A

Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing

Accelerates deployment of robotics in manufacturing

Technical Program Manager

Full-Time
No salary listed
Senior
Bachelor's
Remote in USA
HybridRemote role with occasional onsite work at the ARM Institute’s Pittsburgh office in Hazelwood.
Project & Program ManagementProgram Management
No H1B Sponsorship
US Citizenship Required

About the job

Requirements
  • A bachelor's degree in Engineering, Physical Science, or a related technical field; equivalent demonstrated experience may be considered.
  • At least five years of experience managing complex technical or engineering programs.
  • Ability to manage multiple projects, priorities, budgets, and stakeholders in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
  • Strong analytical, organizational, problem-solving, and communication skills.
  • Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams and external partners.
Responsibilities
  • Manage technical projects to ensure deliverables are completed on time, within budget, and in accordance with contractual requirements.
  • Coordinate project resources, schedules, and activities while monitoring progress against project milestones and deliverables.
  • Oversee project planning, execution, and verification activities while ensuring compliance with scope, quality, schedule, and cost objectives.
  • Monitor project performance, budgets, and forecasts, proactively identifying risks and implementing mitigation strategies as needed.
  • Conduct project reviews and assess project schedules, budgets, risks, and overall performance.
  • Prepare and present project status reports, performance metrics, and recommendations to leadership and key stakeholders.
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for project partners and sub-awardees, providing guidance and facilitating effective communication.
  • Develop and improve project management processes, best practices, and documentation that support the ARM Institute’s strategic objectives.
  • Support compliance with program contracts, sub-awards, financial requirements, deliverables, and reporting obligations.
Desired Qualifications
  • Project Management Professional, Project Management Institute certification, or equivalent project management certification.
  • Experience managing government-funded research or manufacturing programs.
  • Experience working with robotics, advanced manufacturing, automation, or Manufacturing USA initiatives.

About the company

A

Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing

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The ARM Institute helps accelerate the use of robots and related technologies in U.S. manufacturing. It builds a large network of industry, academic, and government partners to speed up research, development, and deployment of robotics, autonomy, and artificial intelligence so manufacturers of all sizes can adopt them. It also runs programs to train workers to operate and manage these advanced systems. By coordinating funding and collaboration, the ARM Institute aims to strengthen the economy, improve national security, and increase the country’s global competitiveness. Its work is part of the Manufacturing USA network and is funded by the U.S. Department of Defense, with plans to host major manufacturing initiatives at Hazelwood Green in Pittsburgh as a hub for future production technologies.

Company Size

11-50

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Founded

2017

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • June 24, 2026 launch broadened RoboticsCareer.org around physical AI, attracting 119,000 users in 2025.
  • September 3, 2026: ARM won nearly $90M for ten projects at 12 military sites.
  • November 17-19 member meeting in Pittsburgh strengthens deal flow, hiring, and consortium retention.

What critics are saying

  • ARM depends on DoD funding; a 2027 budget cut would hit core programs immediately.
  • If federal priorities shift toward defense primes, ARM becomes a grant-dependent convening shop.
  • Membership-gated project calls exclude nonmembers; weak consortium renewal shrinks pipeline by 2027.

What makes Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing unique

  • Only national robotics manufacturing job-and-training platform, RoboticsCareer.org, updated daily with 18,000+ jobs.
  • 500+ members across industry, academia, and government standardize physical AI competencies and pathways.
  • Pittsburgh's Mill 19 hub co-locates with Carnegie Mellon and Hazelwood Green robotics assets.

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Benefits

  • Health Insurance
  • Dental Insurance
  • Vision Insurance
  • Life Insurance
  • Disability Insurance
  • Health Savings Account/Flexible Spending Account
  • Hybrid Work Options
  • Paid Vacation
  • Paid Holidays
  • Parental Leave
  • Home Office Stipend
  • Phone/Internet Stipend

Company News

ArM Institute
Oct 16th, 2026
ARM Institute recognized as Tech50 Finalist in two categories.

