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Full-Time

Staff Technical Program Manager

Aurora Services

Posted on 6/27/2024

Aurora Innovation

Aurora Innovation

1,001-5,000 employees

Develops self-driving technology for vehicles

Data & Analytics
Robotics & Automation
Automotive & Transportation
Hardware
Industrial & Manufacturing
AI & Machine Learning

Compensation Overview

$163k - $261kAnnually

+ Annual Bonus + Equity Compensation + Benefits

Senior, Expert

Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Category
Engineering Management
Software Development Management
Required Skills
Agile
UI/UX Design
Communications
Data Science
Management
Requirements
  • Solid technical aptitude and an ability to understand technical designs, software development lifecycle, challenges and risks.
  • Ability to work closely with engineers.
  • Minimum of 7 years experience as a Technical Program Manager or Engineering Manager in an SaaS, Cloud Services, or software development environment with experience driving deeply technical initiatives.
  • Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Math, Data Science, Information Systems or a related area, or the equivalent in experience with evidence of exceptional ability preferred.
  • Comfortable with ambiguity, and ability to context switch between major focus areas.
  • Strong cross-functional leadership skills, ability to influence without authority, excellent written and verbal communication skills, and ability to simplify complex problems.
  • Experience working closely with Product Management and helping define roadmaps and provide valuable feedback in the Product development process.
  • Ability to break complex projects down to manageable milestones and deliver them in a successful and timely manner.
  • Direct, measurable impact through the design, development and launch of groundbreaking products or delivery of significant and novel technology programs.
  • Strong ability to communicate (verbal and written) succinctly and effectively to various global audiences at all levels, from line engineers to partners to C-level executives.
  • Strong experience in project management; practical familiarity with both Agile and Waterfall methodologies and ability to apply them where best suited.
  • Passion for shipping new to market products and the ability to dynamically adapt to new responsibilities needed to do so.
Responsibilities
  • Build operations technology and support services to enable customers to integrate the Aurora Driver into existing carrier logistics operations.
  • Build technology that optimizes operations of autonomous vehicles and support resources for 24/7/365 operation.
  • Partner deeply with Aurora Services Product Management, Aurora Services Engineering, Autonomy Engineering, Safety, Security and Operations teams to execute on our roadmap for developing reliable and effective platform and tooling for our customers and operations partners to use for managing our fleet. Specifically, the Technical Program Manager is expected to:
  • Manage and be accountable for complex projects at a large scale, spanning functional teams and cross-functional initiatives.
  • Work with Engineering to track progress against requirements.
  • Work with Operations to track progress against success metrics.
  • Establish appropriate meeting series to communicate and act upon known issues, feature requests, and bugs.
  • Report on status, risks, and blockers and request cross-functional or leadership support where needed.
  • Assess team resource capacity and ensure appropriate loading and prioritization of work.
  • Consolidate input from multiple internal engineering teams, external partners, safety, legal and business teams to create cohesive program work plans.
  • Work across teams to help execute towards company milestones and demos.
  • Have a deep technical understanding of how the Aurora Services platform software works including cloud infrastructure, integrations with Aurora Driver and the vehicle, network coverage, latency, uptime, and quality, and platform UI/UX. Additionally, have an understanding of our Autonomy systems.
  • Understand technical implementation at the architectural level and propose alternatives when necessary, ask questions that clarify priorities and push the team to be effective.
  • Proactively remove obstacles to drive momentum and progress, identify gaps in communication or schedule, provide support to teams balancing competing priorities and drive results.
  • Create weekly reports and run programmatic meetings with appropriate level of detail for the respective audience. Proactively schedule meetings or discussions with cross-functional partners to address roadblocks.

Aurora Innovation develops self-driving technology aimed at changing how transportation works. Their main product, the Aurora Driver, can be added to different types of vehicles to allow them to drive themselves, transporting both people and goods. Aurora stands out from its competitors by working closely with logistics companies, ridesharing services, and vehicle manufacturers to help them use this technology effectively. This partnership approach not only helps Aurora grow but also improves the safety and efficiency of its partners. The company makes money by licensing its self-driving technology to these partners, providing ongoing support and updates as part of the service. A key feature of Aurora's technology is its advanced sensor system, including FirstLight Lidar, which helps the vehicles detect their surroundings accurately. Aurora's goal is to make transportation safer and more accessible for everyone.

Company Stage

IPO

Total Funding

$5.4B

Headquarters

Mountain View, California

Founded

2017

Growth & Insights
Headcount

6 month growth

3%

1 year growth

1%

2 year growth

16%
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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Aurora's partnerships with industry giants like Volvo and Continental highlight its strong market position and potential for large-scale deployment.
  • The company's focus on safety and rigorous testing protocols make it a trusted name in the autonomous vehicle sector.
  • Aurora's planned launch of fully driverless trucks in Texas by the end of the year indicates imminent commercial success and market penetration.

What critics are saying

  • The autonomous vehicle market is highly competitive, with major players like Mobileye and Gatik posing significant challenges.
  • Delays in regulatory approvals or technological setbacks could hinder Aurora's commercialization timeline.

What makes Aurora Innovation unique

  • Aurora's FirstLight Lidar technology offers superior range and speed in detecting surroundings, setting it apart from competitors.
  • The Virtual Testing Suite allows for extensive off-road testing, ensuring robustness and reliability before deployment, a feature not commonly found in the industry.
  • Aurora's collaborative approach with logistics providers, ridesharing networks, and vehicle manufacturers accelerates the commercialization of self-driving technology, unlike competitors who may operate in silos.

Benefits

Medical, Vision, Life Insurance

Paid leave

Vacation, Holidays & Sick Time

LinkedIn Learning

Aurora Academy

401(k)

Commuter Benefits

Flexible Spending Account

Onsite Food

PerkSpot

Working from Home Support

Emotional & Physical Wellness

Employee Assistance Program

INACTIVE