Principal Technical Program Manager

Company Overview: Found Industries is a Cambridge, MA-based industrial technology company building new critical supply chains from resources and infrastructure hiding in plain sight. Launched out of MIT, Found develops and deploys technologies that unlock critical materials and dispatchable clean energy from overlooked industrial feedstocks.

The company operates through two complementary business units: Found Metals and Found Energy. Found Metals recovers strategic materials, including gallium, from existing industrial processing streams. Found Energy converts aluminum, including low-grade and scrap material, into a fuel for behind-the-meter industrial heat and power. The two businesses reinforce one another: Found Metals expands domestic supplies of critical materials used in advanced energy technologies, while Found Energy creates new applications and demand for those materials. Together, they form the foundation of a broader industrial platform focused on strengthening U.S. energy and materials security.

At Found Industries, we are building the industrial capabilities needed for a more resilient and self-reliant future. We believe secure access to critical materials and energy is foundational to economic strength, national security, and long-term prosperity, and we are looking for talented people motivated by that mission to join us. For more, visit https://found-industries.com/.

Position Summary

• Employment Type: Full-time
• Location: Cambridge, MA – On-site
• Reports To: Vice President of Operations
• Competitive base salary with early-stage equity.
• Comprehensive health, dental, vision, matching 401K benefits and paid life insurance
• 20 days PTO, 11 holidays, 5 sick days, 12 weeks parental leave

We are seeking a strategic, hands-on Principal Technical Program Manager to lead cross-functional teams in delivering innovative energy platforms and critical metal extraction systems. This role will drive execution throughout the product development lifecycle to ensure on-time delivery, exceptional product quality, on-target costs and effective allocation of resources. 

The ideal candidate will bring deep expertise in project management, particularly in launching complex hardware products within a start-up environment.

Key Responsibilities and Duties

• Lead cross-functional teams (R&D, Engineering, Operations) to deliver new product initiatives from concept to deployment.
• Own and manage detailed project schedules. Partner with functional leaders to provide input to, and help manage, program-related budgets and resource plans to ensure timely delivery.
• Ensure all design control deliverables are completed per SOPs and regulatory standards.
• Collaborate with engineers and C-suite to align technical execution with business goals.
• Identify and mitigate program risks, escalate issues, and drive resolution across stakeholder groups.
• Interface with commercial and government customers and be able to represent the technical aspects of the Found Industries portfolio. Serve as the “voice of the customer” for follow-on business capture efforts and activities.
• Create, align, and provide regular project updates (written and verbal) to appropriate stakeholders and leadership; create presentations, dashboards, and executive summaries – both scheduled and ad-hoc.
• Build team ownership and commitment to project and business plans and define program milestones, deliverables, and associated resource requirements.
• Proactively assess program health and identify opportunities for program change; implement and manage changes and interventions to achieve timely program outputs.
• Proactively manage program-related actions and deliverables, holding team members and functional managers accountable for completion.
• Conduct highly effective cross-functional team meetings to ensure accountability and milestone achievements; create agendas and publish minutes/actions.
• Proactively manage performance issues and conflicts within the project team; work to resolve these issues in alignment with functional management.
• Provide input to functional leaders on team member performance and functional management support.
• Cultivate a team culture of continuous improvement and teamwork that strives to improve quality, safety, delivery, and cost.
• Actively build and foster collaborative relationships across all levels to improve overall outcomes and timely program execution.

Qualifications

Required

• Education: Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Mechanical, Electrical Engineering, or STEM/related technical field and a passion for hardware development and relationship building.
• Experience: 10+ years of  experience, specifically in technical project management and/or systems engineering, or related project management and/or systems engineering experience in a relevant industry.
• Experience leading or executing projects of any type of system from TRL 3-8.
• Extremely organized and detail oriented.
• Experience developing material and read-outs for regular - monthly, quarterly program reviews.
• Experience developing and maintaining a schedule with Microsoft project or similar tool.
• Excellent communication skills.

Preferred Attributes

• Prior experience in a fast-paced hardware start-up, pilot plant scale-up, or technology licensing environment.
• Understanding of government contract structure and reporting.

Found Industries does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender expression, age, national origin, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and firing of staff, selection of vendors, and provision of services. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, subcontractors, vendors, and clients.