ARM Institute recognized as Tech50 Finalist in two categories. The ARM (Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing) Institute is proud to announce its recognition as a 2026 Tech50 Finalist by the Pittsburgh Technology Council in two categories! For 30 years, the Pittsburgh Technology Council's Tech 50 Awards have recognized the companies and leaders driving innovation and helping transform Southwestern Pennsylvania into a global technology hub. According to the Pittsburgh Tech Council, their list of finalists for 2026 represent some of the most transformative companies across a variety of sectors that are driving the growth and sustainability of its industry. * Education, Community, and Non-Profit of the Year * CEO of the Year (Jorgen Pedersen) The ARM Institute team also congratulates its Members who have been recognized as finalists: The ARM Institute grows US manufacturing by acting as your partner for innovative robotics, physical AI, and workforce solutions. Leveraging its national member consortium comprised of 500+ organizations and thousands of individual subject matter experts across industry, government, and academia, ARM Institute strengthen national security through collaboration. About The ARM Institute. The ARM (Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing) Institute is a Manufacturing Innovation Institute (MII) funded by the Office of the Secretary of War under Agreement Number W911NF-17-3-0004 and is part of the Manufacturing USA(R) network. The ARM Institute leverages a world class consortium of 500+ member organizations and partners across industry, academia, and government to assert the US as the leading nation in manufacturing output through the adoption of robotics and AI. Based in Pittsburgh, PA since 2017, the ARM Institute has a dual focus on catalyzing innovative yet practical robotics and physical AI solutions while growing and preparing the US workforce for advanced manufacturing careers.

Packaging OEM
Jul 1st, 2026
Automate 2026: How to justify automation, use AI to help robotics.

