Technical Program Manager, Sensing Products

About the role

Technical Program Manager, Sensing Products | Tesla (Engineering & Information Technology)

Location: PALO ALTO, California | Req ID: 280955 | Job Type: Full-time

What to Expect

As a Technical Program Manager for Sensing Products at Tesla, you will take full ownership of the end-to-end delivery of sophisticated hardware and software programs that power advanced vehicle sensing capabilities. Your primary goal is the on-schedule delivery of these programs while carefully protecting the required scope, performance, and quality through smart trade-off decisions.

You will serve as the central driving force and key connector—proactively identifying risks, resolving complex conflicts, empowering cross-functional teams, and maintaining strong execution discipline—amid rapid development cycles, evolving requirements, and high ambiguity. You will stay deeply embedded with engineering, supply chain, and production teams to ensure tight alignment and steady momentum toward Tesla’s goals.

What You'll Do

• Own successful on-schedule delivery of sensing hardware and software programs as the single-threaded driver, balancing schedule, scope, quality, and resources through clear trade-offs and decisive action
• Build and maintain living program plans with high-fidelity risk/forecast models; continuously run what-if scenarios leveraging technical vision, deep domain concepts (electrical, mechanical, thermal, EMC, firmware), and sharp observation of team dynamics to surface hard and soft risks early
• Actively monitor and drive engineering builds, validation, production testing, and reliability, partnering closely with contract manufacturers (CM) and Gigafactory/production teams on build windows, material readiness, failure analysis, and containment
• Enable core and extended teams daily by clarifying ownership, removing blockers, chasing internal/external dependencies, and maintaining rigorous follow-up on open actions and status
• Lead cross-functional execution across hardware (PCBA, mechanical, thermal, EMC), software, validation, supply chain, purchasing, and production while swiftly resolving resource, bandwidth, and schedule-vs-technical conflicts
• Facilitate high-quality decisions and escalations by framing options with quantified impacts, driving alignment, and ensuring timely resolution so the critical path never stalls; provide technical guidance and translation across disciplines
• Develop and execute end-to-end plans spanning upstream definition (requirements, technologies, vendors, milestones, success metrics) and downstream execution; manage software portfolios via Agile methods (JIRA, Sprints, Kanban, Scrum)
• Build and improve sensing project infrastructure and development workflows to elevate velocity, precision, repeatability, and scalability; consolidate executive-ready status/risks/opportunities and continuously refine processes while protecting Tesla’s agile, high-speed culture

What You'll Bring

• Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, or related field; or equivalent experience
• 6+ years of technical program management and product development experience delivering multiple complex hardware + software products from concept to high-volume production (strong preference for sensing/wireless, automotive, or high-volume systems)
• Demonstrated mastery of schedule-critical ownership while protecting scope and quality, including excellence in risk management, critical-path control, what-if scenario planning, and decisive trade-off facilitation
• Technical vision and fluency across electrical, mechanical, and software processes sufficient to lead PCBA/mechanical/thermal/EMC/validation discussions and run credible technical analyses
• Sharp observational acumen for team dynamics, human interactions, and organizational signals that reveal hidden risks or misalignments, paired with outstanding influencing and conflict-resolution skills
• Proven experience driving engineering builds, production testing, reliability, CM/vendor engagement, supply-chain material readiness, and cross-functional execution in fast-paced environments
• Exceptional tracking, organizational, communication, and stakeholder-management skills; proficiency with JIRA/Agile tools and executive reporting; track record of building or improving project infrastructure and development workflows
• Ability to influence without authority, lead through ambiguity, and travel domestically and internationally up to 15% as required to support builds, partners, and program needs

Benefits

Along with competitive pay, as a full-time Tesla employee, you are eligible for the following benefits at day 1 of hire:

• Medical plans > plan options with $0 payroll deduction
• Family-building, fertility, adoption and surrogacy benefits
• Dental (including orthodontic coverage) and vision plans, both have options with a $0 paycheck contribution
• Company Paid (Health Savings Accounts) HSA Contribution when enrolled in the High-Deductible medical plan with HSA
• Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• 401(k) with employer match, Employee Stock Purchase Plans, and other financial benefits
• Company paid Basic Life, AD&D
• Short-term and long-term disability insurance (90 day waiting period)
• Employee Assistance Program
• Sick and Vacation time (Flex time for salary positions, Accrued hours for Hourly positions), and Paid Holidays
• Back-up childcare and parenting support resources
• Voluntary benefits to include: critical illness, hospital indemnity, accident insurance, theft & legal services, and pet insurance
• Weight Loss and Tobacco Cessation Programs
• Tesla Babies program
• Commuter benefits
• Employee discounts and perks program
• Earned Wage Access: Real-time pay access paid daily, subject to eligibility and schedule (applicable for below Sr. Managers levels)

Expected Compensation$96,800 - $217,200/annual salary + cash and stock awards + benefitsPay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package for this position may also include other elements dependent on the position offered. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment.