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Exowatt is a venture-backed clean energy company (founded 2023, backed by Andreessen Horowitz, Sam Altman, and Felicis) developing the P3 system—a modular solar energy capture, thermal storage, and on-demand electricity generation platform designed for AI infrastructure and large-scale power demands.
You will serve as Technical Program Manager, owning end-to-end program execution from design release through supplier onboarding, new product introduction (NPI), and volume production ramp. You report to the Head of Supply Chain & Manufacturing and act as the connective tissue between Engineering, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Quality, Operations, and executive leadership.
Key Responsibilities:
- Own cross-functional program plans across all functions, including milestones, dependencies, critical path, and executive-ready status reporting.
- Drive NPI for P3 subsystems and modules: lead phase-gate reviews (EVT, DVT, PVT), coordinate build plans, and close exit criteria with engineering and operations.
- Manage the supplier program calendar—onboarding, tooling, first-article inspection, PPAP/FAI, and capacity commitments—holding partners accountable to schedules and deliverables.
- Operate the production ramp by partnering with Manufacturing Engineering and Operations to sequence build slots, material availability, and yield targets against committed delivery dates.
- Identify and drive resolution of risks and bottlenecks (component lead times, tooling delays, supplier quality, design-change impact) before they hit the critical path.
- Build the program management operating system: cadences, dashboards, risk registers, RAID logs, and change-management processes that scale from units to fleets.
- Lead BOM release, ECO, and design-change coordination between Engineering and Supply Chain to ensure changes land on the floor with correct parts, documentation, and training.
- Translate executive-level goals into clear program objectives and KPIs (on-time delivery, landed cost, yield, cycle time) and report progress with board-level rigor.
- Travel to suppliers, contract manufacturers, and the Miami production site as needed to unblock programs in person.
This is a high-ownership role for someone who thrives in ambiguity, can run critical-path Gantt charts and supplier escalations in the same afternoon, and wants to build program management muscle at a hardware company from the ground up. Relocation to Austin is required; relocation assistance will be provided.
Requirements:
- 7+ years of program or project management experience in hardware, with meaningful time in supply chain, manufacturing, or operations at a product company.
- Proven track record driving NPI programs from prototype through volume production, ideally for complex electromechanical, thermal, or energy systems.
- Deep fluency in hardware language: BOMs, ECOs, PLM, MRP/ERP, tooling timelines, PPAP/FAI, lead times, Incoterms, capacity planning, and yield.
- Strong supplier- and contract-manufacturer-facing experience; ability to structure schedules, run escalations, and make commitments real.
- Excellent written and verbal communication; ability to brief the CEO, align skeptical engineering leads, and coach supplier project managers.
- Bias to action and high comfort with ambiguity; ability to build plans when none exist and adjust faster than conditions change.
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, or a related technical field.
Nice to Haves:
- Experience at a venture-backed hardware startup during a manufacturing ramp.
- Background in clean energy, thermal systems, heavy industrial equipment, automotive, or aerospace.
- PMP, Lean Six Sigma, or equivalent program management credentials.
- Familiarity with Jira, Asana, Smartsheet, MS Project, Arena/Windchill, NetSuite, or similar ERP tools.
- Willingness and ability to work primarily on-site in Austin and travel domestically and internationally.
