Principal Hardware NPI Program Manager

Role Overview

Astera Labs is seeking a Principal Engineering, Hardware NPI Program Manager to lead complex hardware programs from design release through productization, validation, customer readiness, and launch. This highly visible role combines technical NPI expertise with cross-functional program leadership to deliver purpose-built connectivity solutions for rack-scale AI infrastructure.

You will bring structure to programs spanning product, hardware, systems, manufacturing, operations, supply chain, quality, finance, and customer-facing teams. You will own integrated plans, dependencies, risks, decisions, and outcomes while driving accountability across a fast-moving, globally distributed organization. Your work will turn engineering intent into predictable, customer-ready hardware and help Astera scale new connectivity platforms with speed, quality, and confidence.

Key Responsibilities

• NPI Program Planning and Execution
  • Define PCBA program schedules, build quantities, milestones, budgets, dependencies, and readiness criteria from concept through launch.
  • Lead prototype and new-product builds through PCB and PCBA fabrication, assembly, bring-up, validation, shipment readiness, and launch.
  • Establish readiness reviews, decision forums, dashboards, and escalation paths that keep teams aligned.
  • Develop recovery recommendations when material shortages, engineering changes, supplier constraints, or other risks threaten delivery.
• Cross-Functional Product Execution
  • Align product, hardware, systems, validation, manufacturing, quality, supply chain, finance, operations, and customer-facing teams around shared outcomes.
  • Identify blockers early, assign accountable owners, drive decisions to closure, and escalate issues with clear recommendations.
  • Communicate concise, decision-oriented updates to technical teams, senior leaders, executives, customers, contract manufacturers, and external partners.
• Manufacturing Readiness and Supplier Leadership
  • Confirm that bill of materials, part numbers, fabrication and assembly data, suppliers, work instructions, deviations, engineering changes, and approvals are complete before each build.
  • Highlight and resolve manufacturing issues involving component sourcing, design for manufacturability, programming, assembly, rework, traceability, and hardware logistics.
  • Serve as a primary program and technical contact for contract manufacturers, rework providers, and other external partners while maintaining accountability for commitments.
• Operational Excellence and Team Enablement
  • Improve program-management processes, documentation, repositories, reporting, and performance metrics so execution becomes more predictable, measurable, and searchable.
  • Identify repetitive or error-prone work that can be standardized or automated, and partner with data, software, and applied-AI teams to improve dashboards, milestone tracking, document workflows, and program knowledge.
  • Coach team members on readiness, documentation, supplier communication, decision-making, and escalation practices.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, computer science, operations, or a related field; equivalent practical experience may be considered.
• 8–12 years of experience in hardware NPI, technical program management, manufacturing engineering, product operations, or a related field.
• Experience guiding hardware products or builds through development, validation, manufacturing, or launch.
• Working knowledge of hardware development, PCB/PCBA manufacturing, bills of materials, engineering changes, supplier coordination, and manufacturing release.
• Demonstrated ability to manage integrated schedules, milestones, risks, action items, budgets, and cross-functional dependencies.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to influence teams without direct authority and operate effectively in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities.
• Willingness and ability to travel internationally as needed.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with high-speed networking, PCIe Gen 6 or Gen 7, UALink, optical or cable connectivity, retimers, ASICs, compute platforms, data centers, or AI infrastructure hardware.
• Understanding of physical-layer considerations for high-speed interconnects, including signal integrity, board-level debug, prototype rework, BGA processing, X-ray review, or failure analysis.
• Experience with customer programs, product launches, strategic initiatives, cost and operational improvement programs, product lifecycle activities, quality, RMA, or EOL execution.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Project, SharePoint, Power BI, and Teams for planning, reporting, documentation, collaboration, and executive communication.
• Experience building dashboards, data pipelines, workflow automation, or AI-assisted engineering tools, as well as managing prototype budgets, purchase requests, purchase orders, supplier quotes, or forecasts.
• Experience mentoring engineers, interns, or cross-functional teams and strengthening execution practices across a growing organization.