Technical Automotive Program Manager

Join to apply for the Technical Automotive Program Manager role at Axelera AI. About Us Axelera AI is not your regular deep‑tech startup. We are creating the next‑generation AI platform to support anyone who wants to help advancing humanity and improve the world around us. In just four years, we have raised a total of $120 million and have built a world‑class team of 220+ employees (including 49+ PhDs with more than 40,000 citations), both remotely from 17 different countries and with offices in Belgium, France, Switzerland, Italy, the UK, headquartered at the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven, Netherlands. We have also launched our Metis™ AI Platform, which achieves a 3–5x increase in efficiency and performance, and have visibility into a strong business pipeline exceeding $100 million. Our unwavering commitment to innovation has firmly established us as a global industry pioneer. Are you up for the challenge?

Position Overview As a Technical Program Manager at Axelera AI, you will manage the milestones and deliverables for Axelera's European consortium‑funded research and development programmes including automotive projects. Your role focuses on overall programme coordination, external consortium representation, and ensuring alignment between Axelera's internal development activities and funded programme requirements. Reporting to the Director of Program Management, you will work closely with Axelera's Hardware Program Manager and Software Program Manager to integrate funded programme deliverables into the overall set of internal work packages and work closely with engineering leaders to co‑ordinate and track program‑specific deliverables, while representing Axelera to external consortium partners, project coordinators, and suppliers.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage milestones, deliverables, and reporting requirements for multiple European consortium‑funded programmes, ensuring compliance with consortium obligations and timelines.
• Coordinate with Hardware and Software Program Managers to ensure funded programme deliverables are integrated into internal work packages and development roadmaps.
• Work with key engineering leaders across architecture, silicon, software, and integrated systems teams on program‑specific tasks and deliverables, ensuring technical requirements are understood and addressed.
• Serve as Axelera's primary representative to the consortium partners, project coordinators, and external stakeholders for these programmes.
• Deliver regular written and verbal progress updates as required by programme agreements, including periodic progress reports, deliverable documentation, and technical summaries.
• Attend in‑person consortium meetings, steering committees, and partner discussions across Europe to represent Axelera's interests and maintain strong collaborative relationships.
• Track and report programme status, risks, and dependencies, escalating issues as needed to ensure programme success.
• Coordinate engagement with external suppliers and partners involved in the funded programmes, ensuring alignment on deliverables and timelines.
• Establish and maintain programme documentation, governance frameworks, and communication channels to support effective multi‑party collaboration.
• Work across internal teams to gather technical inputs, status updates, and deliverable content without duplicating planning activities managed by existing Program Managers.

Qualifications

• Program Management Experience: 3‑5 years of experience in technical or project/programme management within a technology‑focused organisation, preferably in semiconductor, automotive, or AI domains.
• Automotive Industry Knowledge: Familiarity with automotive development processes, supply chains, and industry standards is essential.
• Consortium Programme Experience: Proven experience managing European research or development programmes (e.g., Horizon Europe, ECSEL, national funding programmes) with multi‑partner consortia.
• Technical Literacy: Strong understanding of AI accelerator, system‑on‑chip, functional safety and software development lifecycles to effectively communicate with technical teams and external partners.
• External Stakeholder Management: Demonstrated ability to represent an organisation professionally in multi‑stakeholder environments, building credibility and maintaining productive relationships.
• Coordination Skills: Experience working across matrixed organisations and coordinating activities without direct line authority, with the ability to manage by influence.
• Communication Excellence: Outstanding verbal and written communication skills in English, with the ability to prepare formal reports, presentations, and deliverables for consortium submission.
• Autonomy and Initiative: Ability to work independently in a fast‑paced environment, proactively identifying issues and driving resolution.
• Attention to Detail: Strong focus on execution and delivery with meticulous attention to milestone tracking, reporting requirements, and deliverable quality.
• Travel Flexibility: Willingness to travel regularly within Europe for consortium meetings, partner engagements, and project events.

Location We offer a flexible working arrangement, with options to: Work from one of our Axelera AI offices (Leuven in Belgium, Amsterdam and Eindhoven in the Netherlands, Zurich in Switzerland, Florence and Milan in Italy or Bristol in the United Kingdom) if you're already based in the vicinity. Work remotely from any European country (incl. the UK) you are already in. Please note that priority will be given to candidates who are interested in being based in Italy and Germany.

What We offer This is your chance to shape and be part of a dynamic, fast‑growing, international organization. We offer an attractive compensation package, including a pension plan, extensive employee insurances and the option to get company shares. An open culture that supports creativity and continual innovation is awaiting you. Collaborative ownership and freedom with responsibility is characteristic for the way we act and work as a team. At Axelera AI, we wholeheartedly embrace equal opportunity and hold diversity in the highest regard. Our steadfast commitment is to cultivate a warm and inclusive environment that empowers and celebrates every member of our team. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds to join us in shaping the future of AI.