Hardware Technical Program Manager (TPM)

About Tacit We are an early-stage, deep tech startup based in San Francisco, developing innovative hardware that rethinks human-computer interaction. We are backed by General Catalyst, Khosla Ventures, and Greylock Partners, with a founding team from Stanford, BrainGate, Oculus, and Tesla. While we can't reveal too much just yet, our team is tackling cutting-edge engineering challenges to bring revolutionary products to life. About the role Our core sensing technology has been validated, and we are now transitioning from research prototypes to a consumer-ready product. We are hiring a Hardware Technical Program Manager (TPM) to be the backbone of hardware execution across electrical, mechanical, RF, firmware, manufacturing, and operations. This person will own the integrated program plan end-to-end, keep teams aligned on milestones and tradeoffs, and ensure we ship hardware that is reliable, testable, and manufacturable. What you'll do Own the end-to-end hardware program plan from concept through prototype builds, EVT/DVT/PVT, production ramp, and launch. Build and maintain the integrated master schedule across hardware, firmware, manufacturing test, supply chain, and ops. Drive crisp execution rhythms: weekly cross-functional syncs, milestone reviews, and decision logs. Manage cross-team dependencies, identify critical paths, and ensure work is appropriately sequenced to de-risk the program. Run program management fundamentals Risk register, issue tracking, mitigations, and escalation paths. Build readiness reviews and phase-gate checklists. Change control for requirements, scope, and schedule. Partner with engineering leads to translate product intent into clear requirements, interfaces, and acceptance criteria . Coordinate contract manufacturers, ODMs, and key suppliers through design, build, test, and yield improvement. Communicate status to leadership with clarity: progress, tradeoffs, risks, and resourcing needs. Raise the bar on documentation quality so knowledge is shared and decisions are durable. Requirements 5+ years of experience leading cross-functional hardware programs , ideally for consumer electronics. Demonstrated experience owning and reporting a master schedule for hardware builds, prototyping, validation, and manufacturing readiness. Strong systems intuition across multiple domains (EE, ME, firmware, DFM/DFA, manufacturing/test, validation and reliability), with the ability to represent disciplines outside of your own. Experience working with external partners (CM/ODM/suppliers), including coordinating design, build, and test activities across time zones. Excellent written and verbal communication. You are known for clarity, concision, and follow-through. High ownership and comfort operating in ambiguity. You can create structure without becoming bureaucratic. Strong candidates may have Experience building or scaling a phase-gate hardware development process. Experience with wearables, audio products, RF-constrained systems, or power-constrained products . Experience standing up manufacturing test and reliability processes in partnership with test/NPI teams. Familiarity with tools like Jira/Linear/Asana, Confluence/Notion, and schedule management tooling. Compensation Range $160,000 - $180,000 plus significant equity. Benefits Competitive equity package Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance Company size: 20-30 people Unlimited PTO Visa sponsorship 3% 401k matching J-18808-Ljbffr