R&D Program Manager

Advanced Navigation is one of the world's most ambitious innovators in AI robotics and navigation technology across land, air, sea and space. While our main headquarters are in Sydney, we have multiple research facilities in Australia and sales offices around the world.

Today, Advanced Navigation is a supplier to some of the world's largest companies and helps automate some of the worlds biggest industries. Hydrus, our revolutionary underwater robot will help restore oceans to a flourishing state. You will find our navigation systems in the autonomous Indy race cars and thousands of Plus AI autonomous trucks. We help farmers adopt autonomous farming equipment and assist in various fields of research. Switching to software, our cloud-based drone management platform helps patrol beaches for emergency rescues and shark tracking. Off-planet, we will deliver a navigation system for the next NASA moon landing. The applications of our technologies are quite limitless - where there is autonomy, you will find Advanced Navigation.

Role overview

Reporting to the Head of Program Management, the Program Manager is responsible for managing and leading complex projects to deliver new and disruptive technologies to market. This role involves working closely with multi-disciplinary, highly technical teams working on a broad range of cutting-edge technology as well as liaising with customers, research partners and suppliers.

This role is well-suited for a technically-minded, highly organised individual with a passion for technology and project management. Staying close to the technology, you will work closely with the technical design team to help keep them organised, on-track, and focused on delivering project outcomes.

• Lead multidisciplinary project teams with diverse skill sets, including hardware, software and firmware engineering disciplines, including at research partners and suppliers.
• Champion the requirements gathering process with customers and stakeholders.
• Represent Advanced Navigation and your projects as the lead representative to significant customers; negotiate and resolve disputes with external stakeholders. Represent Advanced Navigation in commercial discussions and negotiations.
• Manage time, cost and scope of R&D projects to ensure their successful completion, including the transition to manufacturing. Projects will focus on the development of new and future product lines as well as sustaining activities.
• Manage scope, scheduling and resource allocations across programs of work.
• Manage stakeholder expectations and hold the team accountable for project goals, especially when working with the Manufacturing and Product teams.
• Track project and team performance against schedules at a regular frequency, ensuring that progress is accurately monitored and visible.
• Regular and concise project progress reporting as appropriate given the phase of the project
• Help improve and document processes and procedures used by the R&D team in line with standard company policies and procedures.
• Manage engagement and communications with senior management and ensure project alignment with business needs, resources and priorities.
• Create and drive execution of short and long term project plans in alignment with project goals and requirements.
• Identify and manage resource requirements and usage to enable the delivery of concurrent project outcomes.
• Continuously assess project risks and design appropriate mitigation strategies to manage them.

• Bachelor degree, preferably in mechatronics or electronics
• Tertiary qualifications in project management or business administration would be highly regarded
• 5+ years experience in a role as project manager or similar role
• Experience delivering complex engineering products to market
• Experience managing technical engineering teams
• Experience with software and hardware product development, from concept inception to delivery/sustainment
• Expert knowledge of project management tools and methodologies
• Basic systems engineering knowledge is highly desirable
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to understand complex technical concepts quickly
• Strong stakeholder management

What are some of the benefits you will have access to?

Our Sydney office is in the heart of the CBD, close to all public transport, great restaurants and cafe's. We offer financial support to our employees for further education as well as conferences, meetups and training courses. We also run an employee assistance program and regular team building and social activities. We have weekly Yoga, Meditation and Pilates classes, as well as the occasional dance class There's also free coffee and snacks, and fortnightly team lunches. Apart from the above you will be doing your life's best work with some extremely passionate and talented people.