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OpenAI's Robotics team is seeking a Technical Program Manager to own actuator development and integration from system goals through production readiness. The role spans the full lifecycle of electromechanical actuator systems, coordinating across mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, firmware, controls, test, reliability, manufacturing, and supply chain teams.
Key responsibilities include:
- Drive actuator programs end-to-end, aligning scope, milestones, interfaces, dependencies, and exit criteria across engineering teams
- Facilitate scope lock and technical convergence for sprints, MVPs, and stretch goals while connecting component decisions to system performance
- Coordinate development across motors, gears, sensing, electronics, and firmware, ensuring electrical and mechanical interfaces integrate seamlessly with the broader robot system
- Lead validation planning from early prototypes through engineering validation, reliability testing, and production readiness
- Drive tradeoff decisions across cost, quality, performance, schedule, and lead time by collaborating cross-functionally and quantifying impact
- Establish effective mechanisms for technical reviews, change control, design releases, decision tracking, and manufacturing readiness
- Surface risks early and drive decisions, owners, and actions to closure
Ideal candidates have led complex electromechanical hardware programs from development through manufacturing, understand hardware development realities including prototype cycles and long-lead parts, and can work effectively across diverse technical disciplines. Success is measured by aligned cross-functional scope and milestones, convergence on decisions connected to system performance, well-planned validation strategies, and early risk surfacing with clear mitigation paths.
The role is based in San Francisco and requires in-person presence 4 days per week.