Automate 2026: How to justify automation, use AI to help robotics. Apply automation more effectively with these tips on automation justification, collaborative robotics, industrial robots and integrating artificial intelligence (AI). Figure 1: AI has been used for automation for many years, and a modular AI framework from ARM Institute could help accelerate AI-enabled robotics for manufacturing, as explained at Automate 2026 from Association for Advancing Automation (A3). Courtesy: Mark T. Hoske, Control Engineering Automation justification insights. * Automation 2026 trends and tips included artificial intelligence (AI) to accelerate robotics use, data effectiveness and digitalization. * Smarter automation justification needs to extend beyond traditional return on investment calculations. * Automation and robotics create jobs, as explained in multiple conference sessions organized at Association for Advancing Automation (A3). Robotics, industrial artificial intelligence (AI) integration, and automation justification advice were among tips and trends from Automate 2026 from Association for Advancing Automation (A3). Think again about how to apply automation more effectively. AI framework to accelerate robotics use: ARM Institute. To help U.S. manufacturers better use AI for robotics, the ARM Institute is working on an ARM modular AI framework (Figure 1), according to Matthew Powelson, senior robotics software engineer, ARM Institute (Figure 2). Powelson, during day three of Automate 2026, presented on "Accelerating AI-enabled robotics for manufacturing: Bridging R&D and commercialization." The ARM Physical AI Framework is an agent-ready structure to provide a trusted, safe, structured way to build systems without unrestricted access to source code or machines, Powelson said. AI with trusted engineering tools, helps industrial robotics. AI can accelerate use of industrial robotics, and integration with trusted tools can check AI validity to lower risk and increase safety (Figure 3), according to YJ Lim, principal technical robotics product lead, MathWorks (Figure 4). Lim showed how AI can be integrated to shorten time to implementation, in one case reducing what would have taken weeks to hours. He spoke on day three in the Automate 2026 session, "Accelerating Industrial Robotics with AI and Generative Models." GenAI is powerful but not perfect, Lim said. Focus is combining with trusted and validated tools from MathWorks to improve results with copilots, integrate with external generative AI agents, develop generative-AI-powered applications and other gen-AI capabilities. Key is to use trusted software using a known internal dataset to check for accurate results, while iterating faster, Lim said. Need automation justification? Consider more than ROI. Automation needs more than a traditional ROI calculation (Figure 5), and a member of the A3 Motion Control and Motors committee wants the group to develop a ROI+Plant Vitality Index to help get more automation projects justified and approved. The suggestion was part of the day two Automate 2026 session, "Making automation ROI practical and achievable," from Christine Bush, Robotics Center of Excellence Leader, Schneider Electric (Figure 6), expanding the business case for automation. Other considerations might include asset health modernization, automation levels, agility, digital integration and digital transformation, workforce readiness, sustainability performance and maintenance maturity, she said. Data to help train industrial robots. How much data do industrial robots need to learn to respond to variable challenges without specific, traditional programming for each? (Figure 7) That's among questions Erin McColl, director, Robotics Technology Adoption, Toyota Research Institute (Figure 8) and her team are considering. The presentation, to a standing-room-only room, discussed: "Bridging the gap: Toyota Research Institute's approach to real-world robotics in manufacturing," part of day two of Automation 2026. "Our strategy is to build robots as tools to learn in the field to add value in short-term," she explained. Time to jump into automation? Automate 2026 day one keynote panel was moderated by Robert Huschka, A3 vice president of education strategies. He asked: "When is right moment to jump into automation?" (Figure 9) Michael Cicco, president and CEO, Fanuc America Corp., said automation is poised for an explosion of growth: You don't see it on the evening news, but many mom-and-pop shops are installing several robots, which hasn't happened before. Andre Marino, senior vice president industrial automation North America, Schneider Electric cited an 8% productivity loss because of multiple vendors' automation systems, suggesting a need for better interoperability. Matt Moschner, president and CEO, Cognex Corp., said: AI tools today help automation, machine specifically, to incrementally train and improve on the fly. Wendy Tan White MBE, CEO, Intrinsic, said internet changed the world but not immediately. AI, in use for some time, is now being used to enable robots to do things that weren't previously possible. Collaborative robot justification: Labor availability, operational continuity. "I didn't say ROI wasn't important. I said it isn't one of the top reasons collaborative robots are justified by businesses." Manufacturing leaders increasingly approve cobots for reasons beyond traditional ROI calculations (Figure 10), said Michael Mahfet, president, GCG Automation & Factory Solutions (Figure 11), at an Automate 2026 conference session, "Why ROI is not one of the top reasons collaborative robots are justified by businesses." Other considerations, not in traditional ROI calculations, include labor availability and operational continuity (getting product out the door), reliability and scalability, quality and consistency, safety ergonomics and engagement, and speed and risk reduction. Digitalization adds automation efficiency. Tools that enable concurrent development can accelerate automation applications. Chris Stevens, president, U.S. Automation, Siemens Digital Industries, in a day two keynote, Pepsico used 15% less capital, saw a 20% throughput increase and identified 90% of potential issues before physical plant implementation. Annemarie Breu, senior director - automation software deployment and incubation, Siemens Digital Industries, said having a digital enterprise enables AI and other high-value automation. Roland Joseph, senior technical director at P&G (Figure 12), said it's not just data collection, but data at the right granularity. Joseph warned that data gathered once a minute or once a second won't help with a process that cycles in milliseconds. Get the latest news, trends, and technology updates delivered straight to your inbox and make smarter packaging decisions. Robots create jobs. Across 8,000 firms, robot adopters posted 150% more jobs compared to non-adopters, according to a University of Minnesota study cited by Evan Beard, co-founder and CEO, Standard Bots, in the day three keynote. On stage, Beard helped demonstrate an easier-to-use AI-enabled robot to automate what couldn't be automated previously.

Manufacturing USA
Jun 26th, 2026
ARM Institute launches 2026 Physical AI Webinar series.

ARM Institute launches 2026 Physical AI Webinar series. June 26, 2026 Artificial Intelligence, Robotics Building on the success of the ARM Institute's 2025 artificial intelligence (AI) for Manufacturing webinar series, which saw nearly a thousand viewers tune in to learn AI best practices, the ARM Institute has launched a 2026 Physical AI Webinar series! Join its three-part webinar series this summer to learn how to get started with or further augment physical AI for your factory floor. While headlines make AI feel like a new technology, it's one that the ARM Institute has been working on for nearly a decade in collaboration with its member consortium. This summer, like last summer, Manufacturing USA is translating what Manufacturing USA has learned from this work across ARM Institute-funded projects, its workforce development efforts, and through its members into webinars focused on best practices, practical solutions, and connections to help you unlock the potential of physical AI for your manufacturing operations.

ArM Institute
Jun 23rd, 2026
ARM Institute launches major expansion of RoboticsCareer.org to meet the rise of Physical AI.

