Program Manager, Development Testing Operations

Aurora’s Product Operations team plays a critical role in turning development priorities into safe, executable testing outcomes. We partner closely with Engineering, Safety, and Operations to ensure development testing is planned, coordinated, and executed with rigor and speed.

We are seeking a Program Manager I, Development Testing Operations to support the planning and execution of development testing activities across Aurora’s testing environments. This role is focused on program execution, coordination, and operational discipline, translating engineering requirements into structured test programs while balancing schedules, assets, and constraints. This is a hands-on role suited for someone who thrives in fast-paced environments and enjoys bringing clarity to complexity. You are the bridge between 'What' engineering wants to build and 'How' operations actually executes it. You will own the operational lifecycle of your assigned workstreams - from the first technical requirements doc to the final verification mile

In this role you will

• Partner with Engineering, Safety, and Operations to turn development requirements into executable testing plans and milestones.


• Review and refine incoming test requests for clarity and feasibility to ensure "first-time execution success" and minimize re-testing.


• Ensure all development tests are intentional, well-scoped, and directly aligned with defined engineering outcomes.


• Establish a tight loop between execution teams and engineering stakeholders, translating technical blockers into actionable bug reports or process improvements.


• Identify and advocate for necessary operational tooling, hardware diagnostics, and infrastructure support required to unblock testing for your assigned workstreams.


• Define and manage "Operational Readiness" criteria for new features or hardware, ensuring safety protocols, tooling, and documentation are ready before testing.


• Track progress and dependencies, proactively identifying blockers and escalating risks with context and recommended solutions.


• Maintain clear program documentation, timelines, and status reporting for all cross-functional stakeholders.


• Drive change adoption and capture lessons learned to incrementally improve development testing workflows.

Required Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in Program Management, Project Management, Product Operations, Technical Operations, or a related role


• Ability to develop a functional understanding of hardware/software stacks, including how sensors, calibration, and software versions interact to impact vehicle behavior.


• Demonstrated experience with change management principles and successfully driving process improvements within an organization


• Experience supporting technical or development programs in a cross-functional environment


• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple workstreams and competing priorities


• Clear written and verbal communication skills, with comfort coordinating across technical and non-technical teams


• Safety focused, with the ability to operate effectively in environments where safety is a core requirement


• Flexible schedule with ability to work days, nights, and (or) weekends when required


• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, evolving environment with shifting priorities

Desirable Qualifications

• Technical aptitude, including the ability to understand technical designs, SDLC concepts, challenges, and risks, and work closely with cross-functional teams


• Proven experience managing relationships and expectations with senior leadership and cross-functional stakeholders


• Experience supporting testing, validation, or development programs in a technology or engineering-driven organization


• Comfort using basic data, dashboards, or reporting to support prioritization, risk tracking, and execution decisions


• Experience in autonomous vehicle, automotive, robotics, logistics, or similarly complex operational environments


• Passion for shipping new-to-market products and the ability to dynamically adapt to new responsibilities required to do so.

The base salary range for this position is $83,000-$120,000 per year.  Aurora’s pay ranges are determined by role, level, and location. Within the range, the successful candidate’s starting base pay will be determined based on factors including job-related skills, experience, qualifications, relevant education or training, and market conditions. These ranges may be modified in the future. The successful candidate will also be eligible for an annual bonus, equity compensation, and benefits.