Senior Hardware Program Manager - Manufacturing and Quality

About the Team Born at X, Google's Moonshot Factory, Taara is on a mission to connect billions of people lacking abundant and affordable internet today by pioneering the way we use light to deliver faster, cheaper, more reliable connectivity. Lead the charge in bringing our groundbreaking wireless optical communication and photonics chip technologies to the world. Drive our growth story as we scale innovative solutions across the world. Join us to light the way for bridging the digital divide and illuminating the future. About the Role We are seeking a Manufacturing and Quality Senior Hardware Program Manager at Taara with experience in leading Manufacturing, Manufacturing Engineering and Quality for volume production of Wireless Optical Communication (WOC) systems. These systems are used for delivering abundant and affordable internet. The role is a strategic, leadership-focused role responsible for overseeing the product build planning, production and shipment and ensuring the product meets the quality and performance specifications and standards by developing, implementing, and enforcing quality control (QC) and quality assurance (QA) protocols throughout the production process. The position seeks highly-motivated individuals that enjoy working in a small dynamic team environment with engineers, technicians, suppliers and partners and with a passion for solving challenging problems of diverse scope in support of manufacturing, scaling, and continuous improvement projects (CIP) that can lead to high-impact advances in technology. How you will make 10x impact Production Oversight: Monitor daily manufacturing operations, including production, scheduling, and resource allocation across multiple shifts or value streams. Oversee production capacity, layout, and equipment readiness to ensure manufacturing goals are met. Proactively identify, monitor, and mitigate risks, creating contingency plans to minimize impact on production schedules. Strategy & Planning: Develop and execute long-term manufacturing strategies, including budget management, capacity planning, and capital expenditure proposals. Track and improve Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) such as Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), yield, and unit costs. Quality Management: Develop and maintain the Quality Management System (QMS), including ISO compliance and, if applicable industry-specific certifications. Create, review, and enforce testing procedures to inspect raw materials, in-process production, and finished goods, passing or rejecting products based on specifications. Evaluate and audit raw material suppliers to ensure components meet quality standards. Data Analysis and Improvement: Drive disposition of non conforming material across manufacturing and supply chain. Monitor quality KPIs, identify trends, analyze root causes of defects, and implement corrective actions (RCCA/CAPA) to improve processes. Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with engineering, supply chain, manufacturing and suppliers and lead investigations into quality issues, identifying root causes, and implementing sustainable corrective and preventative actions. Influence product design, manufacturability, testability, and supply chain responsiveness in pursuit of volume production readiness, low cost and flexibility while stewarding quality. Product Compliance: Oversee Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (PFMEA), Control Plans, and Production Part Approval Process (PPAP). Budgeting & Reporting: Establish quality budgets and cost commitments, tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) like scrap rate, first-pass yield, and cost per unit. Stakeholder Communication: Present program status, risks, and performance metrics to leadership and key customers. What you should have Bachelor degree in Mechanical or Electrical or Optics, and 10+ years of experience in product manufacturing, manufacturing engineering and quality in leadership roles. Experience in low and high volume manufacturing of complex capital equipment type products (Semiconductor, Medical and Telecommunication) involving hardware, software, assembly, integration and testing. Expertise in quality management systems, quality standards (ISO, UL, CE etc), quality tools (e.g., FMEA, SPC), Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, ERP systems and change management systems Experience in defining product reliability and quality requirements and processes that encompass both hardware and software. Leadership & Soft Skills: Excellent communication, decision-making, and organizational skills, with a proven ability to lead, mentor and manage large, diverse teams. Ability to navigate ambiguity, communicate effectively at all levels, and execute and iterate quickly with ever-changing problem sets and environments. Ability to work in the Sunnyvale office at least 3 days a week. The US base salary range for this full-time position is $180,000-$200,000 + bonus + equity + benefits. Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your location during the hiring process.