
NPI Technical Program Manager at Physical Intelligence (San Francisco, CA)
Physical Intelligence· San Francisco, CA·
Role details
Job description
Physical Intelligence is bringing general-purpose AI into the physical world. We are a group of engineers, scientists, roboticists, and company builders developing foundation models and learning algorithms to power the robots of today and the physically-actuated devices of the future.
We are seeking a driven and resourceful Technical Program Manager to lead the charge on bringing our robot platforms online. This is your opportunity to sit at the heart of the action and make the next generation of hardware systems ready for researchers and deployments.
You'll own the end-to-end program execution, including but not limited to development schedules, risk mitigation, build matrix management, material forecasting and planning, Clear-to-Build (CTB) analysis, logistics readiness and troubleshooting, vendor follow-up, and configuration management across our hardware programs. You'll partner closely with hardware engineering, supply chain, build, fab, and fleet integration to communicate changes, analyze risk, and execute complex build plans in support of fast-moving research and deployment timelines.
In this role you will
- Partner with Platform leads and the engineering team to drive program schedule, timelines and execution end to end.
- Own build planning and production coordination for hardware platforms from part / tooling kickoff through production output to fleet hand-off.
- Drive material forecasting, Clear-to-Build (CTB) analysis, dashboards, and readiness reporting to keep build schedules honest and risks visible.
- Manage hardware staging and acceptance hand-offs to the fleet integration team.
- Coordinate arrival of COTS hardware from global vendors, including modifications for repair, allocation, tracking, replenishment, and end-of-life management.
- Run logistics readiness and troubleshooting for incoming components, and chase down the missing 2% before it becomes a blocker.
- Route custom hardware requests across internal build and fabrication space and external vendors.
- Partner with supply chain and procurement on vendor follow-up, lead-time management, and risk mitigation on long-lead and single-source parts.
- Identify and implement process improvements in how PI plans, builds, and ships hardware as the program scales.
What we hope you'll bring
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a related field. Experience with shipping hardware is required.
- 3+ years of experience in operations, supply chain, manufacturing program support, or engineering program management, including cross-functional and vendor engagement.
- Strong organizational and project management skills, with a proven ability to drive process improvements and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- Proficiency with operational tools such as Notion, Linear, Excel, project trackers, and procurement, ticketing, or workflow systems.
- Excellent written and verbal communication. Able to translate engineering detail into clear status updates for both technical and executive audiences.
- Willing to travel domestically and occasionally internationally to vendors and contract manufacturers.
- Experience in R&D operations, robotics, or other technical environments with complex procurement, NPI, or capitalization requirements.
- Familiarity with electromechanical systems, PCBA, machined parts, or robotics hardware.
- Direct experience with build planning, BOM management, Clear-to-Build analysis, or material readiness for hardware programs.
- Hands-on bias: a willingness to spend time on the build floor working alongside technicians and engineers.
- Ability to identify and implement process improvements using data and cross-functional input.
- Familiarity with ERP/MRP, PLM, or production tracking tools.
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
Why work at Physical Intelligence
- Culture: Described as a “pure company” – internally driven by research needs, not external market demands. Highly collaborative, with a mix of engineers, scientists, and roboticists working together.
- Work Environment: Hybrid/in-office – most roles require on-site presence in San Francisco (396 Treat Ave), though some remote flexibility exists. In-office setting with a “no reception” vibe, open lab space with robot stations.
- Growth: Team has scaled from ~80 (Jan 2026) to 163 (mid-2026) and is still hiring across research, ML infra, hardware, and engineering roles. Plans to grow “as slowly as possible” to maintain quality.
- Perks & Engineering Highlights: Access to cutting-edge robotics hardware and compute resources; opportunity to publish research and open-source code; exposure to a wide variety of real-world automation challenges (e.g., robots learning to fold pants, peel vegetables, make espresso). Employees come from top institutions like Berkeley, Stanford, Google, NVIDIA, and Anduril.