Technical Program Manager

Join a pioneering organization at the forefront of autonomous technology, helping shape the future of transportation through advanced software, infrastructure, connectivity, and AI-driven systems. We are seeking an experienced Technical Program Manager to lead highly complex engineering initiatives spanning multiple teams, technologies, and business priorities.

Please note: This is a 6-month W2 contract role requiring onsite work in Foster City, CA

About the Role

As a Technical Program Manager, you will operate with a high degree of autonomy and help set the standard for program execution across the organization. You will serve as a trusted partner to senior engineering and product leadership, driving strategic initiatives that span multiple teams, systems, and business lines.

This role is ideal for someone with deep technical intuition, strong organizational influence, and a proven ability to deliver large-scale engineering programs in complex, fast-moving environments.

What You Will Do

• Lead end-to-end program management for large-scale, multi-team engineering initiatives, from strategy and technical planning through execution and delivery.
• Partner closely with VP- and Director-level engineering and product leaders to influence roadmaps, resourcing decisions, sequencing, and organizational priorities.
• Define and continuously improve program management frameworks, processes, and best practices across the engineering organization.
• Drive alignment across complex dependencies involving multiple engineering teams, external partners, and competing priorities.
• Anticipate and proactively manage technical risks, escalations, trade-offs, and delivery challenges at both the program and portfolio level.
• Communicate clearly with executive audiences, translating technical complexity into business impact and strategic recommendations.
• Actively participate in architecture, system design, and technical scoping discussions, providing informed input on feasibility, sequencing, dependencies, and delivery risk.
• Leverage AI tools to support technical decision-making, program execution, and evaluation of design or code changes.

What You Bring

• 7+ years of experience in technical program management, with a strong track record of delivering complex, organization-wide engineering programs.
• Deep experience managing multi-team software programs across the full SDLC, including platform, infrastructure, distributed systems, or product initiatives.
• Strong technical foundation with the ability to engage credibly in architectural discussions, understand system design trade-offs, and assess technical risk.
• Exceptional communication and executive presence, with demonstrated success influencing without direct authority.
• Experience building, scaling, or improving program management processes, frameworks, and tooling.
• Ability to navigate ambiguity, create clarity, and make sound decisions in fast-paced, technically complex environments.
• Experience using AI tools to support technical analysis, design evaluation, or code-related decision-making.
• Understanding of agentic AI models, AI agents, and chatbot-based systems, including experience supporting or executing programs involving these technologies.
• Technical knowledge across areas including:
  
  
  
  • Wireless Technologies: 4G/5G, Multi-WAN load balancing
  • Networking: UDP/TCP, NAT traversal, network security, mTLS
  • Data & Distributed Systems: Kafka / KafkaJS, Protobuf serialization
  • Cloud Infrastructure: AWS, API Gateway, and related cloud services
  
  
  
  

Stand Out With (Nice-to-Haves)

• Experience within a software organization supporting infrastructure, platform, networking, connectivity, or product engineering.
• Familiarity with cloud platforms such as AWS, GCP, or Azure and distributed systems architecture.
• PMP, PgMP, Agile, or Scrum certification.
• Previous experience as a software engineer or in another hands-on technical role.
• Strong problem-solving, troubleshooting, and debugging skills.

About Aquent Talent:

Aquent Talent connects the best talent in marketing, creative, and design with the world's biggest brands. Our eligible talent get access to amazing benefits like subsidized health, vision, and dental plans, paid sick leave, and retirement plans with a match. We also offer free online training through Aquent Gymnasium. More information on our awesome benefits! Aquent is an equal-opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics. We're about creating an inclusive environment-one where different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives are valued, and everyone can contribute, grow their careers, and thrive.

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