ARM Institute launches major expansion of RoboticsCareer.org to meet the rise of Physical AI. Physical AI is transforming manufacturing, but a prepared workforce is still needed to fully recognize AI's potential. RoboticsCareer.org's new release helps students, workers, and manufacturers successfully navigate these changes to find their place in the AI-powered manufacturing future. June 24, 2026 - The ARM (Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing) Institute is proud to issue an expanded version of RoboticsCareer.org that adds an increased emphasis on physical AI. This release demystifies the skills and training needed to work alongside physical AI, lists the growing job opportunities in this area, and enables employers to connect to qualified talent. These new capabilities are available today (June 24, 2026). RoboticsCareer.org is the nation's only platform dedicated to robotics careers in manufacturing. More than 100,000 individuals leveraged the site in 2025 to connect to jobs and training. This platform, built in partnership with the ARM Institute's member consortium of experts, connects job seekers to personalized job listings, students and transitioning workers to industry-vetted training programs, employers to qualified talent, and training providers to leads to increase enrollment. RoboticsCareer.org supports the full manufacturing ecosystem needed to assert US leadership in manufacturing and increase the adoption of robotics and physical AI. With more manufacturers turning to AI-enabled robots, also called physical AI, to navigate workforce shortages and increasing demand, the nature of manufacturing jobs is rapidly changing in tandem. There's a growing emphasis on data maintenance, AI system integration, and robotic machine learning solutions that better automate tasks. Though opportunistic headlines have pointed to job loss caused by AI, manufacturing firms are seeing more job transformation than loss. However, the nation can only recognize the potential of AI-enabled robots if the full manufacturing ecosystem is supported through this disruptive transformation. Without workforce support, these powerful technologies are at risk of going unused. Manufacturers, students, training programs, and job seekers all need support in navigating this transformation. Where do students learn about these opportunities? How can employers find top talent and engaged job seekers? How can transitioning workers learn about the skills they need to work with physical AI? What do these roles even look like and how much do they play? These are all critical questions that the ARM Institute's new RoboticsCareer.org release answers. The physical AI release of RoboticsCareer.org centers on four core capabilities: The ARM Institute's competency frameworks and career pathways are the foundational to RoboticsCareer.org. The ARM Institute collaborated with its 500+ member organization consortium, which spans industry, government, and academia, to define and standardize the skills and competencies needed to work with physical AI in manufacturing. These frameworks have also been transformed into job previews that show the common roles and responsibilities, skills needed, how much these jobs pay, and more attributes needed to increase awareness into these opportunities. Each training program and job listed on the site aligns to these defined pathways. Explore its Physical AI Competency Framework here. Learn more about its general Robotics Competency Framework here. RoboticsCareer.org now lists the training programs that provide the skills need to work with AI-enabled robotics, demystifying opportunities for students, transitioning workers, job seekers, and teachers. This database, which is comprised of 1,300+ programs that teach physical AI skills and 16,700+ training programs that teach robotics skills, now has an increased focus on programs that teach skills related to preparing and maintain data, integrating and deploying AI systems, and building software and machine learning solutions to automate tasks. Daily, the ARM Institute posts and automatically updates 18,000+ jobs for robotics careers in manufacturing. Jobs have been added that are focused on roles working alongside and supporting AI-enabled robots. While jobs on the site are updated automatically, employers also have the option to post their jobs directly or search its national talent database. RoboticsCareer.org is the nation's only national talent database dedicated specifically to robotics jobs in manufacturing with thousands of individuals creating accounts on the platform to connect to jobs and training with a 66% growth rate year over year. As the ARM Institute introduces this new release, this talent database will grow to include qualified individuals looking for roles working within physical AI in manufacturing. This curated database enables manufacturers to save time on hiring, connect to job seekers who have professionally applied their skills, and identify individuals who have graduated from ARM Institute Endorsed training programs. Employers can download resumes and contact candidates at no cost. "Physical AI is the next frontier of manufacturing roles. We are proud of the key role that RoboticsCareer.org will play in enabling greater adoption of robotics in manufacturing by providing access to a ready workforce," said Lisa Masciantonio, ARM Institute Chief Workforce Officer, "RoboticsCareer.org acts as a direct bridge from awareness to employment within manufacturing, playing a critically needed role in correcting the manufacturing workforce gap." "The use of AI-enabled robotics in manufacturing hinges on access to a trained workforce ready to work with these technologies. At Lorain County Community College (LCCC), which offers ARM Institute Endorsed training programs, we were proud to collaborate with our fellow ARM Members to provide input into the new AI Competency Framework on RoboticsCareer.org. This framework will shine light on these emerging career opportunities and the training programs that teach the skills needed for them, helping to build a ready manufacturing workforce pipeline," said Kelly Zelesnik, LCCC Dean, Business, Engineering and Information Technology "Students cannot pursue careers they have never truly seen," said Clint Chapman, Sr. Mgr. Strategic Partner Relations, Education / Workforce Development at Yaskawa America, Inc. "The ARM Institute's AI Competency Framework helps define the skills behind emerging technologies like Physical AI, while RoboticsCareer.org helps connect those skills to real education and career opportunities. Together, they create the kind of visible pathway that helps learners understand not just what these technologies are, but where they can fit within them." See its platform in action at automate 2026. Connect with the ARM Institute team at booth #31060 in the North Building at the Education Pavilion. Learn more here. About The ARM Institute. The ARM (Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing) Institute is a Manufacturing Innovation Institute (MII) funded by the Office of the Secretary of War under Agreement Number W911NF-17-3-0004 and is part of the Manufacturing USA(R) network. The ARM Institute leverages a unique and robust consortium of nearly 500 member organizations and partners across industry, academia, and government to make robotics, autonomy, and artificial intelligence more accessible to U.S. manufacturers large and small, train and empower the manufacturing workforce, strengthen its economy and global competitiveness, and elevate national security and resilience. Based in Pittsburgh, PA since 2017, the ARM Institute's mission is to assert the US as the leading nation in manufacturing output through the adoption of robotics and AI. For more information, visit www.arminstitute.org and follow the ARM Institute on LinkedIn and X.

