Technical Project Manager

Engineering Project Manager

Overview

An effective Project Manager is essential to the success of product development in the Engineering Department. They are responsible for organizing, guiding, and delivering cross-functional project work including hardware, software, and QA to achieve product and business objectives. The PM must understand company strategy and translate high-level goals into actionable, measurable outcomes for development teams.

In our organization, Project Managers operate with a program-oriented mindset while retaining the Project Manager title. They are primarily accountable for outcome delivery within their vertical, where multiple teams may be contributing to shared goals. This role serves as a connector across the vertical management team, ensuring risks and dependencies are surfaced, documented, tracked, and discussed early so informed decisions can be made.

The PM brings technical fluency, structured thinking, strategic communication, and a coaching mindset to help teams stay focused on the right work at the right time.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree, preferably in a process-oriented discipline (Computer Science, Engineering, Business Administration), or 6-10 years of direct experience in technical project management.
• 5-10 years of experience working on Agile development teams, preferably as a Project Manager, Product Owner, or Scrum Master.
• Strong technical acumen with the ability to understand dependencies across embedded systems, UI, firmware, and QA. Able to ask clarifying questions and map risks. You cannot be buffaloed.
• Proven ability to manage complex, cross-discipline initiatives and communicate clearly with engineers, stakeholders, and leadership.

Key Traits and Capabilities

• Technical fluency Understand system integration points and technical constraints well enough to anticipate risks, track dependencies, and support informed decision-making with engineers and QA.
• Outcome-oriented delivery Focus on delivering business and customer value, not just completing tickets. Consistently connects work back to outcomes and priorities.
• Cross-team coordination Comfortable working across multiple teams within a vertical. Owns surfacing, documenting, and tracking risks and dependencies, and facilitates the right conversations to resolve them.
• Strategic communicator Clearly communicates goals, risks, options, and tradeoffs. Prepares decision-ready information and works with the management team to evaluate pros and cons.
• Navigates ambiguity Leads effectively in early-phase or research-heavy efforts where direction is still forming. Helps the team build clarity, focus, and momentum.
• Resilient and adaptable Maintains focus and morale amid changing priorities, technical challenges, and stakeholder feedback.
• Execution Focus Helps surface when processes or requests may add unnecessary friction or distract from outcomes, and works collaboratively to improve them.

Success Milestones

First 90 Days

Focus: Build trust, establish context, and demonstrate strong ownership of delivery fundamentals.

• Build relationships with developers, QA, Product, and other vertical management team members.
• Lead backlog refinement for at least one team, ensuring work is clear, testable, and aligned with desired outcomes.
• Break down work with clear acceptance criteria tied to stakeholder goals.
• Participate in sprint planning, reviews, and retrospectives to build shared understanding.
• Develop a working understanding of Wavetronix product lines, system integration points, and key constraints.
• Begin surfacing and tracking risks and dependencies, following up proactively.

First 6 Months

Focus: Add structure to complexity and strengthen cross-team alignment.

• Partner with the vertical management team to clarify goals, expected outcomes, and near-term priorities.
• Coordinate work across multiple teams by identifying dependencies, timing concerns, and integration risks.
• Support planning with a forward-looking view, ideally up to six months, while adapting to sprint-to-sprint realities.
• Proactively communicate risks, options, and timeline concerns with recommendations, not just status.
• Facilitate conversations that help leadership make informed tradeoff decisions.
• Contribute to cross-team planning and release discussions alongside other PMs.

First Year

Focus: Operate as a trusted delivery leader and multiplier within the vertical.

• Document short and mid-range plans that reflect business goals and engineering constraints.
• Confidently answer questions about priorities, risks, and expected outcomes.
• Participate in system-level planning discussions, asking questions that connect technical choices to business impact.
• Demonstrate consistent delivery of outcomes across multiple teams.
• Improve delivery quality by coaching others on prioritization, communication, and follow-through.

Beyond Year One

Focus: Elevate delivery maturity and mentor others.

• Take a lead role in coordinating high-risk or multi-team initiatives within a vertical.
• Support onboarding and development of other PMs through the Project Management circle.
• Help evolve and standardize project management practices while respecting context and flexibility.
• Develop a strong understanding of the ITS and traffic industry to anticipate customer and market needs.

About Wavetronix

Wavetronix' purpose is to enable rewarding careers and foster personal development. We do this by creating innovative technologies that make the world's roads safer and more efficient.

Our core values include putting people first and embracing a growth mindset. We encourage continuous learning and long-term growth, creating opportunities for individuals and teams to thrive.

Wavetronix is an affirmative action equal opportunity employer.