Technical Program Manager, Principal

About Positron AI

Positron AI specializes in developing custom hardware systems to accelerate AI inference.  These inference systems offer significant performance and efficiency gains over traditional GPU-based systems, delivering advantages in both performance per dollar and performance per watt. Positron AI exists to create the world's best AI inference systems.

Role Overview

We are looking for a Senior Technical Program Manager to own and drive three critical, concurrent workstreams at the intersection of hardware and software delivery:

• Customer Deployments — Lead end-to-end programs for deploying Positron’s inference platform into customer environments, including hyperscalers and enterprise partners. Coordinate cross-functional execution across hardware, firmware, software, and partner integration teams to hit aggressive milestones from initial qualification through production ramp.
• ASIC Emulation Software Deliverables — Drive the software deliverables required for ASIC emulation, including boot and runtime software that runs in the emulation environment itself, test infrastructure, validation environments, and tooling that enable pre-silicon software development and verification. Ensure the emulation software pipeline stays ahead of silicon timelines.
• ASIC Software Releases (Pre- and Post-Silicon) — Own the program management of ASIC software releases across the full silicon lifecycle—from early bring-up and emulation through tapeout, first silicon, and production software milestones. Define release timelines and scope for each release, and coordinate dependencies across compiler, runtime, driver, firmware, and platform software teams.

This role sits within the Accelerator Platform Software (APS) organization and supports the broader Positron Software organization. It requires a TPM who thrives at the boundary of hardware and software, is comfortable with ambiguity, and can impose structure and accountability on complex, multi-team programs. A central responsibility across all three workstreams is managing the dependencies between hardware and software teams to ensure aligned delivery.

Key Responsibilities

• Own integrated program plans for customer deployments, including hyperscalers, coordinating deliverables across silicon, platform software, firmware, infrastructure, and partner-facing teams.
• Define and manage release timelines, scope, and schedules for all ASIC software deliverables—pre-silicon (emulation, simulation, FPGA prototyping) and post-silicon (bring-up, validation, production releases).
• Build and maintain a cross-functional dependency map that connects hardware milestones (tapeout, first silicon, qualification) to software readiness gates.
• Manage dependencies between hardware and software teams across all workstreams, ensuring alignment on deliverables, handoffs, and integration schedules.
• Drive weekly program reviews, track risks and blockers, and escalate with clarity and context to engineering leadership.
• Partner with the customer’s technical program and engineering teams to manage joint milestones, deliverable handoffs, and integration checkpoints.
• Establish and enforce release processes including branching strategy, qualification criteria, regression gates, and release notes for ASIC software drops.
• Coordinate emulation platform resource allocation, boot and runtime software delivery, test scheduling, and environment readiness to maximize pre-silicon software velocity.
• Create transparency across the organization through dashboards, status reports, and structured communication cadences.
• Identify process gaps and implement lightweight, high-signal mechanisms that improve execution without adding bureaucracy.
• Support hiring and onboarding as the Positron Software organization scales significantly.

Required Qualifications

• 8+ years of technical program management experience in semiconductor, systems, or infrastructure software companies.
• Direct experience managing programs that span ASIC/silicon development and software delivery—ideally across pre-silicon emulation through post-silicon production.
• Track record of managing large-scale customer or partner deployment programs (hyperscaler experience strongly preferred).
• Deep familiarity with silicon development milestones (RTL freeze, tapeout, A0/B0 silicon, qualification) and