Principle NPI Program Manager

Our Mission

At Palo Alto Networks®, we're united by a shared mission-to protect our digital way of life. We thrive at the intersection of innovation and impact, solving real-world problems with cutting-edge technology and bold thinking. Here, everyone has a voice, and every idea counts. If you're ready to do the most meaningful work of your career alongside people who are just as passionate as you are, you're in the right place.

Who We Are

In order to be the cybersecurity partner of choice, we must trailblaze the path and shape the future of our industry. This is something our employees work at each day and is defined by our values: Disruption, Collaboration, Execution, Integrity, and Inclusion. We weave AI into the fabric of everything we do and use it to augment the impact every individual can have. If you are passionate about solving real-world problems and ideating beside the best and the brightest, we invite you to join us!

We believe collaboration thrives in person. That's why most of our teams work from the office full time, with flexibility when it's needed. This model supports real-time problem-solving, stronger relationships, and the kind of precision that drives great outcomes.

Job Summary

Your CareerAs a key member of the Technical Operations team, you will be responsible for driving development and supporting the launch of X86 hardware appliances, primarily with global contract manufacturing. You will work closely with cross-functional teams that include various development engineering teams (Electrical/Hardware, Mechanical, Compliance, Software, etc), operations teams (Test Engineering, Quality, Planning, Manufacturing Engineering, Component Engineering, Supply Base Management, Supply Chain Mgmt, etc.), and manufacturing partners. The ideal candidate will be able to drive programs at both a tactical & strategic level and have a blend of technical expertise & business acumen. Your efforts will result in cybersecurity products that provide industry-leading protection to our customers and outstanding business results for the companyYour ImpactSubject Matter Expert in new product introduction for x86 hardware appliances Collaborate on product development with cross-functional teams, including Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, Product Management, Mechanical Engineering, Hardware Validation, Test Engineering, Quality, Compliance, Manufacturing, Supply Chain Mgmt, etc.Create schedules for hardware development and prototyping that align with software development schedule(s) to ensure a smooth transition into system integration Ensure that quality and reliability objectives are met through hardware validation, manufacturing test, and release managementDevelop phase gate release criteria and enforce completion of hardware validation with buy-in from cross-functional team Ensure Order Fulfillment readiness for all new SKUs and FRUs by collaborating with Business Systems, Planning, Supply Chain, Repair & Failure Analysis Engineering, Service Logistics, etc. Facilitate the Design for Manufacturing (DFM) process with global contract manufacturer and printed circuit board fabricationEnsure the Design for Assembly (DFA) process meets objectives for cost, quality and speed Identify and mitigate risks through early engagement, bug tracking and cross-functional risk assessment Support the Test Engineering team in meeting Design for Test (DFT) objectives Facilitate Product Characterization and Component Characterization to derisk DFM issues and assembly defects Make recommendations for risk buys based on product architecture and lead time analysis Identify cost-reduction opportunities through the development of should cost model and multi-sourcing Drive ECO (Engineering Change Order) and implement corrective actionsEstablish Traceability on components to trace the history, location and genealogy through multi-level BOM tracking Continuously improve the hardware product lifecycle through retrospectives and best practicesLead Post Ramp Qualification (PRQ) process for technical initiatives such as Hard Tooling and Optical Transceivers Provide technical guidance and mentorship to team members

Qualifications
Your Experience 10+ Yrs Experience in product development and manufacturing environmentBachelor degree in an engineering discipline or equivalent experienceProven experience managing cross-functional teams in NPI program management of x86 hardware platforms.Knowledge of Printed Circuit Board Assembly (PCBA) Strong knowledge of product development processes, including Hardware Validation, Product Characterization, Design for Test, Design for Manufacturing, and Design for AssemblyFamiliar with Product Development tools such as Valor, Arena, Jira and CADExperience managing manufacturing processes and identifying cost-reduction opportunitiesExcellent communication and problem-solving skillsAbility to work in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple projects simultaneouslyStrong project management skills, including risk assessment and schedule management.Experience with contract negotiations and commercial discussions Excellent supplier and material management experience Demonstrated entrepreneurial approach to Operations management in an ambiguous fast-paced environment handling multiple projects in parallelTravel is required up to 10%Located in SF Bay area candidates, be in office 3 days/week.