Senior Program Manager, Test Execution

Who We Are

Aurora’s mission is to deliver the benefits of self‑driving technology safely, quickly, and broadly. The Aurora Driver will create a new era in mobility and logistics, bringing a safer, more efficient, and more accessible future to everyone. At Aurora, you will tackle massively complex problems alongside other passionate, intelligent individuals, growing as an expert while expanding your knowledge.

What We Are Looking For

Aurora hires talented people with diverse backgrounds who are ready to help build a transportation ecosystem that makes our roads safer, gets crucial goods where they need to go, and makes mobility more efficient and accessible for all. We are searching for a Senior Program Manager, Test Execution (Weekend) to provide dedicated weekend and adjacent‑day (Thursday – Monday) on‑site coverage across all Development Testing Operations work‑streams.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the direct escalation point for all Program Managers' workstreams during the Saturday‑Sunday coverage window, resolving first‑tier test execution questions and issues and looping in the right people (Engineering, Safety, Operations, leadership) when they exceed first‑tier scope.
• Own and execute pre‑built response playbooks and flag gaps in those playbooks back to the weekday teams.
• Define and work within a decision‑authority matrix: know which calls you’re empowered to make solo, which need a same‑day heads‑up to leadership, and which require immediate escalation.
• Make real‑time, hands‑on calls on resource substitution—reassigning available assets, adjusting test sequencing, or re‑routing around a blocked track/route—to keep the weekend plan moving without waiting for Monday.
• Support test execution questions and escalations across the full breadth of engineering areas the team covers, not just a single workstream.
• Review the previous week’s plan against actual execution and author the weekly status/summary report on how the week went.
• Recommend and make pivots to the upcoming week’s plan based on weekend execution results, blockers, and on‑the‑ground changes (weather, asset downtime, route/track issues).
• Track and communicate blockers, delays, and anomalies to stakeholders in a timely manner, using judgment on when an issue needs to go straight to leadership versus being resolved at the PM level.
• Maintain clear documentation of weekend decisions, pivots, and escalations so the Monday‑Friday team has full continuity into the new week.
• Contribute to a living contingency playbook: after each weekend, document any novel failure mode encountered and the resolution.

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in Program Management, Project Management, Product Operations, Technical Operations, or a related role.
• Demonstrated ability to operate independently and make sound first‑tier decisions without real‑time access to the full weekday team or leadership.
• Working knowledge across multiple engineering/test workstreams, with the ability to quickly get oriented on unfamiliar issues.
• Ability to develop a functional understanding of hardware/software stacks, including how sensors, calibration, and software versions interact to impact vehicle behavior.
• Strong organizational and written/verbal communication skills, with comfort producing clear status reports and escalating to leadership when needed.
• Safety‑focused, with the ability to operate effectively in environments where safety is a core requirement.
• Required to work a Thursday–Monday schedule, including weekend on‑site presence.
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast‑paced, evolving environment with shifting priorities and incomplete information.
• Comfortable making resourceful, hands‑on calls under incomplete information—improvising a workaround, reallocating an available asset, or adjusting a test sequence in the moment rather than escalating by default.

Desirable Qualifications

• Experience covering or backstopping multiple PM workstreams simultaneously, or prior experience in a “floating” or on‑call operational role.
• Proven experience managing relationships and expectations with senior leadership, escalating appropriately without over‑ or under‑escalating.
• Comfort using basic data, dashboards, or reporting to support prioritization and execution decisions.
• Experience in autonomous vehicles, automotive, robotics, logistics, or similarly complex operational environments.

Pay

The base salary range for this position is $100,000 – $145,000 per year. Aurora’s pay ranges are determined by role, level, and location. Within the range, the successful candidate’s starting base pay will be determined based on job‑related skills, experience, qualifications, relevant education or training, and market conditions. The successful candidate will also be eligible for an annual bonus, equity compensation, and benefits.

Benefits

• Hybrid work environment with a minimum of three days per week in the office.
• Annual bonus and equity compensation.
• Comprehensive benefits package (details provided during the interview process).
• Culture focused on integrity, ambitious goals, and collaborative success.

Commitment to Safety

At the core of everything we do is our commitment to safety. Building best‑in‑class self‑driving technology takes time, and every employee at Aurora has a role in contributing to safety, every step of the way. Aurora expects commitment to our safety policies from every employee and seeks candidates who take active responsibility, help build an atmosphere of trust, and prioritize working safely.

Commitment to Inclusion

Aurora considers candidates without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy status, caregiver status, ancestry, political affiliation, veteran or military status, disability, or any other protected status. We consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable law, and provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application procedures.