Hardware Engineering Program Manager

About Rocky Talkie

Rocky Talkie launched in 2019 with its signature product, a backcountry radio made for climbers and skiers. Since then, we have launched multiple best-in-class products in the adventure sports industry. We are dedicated to developing user-friendly, high-performance products for the backcountry. Rocky Talkie has a rapidly growing base of happy customers in the USA and Canada, and we are expanding into Europe. We design our products to help people in extreme conditions, and our radios have been adopted for a wide range of outdoor activities and commercial applications. We have a small, passionate, and highly motivated team with a deep understanding of our customers. 

At Rocky Talkie, we’re driven by the belief that better communication in the backcountry can save lives. As part of this mission, we donate $2 per radio sold to search and rescue teams, supporting those who help keep outdoor communities safe.

The Role

We are seeking an Engineering Program Manager (EPM) with experience in hardware development and consumer electronics to join our growing team at Rocky Talkie in our San Francisco office. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of managing embedded systems programs and interfacing with manufacturing partners in Asia.

You will be responsible for managing engineering programs from prototype to production, ensuring on-time delivery and high-quality results. You will also aid in the sourcing of Asia-based manufacturing partners and components in order to maximize quality while controlling costs. In this role, you will drive the design, development, and manufacturing of new products at Rocky Talkie by implementing and maintaining efficient program management structures. This includes overseeing complex programs related to RF, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Firmware systems. Your expertise in working with Asia design partners and managing manufacturing partnerships will be crucial as you collaborate with our cross-functional teams, including engineering and product teams, as well as suppliers.

This role is most suitable for a passionate, experienced Engineering Program Manager who has shipped high-volume consumer electronics (>100ku units/year), thrives in a small, hands-on, fast-paced environment, and is able to work on-site in our San Francisco office 4–5 days per week.

Pay range - $125,000 - $155,000

Responsibilities:

• Manage technical program execution for products from early prototype through development to production ramp. Ensure on-time delivery for all major development stages and own stage gate exit criteria for each stage.
• Track programs to tight timelines and leverage an understanding of the technical challenges and maturity of each domain (RF, ME, EE, FW) to identify upcoming hurdles before they become large roadblocks.
• Manage multiple engineering programs in parallel of varying complexity (from non-powered products to powered accessories to complex embedded/RF systems), with the ability to modulate individual and engineering team time investment appropriately.
• Develop and maintain supplier and design partner relationships with trusted supply chain partners in Asia. Must possess flexibility for accommodating meetings in Asia’s time zone and international travel.
• Find new Asia-based manufacturing partners and component suppliers, including relationship management, audits, and onboarding.
• Build and maintain meticulous systems for tracking development tasks, prototype issues, and sustaining products.
• Align engineering milestones with cross-functional go-to-market teams to ensure a smooth product launch process.

Requirements

• 4+ years of professional experience as an engineering program manager for hardware products.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or equivalent degree and/or experience.
• A natural ability to operate in ambiguous, underspecified spaces. Possesses the ability to make independent decisions and knows when to operate autonomously and when to pull in engineers.
• Demonstrated experience working with Asia design/manufacturing partners. Comfortable working at any point along the spectrum of ODM/JDM/CM levels of design ownership.
• Experience sourcing new Asia-based manufacturing partners and component suppliers.
• Demonstrated experience with timeline management tools (e.g. Smartsheet) and bug/issue tracking software (e.g. JIRA).
• Strong communication skills across a wide range of audiences (company leadership, technical engineers, internal cross-functional groups, partners in Asia).
• Ability and desire to work on-site with our engineering team in San Francisco.
• Ability to accommodate regular meetings in Asia’s time zone.
• International travel (15 - 20%).

Desired:

• You’ve shipped consumer electronics in high volume (>100ku/yr).
• Experience working at a start-up or small company and the inherent DIY mindset that comes with those environments.
• Background as a hardware engineer (mechanical, electrical, or embedded/firmware) before transitioning to program management.
• Cultural familiarity with China, Taiwan, and/or Southeast Asia. Fluency in Mandarin is a bonus.
• A love of the outdoors and/or radio technology (bonus points for a ham license!)

Benefits

• Healthcare Plan (Medical, Dental, and Vision
• Retirement Plan with Matching
• Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick, and Holidays)
• Paid Family Leave (Maternity, Paternity)
• Paid Short Term & Long Term Disability
• Performance-Based Bonus
• And of course, plenty of Rocky Talkie gear to fuel your next adventure!