Technical Program Manager

Description

The company, Inc. is powering the future of physical AI. The company services the automotive, defense, trucking, construction, mining and agriculture industries in three core areas: tools and infrastructure, operating systems, and autonomy. Eighteen of the top 20 global automakers, as well as the United States military and its allies, trust the company’s solutions to deliver physical intelligence. Walton Beach, Florida; Ann Arbor, Michigan; London; Stuttgart; Munich; Stockholm; Bangalore; Seoul; and Tokyo. Learn more at applied.co .

We are an in-office company, and our expectation is that full-time employees primarily work from their the company office 5 days a week. However, we also recognize the importance of flexibility and trust our employees to manage their schedules responsibly. This may include occasional remote work, starting the day with morning meetings from home before heading to the office, or leaving earlier when needed to accommodate family commitments. This in-office expectation does not apply to contractor positions

About the Role

We are looking for a Technical Program Manager to lead programs that bring our software-defined vehicle platform from automotive into naval warships. You will own the plan for adapting a production-proven vehicle OS, middleware, and tooling stack to shipboard environments, working across Applied engineering teams, Navy program offices, shipbuilders, and integration partners. This role sits at the intersection of fast-moving commercial software and complex defense acquisition, and it calls for someone who can bring modern software delivery practices into programs that have historically moved slowly. You will work closely with subject matter experts at Applied and at our customers on a technical level to get capability onto ships and into the hands of sailors.

At Applied, you will:

Define program milestones, manage timelines, budgets, and deliverables for programs adapting our SDV platform to naval vessels. Monitor progress, mitigate risks, and ensure quality

Develop and execute release plans for software and hardware components, coordinating engineering teams across vehicle OS, middleware, networking, security, and tooling

Translate shipboard requirements (scale, redundancy, environmental constraints, long service life, and integration with existing ship systems) into clear technical work for engineering teams adapting an automotive-origin stack

Plan and drive the path to authority to operate, building security and compliance evidence into the delivery pipeline (DevSecOps, continuous ATO) rather than treating accreditation as a one-time gate at the end

Coordinate integration and test events with shipbuilders, Navy labs, and third-party system vendors, from lab and land-based test sites through shipboard installation

Serve as a vital point of contact for government and industry customers, understanding requirements, managing expectations, and providing regular updates

Align technical roadmaps across internal and external teams, identifying where commercial automotive practices can be adopted directly and where naval needs require new work

Drive problem-solving and decision-making across teams to resolve technical, schedule, and contractual issues

We’re looking for someone who has:

At least a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field

5+ years of experience in technical program management for complex software or software-intensive hardware systems

Proven experience delivering embedded, vehicle, or platform software programs, ideally involving software-defined vehicles, real-time systems, or safety-critical software

Enough technical depth to engage credibly with engineers on operating systems, middleware, networking, and software release processes

Ability to execute thoughtfully and efficiently, with a “no task is too big or too small” mindset to get the job done

Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, including with senior government and industry stakeholders

Ability to manage multiple programs and priorities in a fast-paced environment

Ability to travel as needed, including to shipyards, Navy facilities, and customer sites

Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance (active Secret or higher preferred)

Security Requirements:

Must be a U.S. Citizen

Must hold or be eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance

For more information about U.S. security clearances: click here .

Requirements

• Experience with Navy programs or organizations such as NAVSEA, PEO Ships, PEO IWS, or NAVWAR, or experience in shipbuilding and ship systems integration
• Familiarity with the DoD Software Acquisition Pathway, agile and DevSecOps approaches in government programs, and modular open systems approaches (MOSA)
• Understanding of the Risk Management Framework (RMF) and the ATO process, including continuous ATO
• Familiarity with safety and development standards across domains, such as ISO 26262, ASPICE, and MIL-STD-882
• Prior military service, particularly in a shipboard or engineering role
• Prior experience in a startup environment, demonstrating adaptability and a can-do attitude
• Experience with project management tools such as JIRA
• Compensation at the company for eligible roles includes base salary, equity, and benefits. Base salary is a single component of the total compensation package, which may also include equity in the form of options and/or restricted stock units, comprehensive health, dental, vision, life and disability insurance coverage, 401k retirement benefits with employer match, learning and wellness stipends, and paid time off. Note that benefits are subject to change and may vary based on jurisdiction of employment.
• The company pay ranges reflect the minimum and maximum intended target base salary for new hire salaries for the position. The actual base salary offered to a successful candidate will additionally be influenced by a variety of factors including experience, credentials & certifications, educational attainment, skill level requirements, interview performance, and the level and scope of the position.
• Don’t meet every single requirement? If you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.
• FOR US-BASED ROLES: the company is committed to providing an accessible and inclusive application and interview experience to applicants who are disabled veterans and other applicants with disabilities or medical conditions. Reasonable accommodations are available, requesting an accommodation will not affect your candidacy in any way, and you are not required to disclose the nature of your disability or medical condition in order to make a request. If you require an accommodation please contact careers@applied.co . We will work with you!