---
title: 'Senior Technical Program Manager at Niantic Spatial'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-technical-program-manager-niantic-spatial-san-francisco-3nvhp8dvz9mp'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-07'
---

# Senior Technical Program Manager at Niantic Spatial

- **Company:** Niantic Spatial
- **Location:** San Francisco, CA
- **Compensation:** $194k–$250k
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** hybrid
- **Posted:** 2026-05-08
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-07
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/niantic-spatial/acd9530e-bec6-45f8-8cbd-5a98d24e7db0

## Job description

At Niantic Spatial, we’re building the future of geospatial AI. Powered by a proprietary database of over 30 billion posed images and a groundbreaking third-generation digital map, our mission is to develop spatial intelligence that helps both humans and machines better understand, navigate, and engage with the physical world. Our high-fidelity mapping technology unlocks a new dimension of interaction—laying the foundation for AI to truly comprehend and operate within real-world environments. Join us as we build a living model of the world that people and machines can talk to.

As a Senior/Staff Technical Program Manager, you'll be at the forefront of shaping our programs to build customer-facing technology and evolve our Large Geospatial Model. You will be responsible for overseeing the entire program lifecycle, from initial concept and strategy to execution and delivery. You will work cross-functionally with engineering, product management, research, and business development to ensure the successful development and customer deployment of our large geospatial model.

## RESPONSIBILITIES:

- Manage complex, cross-functional programs from strategy through execution, ensuring projects are delivered on time, within scope, and to the highest quality standards. Be equally comfortable driving executive-level alignment and working directly with teams to resolve day-to-day execution challenges.
- Establish and optimize program management processes, tools, and best practices to enhance efficiency and transparency. Create practical mechanisms that improve delivery, and actively participate in the operational work required to implement and maintain them.
- Communicate program status, risks, dependencies, and key decisions to executive leadership and stakeholders while maintaining a detailed understanding of project plans, milestones, action items, and execution metrics.
- Partner closely with engineering and research teams to define technical requirements, allocate resources, manage dependencies, mitigate risks, and drive execution to targeted results. Be willing to dive into technical and operational details to unblock teams and accelerate delivery.
- Anticipate and resolve potential roadblocks through a combination of strategic thinking, analytical problem-solving, and hands-on program management. Own follow-through on critical issues and ensure decisions are translated into action.
- Champion a user-centric approach, ensuring that the technologies underpinning our geospatial models effectively deliver value to Niantic Spatial customers. Connect customer outcomes to execution priorities and help teams make informed trade-offs throughout the development process.
- Take ownership of the operational cadence of programs, including maintaining plans, tracking deliverables, coordinating cross-team dependencies, driving meetings, documenting decisions, and ensuring accountability for commitments.
- Work Location: This position requires 3 days per week in our San Francisco office.

## QUALIFICATIONS:

- 5+ years of experience in technical program management
- Proven track record of managing complex programs in the fields of machine learning, artificial intelligence, or geospatial technologies.
- Deep understanding of the software development lifecycle (SDLC) and various program management methodologies (e.g., Agile, Scrum).
- Experience in using Agentic tools to optimize your effectiveness as a TPM
- Strong technical acumen, with the ability to engage in detailed discussions with engineers and researchers.
- Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
- Experience with geospatial data, mapping technologies, and large-scale model development is highly desirable.
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field; a Master's degree is a plus.

## CANDIDATE PRIVACY POLICY

I understand that by submitting my job application, the information I provide as part of that application will be used in accordance with Niantic Spatial’s Privacy Notice for Job Applicants and Candidates https://www.nianticspatial.com/applicant-privacy-notice.

If required by law, by submitting my job application I consent to the processing of my information as described in that Notice, including processing information I voluntarily disclose to Niantic Spatial, such as health or medical information, race or ethnicity data, and sexual orientation data and, in limited circumstances sharing information with third parties such as references and other third parties that assist in the hiring process.

Niantic Spatial is an equal opportunity employer. Individuals seeking employment at Niantic Spatial are considered without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, creed, age, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or related medical conditions), marital status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, military or veteran status, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, or any other protected category under applicable laws. Niantic Spatial, will also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in accordance with applicable laws. Please contact your recruiter if you want to request an accommodation for the job application or interview process

## About Niantic Spatial

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Niantic Spatial builds real-world foundation models and spatial intelligence systems that enable machines to reconstruct, localize within, and understand the physical world at global scale.
- **Entity Type**: Private (startup, spun out of Niantic in 2025)
- **Headquarters**: San Francisco, CA, USA (with offices in Sunnyvale, Bellevue, London, and Tokyo)
- **Founded**: 2025 (as Niantic Spatial; roots trace back to Keyhole, founded 2001, and Niantic Labs, 2011)
- **Founders**: John Hanke (Founder & Executive Chairman); Thomas Gewecke (CEO), Brian McClendon (CTO), Inhi Cho Suh (President & COO)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry/industries**: Geospatial AI, physical AI infrastructure, spatial computing, robotics, defense, energy, construction, logistics
- **Target customers**: B2B – enterprises in robotics, oil & gas, defense, large venues, construction, logistics; public sector; also powers consumer apps via Scaniverse
- **Mission or purpose statement**: “Build a living model of the world that people and machines can talk to.”

