Project Manager – Robotics Engineering

About the role

The National Robotics Engineering Center is seeking a dynamic Project Manager to lead cross‑functional engineering teams that take autonomous robotic systems from concept through production and field deployment. You will act as the primary liaison for sponsors, translating requirements into actionable work breakdown structures and ensuring projects meet performance, timeline, and safety standards.

Key responsibilities

• Serve as the main operational contact for external sponsors, converting client needs into clear work breakdown structures and milestones.
• Manage the full program lifecycle—from scoping and prototyping to hardware/software integration, testing, and site deployment.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary teams across mechanical, electrical, software (ROS/ROS 2, perception, autonomy), and system safety domains.
• Develop detailed project schedules, resource allocations, and long‑lead hardware procurement plans.
• Balance traditional stage‑gate controls (EVT/DVT/PVT, Earned Value Management) with rapid, iterative Agile development methods.
• Prepare and present progress reports, design reviews (PDR/CDR), and milestone demonstrations to internal leadership and sponsors.
• Conduct technical risk assessments, maintain mitigation plans, and ensure compliance with field safety requirements.

Required profile

• Proven experience leading complex engineering projects in a fast‑paced, multidisciplinary environment.
• Strong ability to align hardware and software teams and manage technical dependencies.
• Excellent communication skills for interacting with sponsors, leadership, and technical staff.
• Detail‑oriented mindset with a focus on safety, quality, and schedule adherence.

Required skills

• Mechanical engineering principles
• Electrical engineering principles
• ROS and ROS 2
• Perception and autonomy algorithms
• Embedded systems development
• Cloud computing concepts
• Agile development methodologies
• Stage‑gate project controls (EVT/DVT/PVT)
• Earned Value Management (EVM)