Aimed at senior-level hardware program managers with cross-functional leadership experience in robotics, who can drive complex system integration and manage contract manufacturers through NPI.
Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.
Original posting from Rhoda Ai via Ashby
At Rhoda AI, we’re building the next generation of generalist intelligent robots. We own the full robotics stack from high-performance hardware and robot systems to the infrastructure and state-of-the-art foundation world models that control our robots. Our robots are designed to be generalists capable of operating in complex, real-world environments and handling long-tail edge cases, made possible by our cutting edge research and end-to-end system design. We've raised over $450M and are investing aggressively in model research, infrastructure, hardware development, and manufacturing scale-up to make generalist robotics a reality.
As Senior/Staff TPM for Hardware, you own the cross-functional execution of our robot hardware programs, from system integration through EVT/DVT validation, low-volume builds, and early customer deployment. You sit at the intersection of mechanical, electronics, firmware, controls, AI, and manufacturing, driving each hardware generation from integration to build-ready and scaling toward the next.
This is a deeply technical leadership role. You are expected to engage substantively with mechanical, electronics, firmware, and controls engineers, understand design tradeoffs, surface risk early, and hold the program to a high bar of engineering quality, decision velocity, and schedule integrity.
Responsibilities:
Program Execution
- Own the hardware integrated master schedule (IMS) and drive EVT to DVT gate readiness.
- Coordinate system integration milestones and ensure alignment between hardware freeze dates and AI/controls needs.
- Track long-lead items and tooling readiness across all subsystems.
Hardware Integration
- Align actuator development and coordinate torque sensor validation and calibration plans.
- Ensure EtherCAT network readiness and manage compute integration (edge inference platform).
- Align camera and sensor selection and validation; track safety architecture validation (ISO 13849, IEC 61508 considerations).
Manufacturing & NPI
- Coordinate DFM workshops with shortlisted contract manufacturers.
- Manage EVT/DVT builds with a low-volume NPI partner and drive ECO cadence.
- Track tooling, fixtures, and test infrastructure readiness; ensure supply chain risk mitigation and dual sourcing where applicable.
Risk & Decision Velocity
- Maintain an active risk register (RPN-based prioritization) and escalate critical blockers with low decision latency.
- Structure cross-functional resolution sessions and drive root-cause closure with clear accountability.
Cross-Functional Ownership
- Run weekly cross-functional execution reviews across mechanical, electronics, firmware, controls, and supply chain.
- Define clear entry/exit criteria for EVT and DVT.
- Coordinate test infrastructure needs (actuator rigs, dyno requirements, endurance testing).
- Align certification workstreams (CE, UL, and regional requirements) for target deployment markets.
- Drive readiness for low-volume build targets.
What You'll Bring:
Required:
- 8+ years of experience in hardware program management in robotics, EV, aerospace, or complex electromechanical systems.
- Demonstrated ownership of EVT/DVT/PVT cycles.
- Strong understanding of actuator architectures, embedded systems integration, safety-rated motion control, and multi-axis robotic systems.
- Experience managing contract manufacturers through NPI and low-volume ramp.
- Proven ability to operate in low-structure startup environments.
- Ability to synthesize technical risk into executive-level clarity.
Nice to Have
- Experience with humanoid or high-DoF robotic systems.
- Familiarity with EtherCAT-based distributed architectures.
- Familiarity with SIL2/SIL3 functional safety concepts.
- Experience with real-time systems.
- Experience scaling hardware from prototype to mid-volume production.
Why This Role:
- Own the execution of Rhoda's robot hardware from EVT through DVT and into early customer deployment: a rare opportunity to shape how a new robotics platform gets built.
- Direct access to executive leadership and a clear path to program leadership as the hardware roadmap scales.
- Be the connective tissue across every discipline building the robot: hardware, firmware, controls, AI, and manufacturing.
Source: Rhoda Ai careers (Ashby)