Technical Program Manager

Advantest is seeking a Technical Program Manager to lead hardware and software validation projects for complex customer configurations and internal releases, with emphasis on disciplined planning, execution, and validation closure. This role partners closely with multiple Business Units and roles such as, Application Engineering Managers, R&D, and Director of Global Operations to ensure validation work is scoped, tracked, risk-managed, and completed with clear evidence that deliverables meet performance and quality expectations.

This position is designed for organizations that prefer hiring execution leadership inside Application Engineering—where technical validation work lives day-to-day—while still enabling consistent governance and reporting across initiatives. 

Key Responsibilities

1) Lead HW/SW Validation Projects End-to-End

• Own the project lifecycle for validation efforts: initiation → planning → execution → verification/approval → closure. 
• Drive validation readiness: requirements capture, success criteria, resource plan, timeline, and dependencies across teams/sites. 

2) Requirements, Scope, and Acceptance Criteria

• Work with stakeholders to define and document scope (what’s in/out), validation objectives, and measurable acceptance criteria. 
• Ensure deliverables are “bounded and understood” and that validation evidence is reviewable and auditable. 

3) Cadence, Tracking, and Communication

• Run weekly (or appropriate) execution cadence: status, actions, dependencies, decisions, and escalation management. 
• Maintain project plans and reporting in standard tools (Jira preferred; MS Project optional) and provide concise executive summaries. 

4) Risk / Issue Management

• Identify schedule/technical/resource risks early and build mitigation plans; escalate promptly when risks threaten commitments. 

5) Validation Quality & Closure Discipline

• Partner with engineering and validation owners to ensure test plans, checklists, reviews, and sign-offs are completed. 
• Ensure projects close with: documentation, lessons learned, and recommendations to improve repeatability. 

6) Continuous Improvement

• Improve validation playbooks/templates (plans, risk logs, approval flow, dashboards) to scale validation discipline across programs and sites. 

Interfaces / Key Partners

• Director of Application Engineering, AE Managers, Test Technologist / SMEs
• R&D / Integration teams, Quality, Manufacturing/Operations, Field Service.
• Customer technical contacts for validation checkpoints and readiness discussions 

Qualifications:

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (EE/CS/ME) or equivalent relevant experience. 
• 5 years experience project managing technical projects in HW/SW development, system integration, validation, or manufacturing environments.
• Proven track record in best project management practices such as risk management, change control, project lifecycle, different project management methods.
• Demonstrated ability to lead with authority and accountability — driving execution, enforcing commitments, and holding cross‑functional teams to agreed timelines, scope, and quality standards, even without direct reporting authority.
• Strong communication skills (status, executive summaries, decision documentation).
• Proven track record of establishing KPIs, templates, best practices across organization.

Preferred

• Experience with semiconductor test / ATE environment; familiarity with test program / system validation processes. 
• Proficiency with Jira and Agile/Kanban execution models. 
• PMP/CAPM (nice to have). 
• Hands-on understanding of HW/SW lifecycle, verification/validation concepts, and change control.