Principal I, Technical Program Management
Apton Biosystems
Principal I, Technical Program Management
Role Summary
PacBio is seeking a Principal I, Technical Program Management within Systems Engineering to support execution across a portfolio of R&D programs and cross-functional initiatives spanning Chemistry, Software, Hardware, Cells, Consumables, and System efforts.
This role drives portfolio planning and operating cadence, maintains an integrated view of priorities and dependencies, and enables clear, data-driven tradeoff decisions on scope, timing, and resource allocation to deliver predictable outcomes.
Key Responsibilities
Portfolio Leadership & Prioritization
• Provide an integrated view across assigned cross-functional initiatives: milestones, dependencies, risks, and status to support decision-making.
• Partner with functional leaders to set and refresh priorities based on strategy, technical readiness, risk, and capacity constraints.
• Lead tradeoff discussions and recommendations across scope, schedule, and resources; drive alignment on what moves forward now vs. later.
• Establish lightweight portfolio governance: intake, prioritization, quarterly planning, change control, and escalation paths.
Resource & Capacity Management
• Partner with other TPMs and functional leaders to maintain demand/capacity visibility and identify bottlenecks early.
• Drive cross-functional alignment on resource conflicts and timing tradeoffs, escalating as needed.
Cross-Functional Program Execution
• For major initiatives, develop and maintain integrated plans (milestones, dependencies, deliverables, acceptance criteria).
• Drive cross-team coordination across Chemistry, SW, HW, Cells, Consumables and System teams to ensure system integration readiness.
• Participate in core team meetings, cross-functional reviews & executive readouts.
Risk, Issue, and Change Management
• Maintain portfolio-level RAID and decision logs; ensure timely mitigations and escalation when needed.
• Manage change impacts from technical discoveries, scope shifts, slips, and resource changes; keep leadership aligned on consequences.
Stakeholder Communication & Reporting
• Provide crisp reporting: dashboards, milestone health, risk summaries, dependency maps, and resource tradeoff recommendations.
• Translate across disciplines to ensure shared understanding of constraints and integrated timelines.
Required Qualifications
• Typically requires a minimum of 11-14 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or a minimum of 9-12 years of related experience with a Master’s degree; or a minimum of 8-11 years of related experience with a PhD.
• 10+ years of technical program management or equivalent experience.
• Proven success leading a portfolio of cross-functional technical initiatives, including prioritization and resource allocation under constraints.
• Experience coordinating complex R&D work across hardware and software disciplines; Fluent in technical discussions and able to translate requirements and constraints across teams.
• Demonstrated strength in portfolio planning/governance, dependency management, risk management, and executive-ready communication.
• Strong ability to influence without authority and drive accountability across senior stakeholders.
• Experience in biotech, medical devices, or other regulated domain in life sciences.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
Preferred Qualifications
• Experience in life sciences instrumentation, sequencing technologies, semiconductors/chips, robotics, or regulated product development.
• Familiarity with system-level development lifecycle (requirements → integration → verification/validation → transfer).
• Working knowledge of design controls and change control.
Candidates must have current authorization to work in the United States without the need for present or future sponsorship.
Non-Field Based Employees are required to be onsite Monday-Thursday (Friday work from home). Depending on the role, some employees may be required to be 100% onsite.
You may be required from time to time to visit and work at PacBio locations and for such times as the Company considers necessary for the proper performance of your duties.
All listed tasks and responsibilities are deemed as essential functions to this position; however, business conditions may require reasonable accommodations for additional tasks and responsibilities.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, sex, color, religion, national origin, protected veteran status, or on the basis of disability, gender identity, and sexual orientation.
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Salary Range:
$195,900.00 - $293,900.00
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All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, sex, color, religion, national origin, protected veteran status, or on the basis of disability, gender identity, and sexual orientation.
If you are an individual with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process, or are limited in the ability or unable to access or use this online application process and need an alternative method for applying, you may contact us at 650-521-8000, or careers@pacificbiosciences.com for assistance.
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