretionary paid time off

Paid parental leave for all

Medical, Dental, Vision plans

Fitness Programs

Emotional & Mental Wellness support

Learning & Development programs

And yes, we have snacks in our offices

Benefits listed herein may vary depending on the nature of your employment and the location where you work.

Don’t meet every single requirement? That's ok. At Axon, we Aim Far. We think big with a long-term view because we want to reinvent the world to be a safer, better place. We are also committed to building diverse teams that reflect the communities we serve.

Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they check every box in the job description. If you’re excited about this role and our mission to Protect Life but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification listed here, we encourage you to apply anyways. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Important Notes

The above job description is not intended as, nor should it be construed as, exhaustive of all duties, responsibilities, skills, efforts, or working conditions associated with this job. The job description may change or be supplemented at any time in accordance with business needs and conditions.

Some roles may also require legal eligibility to work in a firearms environment.

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Axon’s mission is to Protect Life and is committed to the well-being and safety of its employees as well as Axon’s impact on the environment. All Axon employees must be aware of and committed to the appropriate environmental, health, and safety regulations, policies, and procedures. Axon employees are empowered to report safety concerns as they arise and activities potentially impacting the environment.

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