Senior Program Manager – Release Management

About the role

• We are seeking a Senior Program Manager to own the end-to-end release management process for our autonomous vehicle software and hardware systems and to drive cross-functional program execution at scale. This role is ideal for someone with 6+ years of experience in program or technical project management who can operate independently, influence without authority, and build the processes and infrastructure needed to reliably ship complex, safety-critical systems. The ideal candidate combines deep release management expertise with a strategic perspective to align engineering, product, and customer-facing teams around shared delivery goals.

What you'll do

• Own the release management lifecycle from planning through deployment, including release readiness criteria, go/no-go decisions, and post-release retrospectives.
• Define and maintain release schedules that account for hardware/software dependencies, customer commitments, and regulatory requirements.
• Serve as the central coordination point for all release-related activities across engineering, QA, product, and field operations.
• Drive program-level planning, tracking, and risk management across multiple concurrent initiatives.
• Develop and maintain release governance processes, including branching strategies, freeze windows, and rollback procedures in collaboration with engineering leads.
• Identify systemic risks and blockers across programs and drive resolution with appropriate urgency and escalation.
• Build and report on program and release KPIs, surfacing insights that inform leadership decisions on scope, schedule, and resource trade-offs.
• Partner with product and engineering leadership to translate roadmap priorities into executable delivery plans.
• Lead cross-functional release readiness reviews, integration testing coordination, and customer rollout sequencing.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of experience in program or project management within a technical environment, with direct ownership of release management processes.
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electrical or Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline; advanced degree a plus.
• Proven ability to manage complex, multi-team programs involving both software and hardware components.
• Deep experience with Jira administration, including workflow configuration, reporting, and cross-project coordination.
• Strong command of Agile methodologies and SDLC practices, including experience adapting them to hardware-coupled development cycles.
• Excellent communication and facilitation skills; able to drive alignment across engineering, product, and executive stakeholders.
• Experience with autonomous systems, robotics, or other safety-critical industries strongly preferred.
• Track record of bringing order to complex, fast-moving programs without slowing teams down.

Benefits & Perks

• Health benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision, HSA and FSA (Health & Dependent Daycare), Employee Assistance Program, 1:1 Health Concierge)
• Life, Short-term and long-term disability insurance (Cyngn funds 100% of premiums)
• Company 401(k)
• Commuter Benefits
• Flexible vacation policy
• Remote or hybrid work opportunities
• Sabbatical leave opportunity after 5 years with the company
• Paid Parental Leave
• Daily lunches for in-office employees and fully-stocked kitchen with snacks and beverages
• Monthly meal and tech allowances for remote employees

$140,000 - $175,000 a year

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.