## Products & Services
- **Large Geospatial Model (LGM)** – The core engine trained on one of the largest datasets of real‑world spatial imagery. It powers reconstruction, localization, and understanding capabilities at global scale. Accessed via Scaniverse and licensed to partners. (Model/API)
- **Reconstruct** – High‑fidelity, geo‑referenced 3D models (meshes and Gaussian splats) created from any standard camera, 360° camera, drone, LiDAR, or satellite imagery. (Technology/Service)
- **Localize (Visual Positioning System)** – Precise global positioning and orientation for humans and machines, even in GPS‑degraded or denied environments (indoors, outdoors, anywhere). (Technology/API)
- **Understand** – Spatial foundation models that give AI the ability to reason about the physical world: semantic understanding at every 3D point, queryable in natural language. (Technology/API)

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed (private company)
- **Key Metric**: Over 300 million user‑contributed scans; 30+ billion posed images from real‑world locations; 140+ patents filed or pending
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Backed by Niantic (the Pokémon GO creator) and its internal resources; no external funding round publicly announced. Partnerships in defense, energy, construction, logistics, and large venues.
- **Growth Signals**: Formed as an independent company in 2025; actively hiring for senior engineering roles (Computer Vision, Tech Lead, AI Data Operations); expanding from consumer AR into enterprise and government sectors.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Deep heritage**: Founders built Keyhole (acquired by Google, became Google Earth/Maps) and later created the world’s first global Visual Positioning System at Niantic.
- **Unique data moat**: 300M+ crowdsourced scans and 30B+ posed images provide a proprietary dataset of real‑world spatial imagery that competitors would find extremely difficult to replicate.
- **Planetary‑scale deployment**: Proven ability to operate at global scale (Pokémon GO had 500M+ users); technology already battle‑tested in demanding consumer and enterprise environments.
- **Patent portfolio**: 140+ patents covering spatial reconstruction, localization, and understanding.

## Strategic Focus
- Continue building spatial foundation models that can reason about the physical world in natural language
- Expand vertical markets: robotics (warehouse, delivery, autonomous), defense (DDIL environments), oil & gas (facility digital twins), large venues, and construction
- Drive adoption of the Large Geospatial Model (LGM) as the standard for physical AI reasoning
- Integrate consumer‑facing Scaniverse as the front door to the LGM, simultaneously feeding the model with new user scans

## Why Work Here
- **Culture & mission**: High‑impact startup environment focused on a mission to create a living 3D model of the world; employees describe it as fast‑moving and collaborative
- **Work model**: Hybrid – blends in‑office collaboration with flexibility. Offices in San Francisco, Sunnyvale, Bellevue, London, and Tokyo.
- **Benefits**: 100% paid healthcare for employees, short‑/long‑term disability & life insurance (premiums covered), generous parental leave, flexible time off, 401(k) with company match, stock option grants (equity participation), and legal assistance (ARAG).
- **Engineering culture**: Deep technical challenges in computer vision, geospatial AI, large‑scale ML, and robotics; tight‑knit team of experts from Google Earth, Niantic, and the AR industry.
- **Growth trajectory**: Newly independent company with strong backing, ample opportunity to shape the product and technical direction.

## Sources
1. [nianticspatial.com – Homepage](https://www.nianticspatial.com/)
2. [nianticspatial.com – Careers](https://www.nianticspatial.com/careers)
3. [nianticspatial.com – About](https://www.nianticspatial.com/about)
4. [nianticspatial.com – About (alternate)](https://www.nianticspatial.com/en/about)

## Other roles at Niantic Spatial

- [Principal Architect, Product Engineering](https://feeny.ai/job/principal-architect-product-engineering-niantic-spatial-san-francisco-dr4y1c3rzjwe) — San Francisco, CA
- [Head of Legal](https://feeny.ai/job/head-of-legal-niantic-spatial-san-francisco-ptc96gng1drn) — San Francisco, CA
- [Robotics Engineering Intern - Fall 2026](https://feeny.ai/job/robotics-engineering-intern-fall-2026-niantic-spatial-san-francisco-xejb88ma61br) — San Francisco, CA
- [Business Operations Manager, Finance & Legal](https://feeny.ai/job/business-operations-manager-finance-legal-niantic-spatial-san-francisco-7hdczgw6v3rx) — San Francisco, CA
- [Business Development Leader (Public Sector)](https://feeny.ai/job/business-development-leader-public-sector-niantic-spatial-san-francisco-dt2sfz1dknfb) — San Francisco, CA
- [Finance Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/finance-manager-niantic-spatial-san-francisco-66ey4ek8gd88) — San Francisco, CA
- [Solutions Architect (Enterprise)](https://feeny.ai/job/solutions-architect-enterprise-niantic-spatial-san-francisco-x2b3921xjfn6) — San Francisco, CA
- [Solutions Architect (Public Sector)](https://feeny.ai/job/solutions-architect-public-sector-niantic-spatial-san-francisco-j17az714h6f0) — San Francisco, CA
- [Computer Vision Researcher (VLM)](https://feeny.ai/job/computer-vision-researcher-vlm-niantic-spatial-london-7kassr9nqtxy) — London, United Kingdom
- [Senior Computer Vision Engineer (Localization)](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-computer-vision-engineer-localization-niantic-spatial-san-francisco-ak7qthh8vj0c) — San Francisco, CA