Who we are

Aurora’s mission is to deliver the benefits of self-driving technology safely, quickly, and broadly.

The Aurora Driver will create a new era in mobility and logistics, one that will bring a safer, more efficient, and more accessible future to everyone.

At Aurora, you will tackle massively complex problems alongside other passionate, intelligent individuals, growing as an expert while expanding your knowledge. For the latest news from Aurora, visit aurora.tech or follow us on LinkedIn.

Aurora hires talented people with diverse backgrounds who are ready to help build a transportation ecosystem that will make our roads safer, transfer crucial goods where they need to go, and make mobility more efficient and accessible for all. We’re searching for a Technical Program Manager to join Aurora’s Lidar - Hardware Engineering team. The Lidar - Hardware Engineering team is responsible for coordinating and delivering lidar products from concept to production as an integral sensor to the Aurora Driver. As a Program Manager for our Lidar division, you will drive the end-to-end lifecycle of high-performance sensing hardware, from initial prototype builds through design validation and production scaling. You will serve as the connective tissue between engineering, supply chain, contract manufacturing and executive leadership to ensure technical milestones are met on time and within budget.

In this role, you will

Program Lifecycle Leadership: Lead Lidar product development through a local prototype build and Design Validation Testing (DVT); initiate and coordinate long-term scaling strategies.
Strategic Planning: Build and maintain detailed schedules that reconcile top-down executive constraints with bottoms-up technical development timelines.
Project Governance: Own the tracking and reporting of program scope, risk, and cost; deliver weekly status updates tailored to diverse audiences from engineers to executives.
Cross-Functional Orchestration: Partner with Safety, ME, EE, Optical, Firmware, DSP, DVP&R, and Manufacturing teams to synchronize technical workstreams and ensure a cohesive plan that meets all program objectives.
Supply & Manufacturing Integration: Support Global Supply Management (GSM) in supplier selection and the development of partnerships with Contract Manufacturers (CMs).
Operational Excellence: Refine existing tools or introduce new tools for change management, budget tracking, and workflow automation to instill a highly efficient programmatic mindset.
Risk & Conflict Resolution: Proactively identify communication gaps and resource conflicts; remove roadblocks to maintain momentum toward aggressive development goals.

Required Qualifications

Experience: 5+ years in hardware product program management, project management, or engineering leadership.
Project Tooling: 5+ years of experience in program/project management tools; spreadsheets, gantt programs: Smartsheets/MS Project, and Jira.
Execution: Proven track record of deconstructing complex projects into milestones and delivering results on schedule.
Communication: Exceptional verbal and written skills, with the ability to distill complex information for audiences at all levels.
Leadership: Expert collaborator with a high degree of organization and the ability to influence and motivate cross-functional teams under tight deadlines.
Technical Aptitude: Strong ability to grasp technical designs, interpret between technical fields, and proactively identify associated risks and challenges.
Manufacturing: 2+ years of experience transitioning technical products to contract manufacturers and managing production scaling.
Location & Travel: Based in Bozeman, MT, with the ability to travel up to 25% (including international). Minimum of 3 days in the office required, with 5 days in-office highly encouraged.

Desirable Qualifications

Experience with managing a product through automotive qualification milestones.
Experience managing licensed Intellectual Property
Experience managing a budget
Experience with sensor development, preferably Lidar or Radar

The base salary range for this position is $163,000-$261,000 per year. Aurora’s pay ranges are determined by role, level, and location. Within the range, the successful candidate’s starting base pay will be determined based on factors including job-related skills, experience, qualifications, relevant education or training, and market conditions. These ranges may be modified in the future. The successful candidate will also be eligible for an annual bonus, equity compensation, and benefits.

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Working at Aurora
At Aurora, we bring together extraordinarily talented and experienced people united by the strength of our values. We operate with integrity, set outrageous goals, and build a culture where we win together — all without any jerks.

We believe in-person work increases collaboration, empathy and our ability to lead effectively. As a result, we operate in a hybrid work environment where Aurorans are in office at least 3 days per week.

Our Careers page provides insight into what it is like to work at Aurora, and you can find all the latest updates in our Newsroom.

Our commitment to safety

At the core of everything we do is our commitment to safety. Building best-in-class self-driving technology will take time, and we believe that each employee at Aurora has a role in contributing to safety, every step of the way. Aurora expects commitment to our safety policies from every employee, and seeks candidates who take an active responsibility, can contribute to building an atmosphere of trust, and invest in the organization’s long-term success by prioritizing working safely, no matter what.

Our commitment to inclusion

Aurora considers candidates without regard to their race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy status, parent or caregiver status, ancestry, political affiliation, veteran and/or military status, physical or mental disability, or any other status protected by federal or state law. Aurora considers qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state, and local law. We are also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at [email protected].

For California applicants, information collected and processed as part of your application and any job applications you choose to submit is subject to Aurora’s California Employment Privacy Policy.

Staff Technical Program Manager, Lidar

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