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Applied Intuition is a $15B-valued AI infrastructure company powering physical intelligence for autonomous systems across automotive, defense, trucking, construction, mining, and agriculture. This Hardware Operations Program Manager role bridges rapid hardware iteration with the rigorous quality, safety, and field-reliability demands of mission-critical physical systems.
You will own end-to-end manufacturing execution and operational bring-up from early prototypes through commercial launch readiness. This includes managing complex hardware systems combining high-density electronics, embedded compute, sensors, hydraulics, and ruggedized enclosures. You'll work directly with contract manufacturers, tier-1 suppliers, system integrators, and internal engineering teams.
Key responsibilities:
**Dual-Domain Program Execution**: Drive end-to-end operational execution across prototype, EVT, DVT, and PVT milestone gates. Manage build schedules, clear-to-build tracking, and coordinate across contract manufacturers and joint-development partners. Balance consumer-tech speed with industrial/heavy-vehicle safety, compliance, and durability demands.
**Supply Chain & Cost Management**: Oversee BOM risk management, identifying single-source components and long-lead industrial parts early. Drive design-for-manufacturability (DFM/DFA) and design-for-serviceability (DFS) reviews with Mechanical, Electrical, and Systems Engineering. Partner with Strategic Sourcing on COGS tracking, tooling NRE budgets, and cost-reduction roadmaps.
**Quality & Field Readiness**: Lead factory line bring-ups and build yield tracking domestically and internationally. Enforce rigorous quality standards (ISO 9001, IATF 16949, military/industrial equivalents). Direct root-cause failure analysis (8D/CAPA) for build or field-test failures. Manage Engineering Change Orders to minimize scrap, rework, and field disruption.
Applied Intuition is primarily in-office (5 days/week from Sunnyvale HQ), with flexibility for occasional remote work and schedule accommodation. The company has offices in Washington D.C., San Diego, Ft. Walton Beach, Ann Arbor, London, Stuttgart, Munich, Stockholm, Bangalore, Seoul, and Tokyo.
**Requirements:**
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Mechatronics, Industrial Engineering, or Supply Chain Management
- 5+ years of experience in hardware operations, manufacturing engineering, or technical program management
- Proven track record delivering products in Consumer Electronics OR Complex Physical Industries (Automotive/Autonomous Vehicles, Heavy Trucking, Defense, Construction, Mining, Agricultural Robotics/Equipment)
- Direct experience with hardware validation lifecycles (EVT/DVT/PVT), high-reliability electronics assembly (PCBA), and system-level integration of heavy mechanical or electromechanical assemblies
- Hands-on experience managing Tier-1 industrial suppliers and global Contract Manufacturers (CMs)
- Proficiency in PLM tools (Agile, Arena, Windchill), ERP systems (SAP, NetSuite), and project tracking software (JIRA, MS Project)
**Nice to Have:**
- Experience spanning both fast-paced consumer tech and heavy industrial/automotive standards (PPAP, APQP, functional safety/ISO 26262)
- Deep knowledge of environmental testing for rugged applications (MIL-STD-810, IP ratings, thermal shock, high vibration)
- PMP certification or formal Lean Six Sigma credentials (Green/Black Belt)
