Senior Technical Program Manager II

Found Industries is a Cambridge, MA-based industrial technology company building new critical supply chains from resources and infrastructure hiding in plain sight. Launched out of MIT, Found develops and deploys technologies that unlock critical materials and dispatchable clean energy from overlooked industrial feedstocks. The company operates through two business units: Found Metals, which recovers strategic materials including gallium from existing industrial processing streams, and Found Energy, which converts aluminum, including low-grade and scrap material, into a fuel for behind-the-meter industrial heat and power. We are seeking a strategic, hands-on Senior Technical Program Manager II to lead cross-functional teams in delivering innovative energy platforms and critical metal extraction systems. This role will drive execution throughout the product development lifecycle to ensure on-time delivery, exceptional product quality, on-target costs and effective allocation of resources. The ideal candidate will bring deep expertise in project management, particularly in launching complex hardware products within a start-up environment.

Responsibilities

Lead cross-functional teams (R&D, Engineering, Operations) to deliver new product initiatives from concept to deployment; own and manage detailed project schedules; partner with functional leaders to provide input to and help manage program-related budgets and resource plans; ensure all design control deliverables are completed per SOPs and regulatory standards; collaborate with engineers and C-suite to align technical execution with business goals; identify and mitigate program risks, escalate issues, and drive resolution across stakeholder groups; interface with commercial and government customers and represent the technical aspects of the Found Industries portfolio, serving as the voice of the customer for follow-on business capture; create, align, and provide regular project updates (written and verbal), presentations, dashboards, and executive summaries; build team ownership and commitment to project and business plans and define program milestones, deliverables, and resource requirements; proactively assess program health and implement changes and interventions to achieve timely outputs; hold team members and functional managers accountable for program actions and deliverables; conduct effective cross-functional team meetings, create agendas, and publish minutes/actions; manage performance issues and conflicts within the project team in alignment with functional management; provide input to functional leaders on team member performance; cultivate a culture of continuous improvement focused on quality, safety, delivery, and cost; build collaborative relationships across all levels

Requirements

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Mechanical, Electrical Engineering, or STEM/related technical field; passion for hardware development and relationship building; 10+ years of experience in technical project management and/or systems engineering, or related project management and/or systems engineering experience in a relevant industry; experience leading or executing projects of any type of system from TRL 3-8; extremely organized and detail oriented; experience developing material and read-outs for regular monthly and quarterly program reviews; experience developing and maintaining a schedule with Microsoft Project or similar tool; excellent communication skills; prior experience in a fast-paced hardware start-up, pilot plant scale-up, or technology licensing environment (preferred); understanding of government contract structure and reporting (preferred)

Nice to have

Prior experience in a fast-paced hardware start-up, pilot plant scale-up, or technology licensing environment; understanding of government contract structure and reporting

Benefits

Early-stage equity; comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance; matching 401K; paid life insurance; 20 days PTO; 11 holidays; 5 sick days; 12 weeks parental leave