Engineering Program Manager

Position Overview Engineering Program Manager – Kearny, NJ. Finance & Operations – PMO / Full-time / On-site. Thea Energy is seeking an experienced and motivated Engineering Program Manager to lead a large, complex custom product development program within the fusion energy industry. This is a highly visible role in the organization leading development of core fusion technology. This role will act as a force multiplier by increasing development velocity and raising the bar on execution standards. You will oversee the design, build, and test phases of critical hardware, ensuring the successful delivery of components that will advance fusion technology. Key Responsibilities Define and drive program planning and execution across hardware design, test, supply chain, and manufacturing teams, with a clear plan of record and critical‑path ownership. Partner with technical leads to define product requirements, validation strategies, and decision gates, ensuring design trade‑offs are explicitly documented and understood across teams. Own engineering BOM strategy and NPI readiness, working closely with engineers and supply chain to balance performance, cost, availability, and manufacturability. Provide regular, detailed program updates to leadership and stakeholders, highlighting progress, technical challenges, and proposed solutions. Proactively identify and manage technical, schedule, budget, and quality risks, developing effective mitigation strategies and contingency plans. Ideal Experience & Skillsets Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a related technical field. 3+ years leading complex, multidisciplinary engineering programs ideally involving large‑scale hardware development in climate tech, aerospace, nuclear, or related industries. Demonstrated ability to work deeply with technical teams (physics, mechanical engineering, magnet engineering, manufacturing engineering) and solve first‑of‑a‑kind problems. Strong grasp of DFM principles and the realities of design, build, test cycles. Excellent communication skills and the ability to influence across engineering, operations, and leadership teams. Proven ability to distill complex technical programs into clear risks, decisions, and priorities for leadership audiences. Comfortable operating in a fast‑moving startup environment, with high ownership and ambiguity. Nice to have: product and technology roadmap development experience. Company Benefits Salary range: $115,000-$165,000. Comprehensive health benefits (medical, dental, vision), employee equity stock options and 20 days PTO. Equal Opportunity Employment Thea Energy is an equal‑opportunity employer committed to creating a diverse workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, family or marital status, age, disability, veteran’s status or other characteristic protected by applicable laws and regulations. We may use artificial intelligence tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us. #J-18808-Ljbffr