Senior NPI Program Manager

About the Role

This is a contract assignment at Palo Alto Networks. Contractors will be engaged through a trusted staffing partner and will not be directly employed by Palo Alto Networks. The role is based onsite in Santa Clara with an expected duration of 11 months.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a subject matter expert in new product introduction for x86 hardware appliances.
• Collaborate on product development with cross-functional teams, including Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, Product Management, Mechanical Engineering, Hardware Validation, Test Engineering, Quality, Compliance, Manufacturing, and Supply Chain Management.
• Create schedules for hardware development and prototyping that align with software development schedules to ensure a smooth transition into system integration.
• Ensure quality and reliability objectives are met through hardware validation, manufacturing test, and release management.
• Develop phase gate release criteria and enforce completion of hardware validation with buy-in from cross-functional teams.
• Ensure Order Fulfillment readiness for all new SKUs and FRUs by collaborating with Business Systems, Planning, Supply Chain, Repair & Failure Analysis Engineering, and Service Logistics.
• Facilitate the Design for Manufacturing (DFM) process with global contract manufacturers and printed circuit board fabrication.
• Ensure the Design for Assembly (DFA) process meets objectives for cost, quality, and speed.
• Identify and mitigate risks through early engagement, bug tracking, and cross-functional risk assessment.
• Support the Test Engineering team in meeting Design for Test (DFT) objectives.
• Facilitate Product Characterization and Component Characterization to derisk DFM issues and assembly defects.
• Make recommendations for risk buys based on product architecture and lead time analysis.
• Identify cost-reduction opportunities through the development of should-cost models and multi-sourcing.
• Drive Engineering Change Orders (ECO) and implement corrective actions.
• Establish traceability on components to track history, location, and genealogy through multi-level BOM tracking.
• Continuously improve the hardware product lifecycle through retrospectives and best practices.
• Lead Post Ramp Qualification (PRQ) process for technical initiatives such as Hard Tooling and Optical Transceivers.
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to team members.

Requirements

• 8+ years of experience in product development and manufacturing environments.
• Proven experience managing cross-functional teams in NPI program management of x86 hardware platforms.
• Knowledge of Printed Circuit Board Assembly (PCBA).
• Strong knowledge of product development processes, including Hardware Validation, Product Characterization, Design for Test, Design for Manufacturing, and Design for Assembly.
• Familiarity with Product Development tools such as Valor, Arena, Jira, and CAD.
• Experience managing manufacturing processes and identifying cost-reduction opportunities.
• Excellent communication and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Strong project management skills, including risk assessment and schedule management.
• Experience with contract negotiations and commercial discussions.
• Excellent supplier and material management experience.
• Demonstrated entrepreneurial approach to Operations management in ambiguous, fast-paced environments handling multiple projects in parallel.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline or equivalent experience.

Pay

The hourly pay range for this position is $102 to $108, depending on qualifications, experience, and work location. This rate reflects compensation only and does not include benefits.

Benefits

Medical, Dental, Vision, and 401K benefits are offered through the staffing agency, Magnit.