Technical Program Manager, Research Operations

Technical Program Manager, Research OperationsLocation: Onsite at Redmond, WAContract: 6 months with possibility for extensionPay Rate: $100 - $115/hr on W2Benefits: Health, Dental, Vision, PTONote: This is a W-2-only position. We do not offer visa sponsorship and cannot accept H-1B, F-1/STEM OPT, 1099, C2C, or C2H arrangements.The Role We are seeking a Technical Program Manager (TPM) to join our client's advanced research operations team. In this role, you will lead complex cross-functional operations that bridge cutting-edge research and execution. You will drive end-to-end procurement workflows, contract administration, budget tracking, and program execution across multi-disciplinary technical teams advancing their spatial computing and hardware innovation.Job Responsibilities

• Drive complex cross-functional operations, maintaining rigorous documentation, tracking open action items, and ensuring team accountability to drive project closure.
• Identify operational bottlenecks and proactively escalate issues to unblock research progress and Meta hardware development.
• Manage complex procurement operations and Bill of Materials (BOM) tracking in close partnership with technical owners and Lab Managers—including supplier research, onboarding, quoting, PO creation, and vendor follow-up.
• Oversee contract lifecycle management by drafting, routing, and tracking NDAs, SOWs, and vendor agreements in coordination with Meta Legal, internal researchers, and external partners.
• Manage financial health by tracking operational budgets, conducting budget reconciliation, and mapping Purchase Orders (POs) directly to corresponding budget lines.
• Coordinate team operations, including planning for critical onsite vendor visits, team travel, and event logistics.

Must Have Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a technical field such as Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent practical experience).
• 5+ years of experience in project management, technical program management, or research operations within technical domains.
• Proven experience in project estimating, project scheduling and tracking, customer/stakeholder interaction, and implementation planning within large-scale organizations.
• Demonstrated experience with complex procurement workflows (supplier research, quoting, PO tracking, vendor follow-up) and legal/contractual workflows (NDAs, SOWs).
• Hands-on experience with budget tracking, budget reconciliation, and PO-to-budget matching.
• Proven ability to operate, communicate, and translate requirements across multi-disciplinary technical domains (hardware engineering, chemistry, physics, AI) and cross-functional partners (Legal, Operations, Management).
• Demonstrated ability to be flexible and adaptable in exercising judgment in a changing environment, managing competing priorities, and learning business processes quickly.
• Strong ability to assess risk and apply management principles to technology applications/products and business functions.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting hardware engineering research labs.
• Familiarity with Meta procurement, supply chain, and contracting tools.
• Experience planning team travel, vendor site visits, and multi-stakeholder operational events.
• Advanced degree (e.g., MBA, Master's in a technical field) or PMP / PMI certification.

Pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act, Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, qualified applicants will be considered for assignment with arrest and conviction records. Criminal history may have a direct, adverse, and negative relationship with some of the material job duties of this position. These include the duties and responsibilities listed above, as well as the abilities to adhere to company policies, exercise sound judgment, effectively manage stress and work safely and respectfully with others, exhibit trustworthiness, meet client expectations, standards, and accompanying requirements, and safeguard business operations and company reputation. #TMMT