Platform Technical Program Manager - NPI

About Etched

Etched is building the world's first AI inference system purpose-built for transformers - delivering over 10x higher performance and dramatically lower cost and latency than a B200. With Etched ASICs, you can build products that would be impossible with GPUs, like real-time video generation models and extremely deep & parallel chain-of-thought reasoning agents. Backed by hundreds of millions from top-tier investors and staffed by leading engineers, Etched is redefining the infrastructure layer for the fastest growing industry in history.

Job Summary

Etched is seeking a Technical Program Manager to lead board-level New Product Introduction (NPI), contract manufacturer (CM) execution, and manufacturing coordination for our ASIC-based accelerator hardware. This role is responsible for driving PCBs, board, tray and rack assemblies from early design through EVT/DVT/PVT, ramp, and volume production, in close partnership with internal hardware engineering teams and external CMs.

You will work closely with other Platform TPMs to own execution across board & system level programs, including accelerator boards, power delivery boards, and associated subassemblies, ensuring designs are manufacturable, testable, and scalable. This role sits at the intersection of engineering, manufacturing, and supply chain, with a strong focus on CM alignment, build readiness, and disciplined NPI execution.

A critical aspect of this role is managing technical relationships and execution across the full vendor and CM ecosystemfrom component suppliers through PCB assembly (L6), tray assembly (L10), system integration (L11) and pod-level scaling (L12)ensuring alignment, quality, and delivery across all supply chain levels.

Key Responsibilities

NPI Program Leadership

• Lead board-level NPI programs from design freeze through EVT, DVT, PVT, and volume ramp, with clear ownership of schedules, risks, and deliverables.
• Plan and execute prototype, pilot, and production builds, tracking yield, defects, and corrective actions through ramp.
• Own change management during NPI, including ECO tracking, revision control, and communication of changes to manufacturing partners.
• Provide clear, regular program updates to engineering leadership and executives, highlighting risks, tradeoffs, and decisions.
  
  

Multi-Level Vendor & CM Management

• Component Suppliers: Coordinate with component vendors on technical specifications, qualification requirements, lead times, and supply commitments. Drive resolution of component-level quality issues and manage alternative sourcing strategies.
• PCB Fabricators: Manage technical engagement with PCB fabrication vendors, including stackup reviews, DFM feedback, impedance control, material selection, and fab process capability assessments. Drive yield improvement and quality initiatives at the bare board level.
• L6 (PCBA Assembly Houses): Serve as primary technical interface to SMT assembly CMs, driving build planning, DFA reviews, assembly process development, test strategy alignment, and line qualification. Manage first article inspections, assembly yields, and defect resolution.
• L10 & L11 (System Integration & Box Build): Coordinate with system-level integrators on board-to-system integration requirements, thermal interfaces, mechanical fit checks, and final assembly processes. Ensure board-level outputs meet system integration and deployment needs.
• Establish clear technical requirements, quality standards, and communication protocols across all vendor levels to ensure seamless handoffs and accountability throughout the supply chain.
  
  

Manufacturing Execution & Readiness

• Serve as the primary interface to contract manufacturers for PCBA and board assembly, driving build planning, execution, and issue resolution.
• Drive manufacturing readiness reviews with engineering and CMs, including DFM/DFA, test strategy, and factory bring-up.
• Coordinate CM activities across PCB fabrication, SMT assembly, test, and final board integration.
• Manage BOM readiness, AVL qualification, and component sourcing in partnership with supply chain and CMs across all vendor levels.
  
  

Quality, Yield & Risk Management

• Establish and track KPIs for board-level manufacturing, including yield, first-pass success, cycle time, and quality escapes across L10, L11, and L12 operations.
• Identify manufacturing risks related to design, process, or supply chain; develop mitigation plans and drive closure with the appropriate vendor level.
• Drive root cause analysis and corrective actions for quality issues occurring at any level of the supply chain, from component defects to final assembly failures.
• Implement quality gates and inspection criteria at each manufacturing transition point (L6L10L11L12).
  
  

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Coordinate closely with system, thermal, and mechanical teams to ensure board-level requirements are aligned with system integration and deployment.
• Manage cross-functional hardware programs involving EE, PD, SI, test, supply chain, and operations teams.
• Continuously improve board-level NPI and CM engagement processes to support faster iteration and scalable production.
• Facilitate technical alignment meetings between internal engineering teams and multi-tier vendor stakeholders.
  
  

You might be a good fit if you have

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or a related technical discipline.
• 5+ years of experience in technical program management, hardware NPI, or manufacturing program leadership for PCBAs or complex electronic assemblies.
• Hands-on experience working with contract manufacturers for board-level builds, including EVT/DVT/PVT and volume production.
• Strong understanding of PCB fabrication, SMT assembly, board-level test, and manufacturing quality systems.
• Demonstrated experience managing technical relationships across multiple vendor levels (component suppliers, PCB fabs, assembly CMs, integrators).
  
  

Preferred Skills

• Experience managing supply chain complexity across L6/L10/L11/L12 vendor ecosystems for high-reliability or high-performance computing hardware.
• Familiarity with high-speed digital design, power delivery architectures, or AI/ML accelerator hardware manufacturing.
• Background in high-volume electronics manufacturing or complex system integration programs.
• Experience with vendor qualification, capability assessments, and multi-sourcing strategies.
• Comfort operating in fast-paced, ambiguous environments with high technical and executional complexity.
• Strong communication and organizational skills, with the ability to align internal teams and external manufacturing partners across diverse vendor types and technical domains.
  
  

Benefits

• US Onboarding experience in our HQ in Silicon Valley
• Competitive compensation packages, including generous equity packages
• Comprehensive insurance coverage and other top-of-market benefit
  
  

How We're Different

Etched believes in the Bitter Lesson. We think most of the progress in the AI field has come from using more FLOPs to train and run models, and the best way to get more FLOPs is to build model-specific hardware. Larger and larger training runs encourage companies to consolidate around fewer model architectures, which creates a market for single-model ASICs.