Technical Product Manager - Self-driving systems

About the role

Our Autonomous Mobility client is seeking a Product Manager for a 12‑month, 40‑hour/week contract. This role is fully onsite 5 days a week in Foster City, CA.

We are seeking an experienced Product Manager to lead the definition, development, and lifecycle execution of products within a complex automotive technology environment. This role requires a highly technical and strategic product leader who can bridge hardware, firmware, software, and operational teams to deliver innovative products from concept through launch. The ideal candidate is customer‑focused, data‑driven, and experienced in bringing new products to market while balancing long‑term vision with near‑term execution. In this position, you may have access to client or customer systems, confidential and/or proprietary information or data, and will work closely with other individuals in a collaborative team environment.

Requirements

• 6+ years of product management experience delivering 0‑to‑1 products in the automotive or autonomous vehicle (AV) industry.
• Strong technical foundation with the ability to collaborate effectively across hardware, firmware, and software engineering teams.
• Proven experience serving as Product Owner in highly cross‑functional product development environments.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize competing initiatives, influence stakeholders, and drive alignment across teams.
• Strong strategic thinking skills with the ability to balance long‑term product vision against immediate business needs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical discipline required.
• Excellent negotiation, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Track record of driving decisions and building consensus across diverse teams and functions.
• Self‑starter with a history of taking initiative, solving complex problems, and delivering results.
• Strong analytical and decision‑making capabilities in fast‑paced, evolving environments.
• Customer‑centric mindset with the ability to identify market opportunities and translate them into product strategy.
• Experience working within complex technical ecosystems and managing products through the full product lifecycle.

Responsibilities

• Define product strategy, roadmap, and requirements for assigned product areas across current vehicle platforms and future product initiatives.
• Own the successful delivery and lifecycle management of products from concept through launch and ongoing optimization.
• Develop a deep understanding of customers, market dynamics, competitive landscape, and business objectives to identify new product opportunities.
• Align product strategy and execution with broader company goals and long‑term vision.
• Serve as the Product Owner within a highly cross‑functional development environment spanning hardware, firmware, software, and operations teams.
• Lead product planning, prioritization, and decision‑making to maximize customer value and business impact.
• Ruthlessly prioritize features, manage tradeoffs, and clearly communicate priorities across stakeholders.
• Partner closely with engineering, operations, program management, and leadership teams to drive product execution.
• Build alignment across technical and non‑technical stakeholders and facilitate timely decision‑making.
• Define success metrics and use data‑driven insights to inform product strategy and investment decisions.
• Identify risks, dependencies, and execution challenges early, and drive mitigation plans to maintain product momentum.
• Champion the voice of the customer throughout the product development process and ensure solutions meet user and business needs.