ArM Institute
May 26th, 2026
ARM Institute wins third Telly Award.

ARM Institute wins third Telly Award. The ARM (Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing) Institute is proud to announce that it has won a Bronze Telly Award in the Non-Broadcast - Science & Technology category for the institute's recent Robotics Manufacturing Hub video created in partnership with Kindling Culture Agency. The ARM Institute previously won two Telly Awards for its RoboticsCareer.org animated video series also created in partnership with Kindling Culture Agency. The Telly Awards honor excellence in video and television across all screens with more than 13,000 entries this year from top agencies, brands, and production companies worldwide. The ARM Institute's video was up against major competitors, including Microsoft and Acrisure. "The ARM Institute is honored to win its third Telly Award in collaboration with Kindling Culture Agency," said Livia Rice, ARM Institute Director of Outreach & Engagement, "Robotics and physical artificial intelligence (AI) hold the key to unlocking US manufacturing competitiveness, however, manufacturers need an expert, objective partner to help to evaluate and implement these technologies. The ARM Institute is honored to fill that role. We'd like to thank Kindling Culture Agency for helping to bring this program to life through the award-winning video." The ARM Institute's Automation Services and Robotics Manufacturing Hub help manufacturers of all sizes de-risk and implement proven robotics technologies to enhance their global competitiveness. By leveraging ARM Institute's Automation Services, manufacturers can assess their operations, feel secure in their robotics investment, ensure they get the highest ROI possible, and test customized solutions through the ARM Institute's Automation Services staff and Robotics Manufacturing Hub facility. The ARM Institute act as an extension of your team to help manufacturers objectively evaluate how robotics, AI, and automation can help them capitalize on the growing importance of U.S. manufacturing. The ARM Institute staff, powered by over 2,000 robotics experts in the nation's largest consortium, helps manufacturers get the most of their robotics investment - all without requiring an installation commitment or the pressure to purchase a system. About The ARM Institute. The ARM (Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing) Institute is a Manufacturing Innovation Institute (MII) funded by the Office of the Secretary of War under Agreement Number W911NF-17-3-0004 and is part of the Manufacturing USA(R) network. The ARM Institute leverages a unique and robust consortium of nearly 500 member organizations and partners across industry, academia, and government to make robotics, autonomy, and artificial intelligence more accessible to U.S. manufacturers large and small, train and empower the manufacturing workforce, strengthen its economy and global competitiveness, and elevate national security and resilience. Based in Pittsburgh, PA since 2017, the ARM Institute's mission is to assert the US as the leading nation in manufacturing output through the adoption of robotics and AI. For more information, visit www.arminstitute.org and follow the ARM Institute on LinkedIn and X.