Job Description

Transforming the Future with Convergence of Simulation and Data

ADS Project Manager 

Job Summary:

Our client in Ann Arbor, MI is looking for an ADS Project Manager. This is a contract position.

What You Will Do:

As a Program Manager, you will lead the planning, coordination, and execution of complex Automated Driving Systems (ADS) programs from concept through production. You’ll serve as the bridge between engineering and product, ensuring technical excellence, schedule adherence, and alignment to strategic objectives.

Your role combines program leadership, cross-functional orchestration, and technical understanding to deliver advanced mobility features that meet Our Client’s high standards for safety, quality, and performance.

Program Leadership & Execution.

• Drive end-to-end program planning — defining scope, objectives, deliverables, and key milestones for ADS and ADAS features. 
• Develop and maintain detailed program schedules, dashboards, and risk registers to ensure transparency and accountability. 
• Manage dependencies across multiple engineering disciplines (software, system, validation, hardware). 
• Proactively identify risks, assess impacts, and drive mitigation or escalation actions to maintain timing and quality goals. 
• Lead cross-functional reviews to assess readiness for key program milestones (design reviews, software integration points, validation gates). 

Stakeholder Alignment & Communication. 

• Serve as the primary liaison between engineering, product planning, global counterparts (including Japan), and executive management. 
• Translate complex technical topics into clear program updates, enabling data-driven decisions at all levels of the organization. 
• Facilitate collaboration and conflict resolution across diverse teams and time zones to ensure alignment on priorities and deliverables. 
• Support senior leadership with program summaries, KPI tracking, and executive presentations. 

Requirements & Change Management. 

• Partner with System and Software Engineering teams to ensure requirements, specifications, and validation plans align with program intent. 
• Manage change control processes to balance feature requests, timing constraints, and cost targets. 
• Oversee documentation quality and configuration management in compliance with ASPICE, ISO 26262, and internal governance processes. 

Performance Tracking & Continuous Improvement.

• Define and monitor KPIs (schedule adherence, defect trends, validation coverage, software maturity). 
• Leverage data analytics to drive continuous improvement in development efficiency, issue closure rate, and cross-functional communication. 
• Identify opportunities to streamline processes, automate reporting, and enhance team coordination tools. 

Leadership & Culture.

• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and proactive problem solving across all partner teams. 
• Mentor junior program leads and engineers on project management discipline and cross-functional communication. 
• Champion Our Client’s values of respect for people and continuous improvement (Kaizen) in every phase of development. 

Basics:

• Bachelor’s or master’s in engineering, Computer Science, or related field.
• 8+ years of experience in program or project management within automotive systems, preferably ADS/ADAS.
• Proven record of delivering complex system or software programs in compliance with ASPICE and ISO 26262.
• Strong organizational and communication skills, with ability to manage multiple global stakeholders.
• Proficiency with project management and engineering tools (e.g., MS Project, JIRA, ADO, Confluence, DOORS). 

Preferred:

• PMP or equivalent certification. 

How You Will Be Successful:

• Envision the Future
• Communicate Honestly and Broadly
• Seek Technology and Business “First”
• Embrace Diversity and Take Risks

What We Offer:

• Competitive Salary
• Comprehensive Benefit Package
• 401(k) with matching contributions
• Paid Time Off
• Employee Discounts
• Free training on all Altair products

Why Work with Us:

Altair is a global technology company providing software and cloud solutions in the areas of data analytics, product development, and high-performance computing (HPC). Altair enables organizations in nearly every industry to compete more effectively in a connected world, while creating a more sustainable future. With more than 3,000 engineers, scientists, and creative thinkers in 25 countries, we help solve our customer’s toughest challenges and deliver unparalleled service, helping the innovators innovate, drive better decisions, and turn today’s problems into tomorrow’s opportunities.

Our vision is to transform customer decision making with data analytics, simulation, and high-performance computing.

For more than 30 years, we have been helping our customers integrate electronics and controls with mechanical design to expand product value, develop AI, simulation and data-driven digital twins to drive better decisions, and deliver advanced HPC and cloud solutions to support unlimited idea exploration. To learn more, please visit altair.com

Ready to go? #ONLYFORWARD   

At our core we are explorers; adventures; pioneers. We are the brains behind some of the world’s most revolutionary innovations and are not only comfortable in new and unchartered waters, we dive headfirst. We are the original trailblazers that make the impossible possible, discovering new solutions to our customer’s toughest challenges.

Altair is an equal opportunity employer. Our backgrounds are diverse, and every member of our global team is critical to our success. Altair’s history demonstrations a belief that empowering each individual authentic voice reinforces a culture that thrives because of the uniqueness among our team.