Hardware Assembly Technical Program Manager (San Jose, CA- Remote)

Block is one company built from many blocks, all united by the same purpose of economic empowerment. The blocks that form our foundational teams — People, Finance, Counsel, Hardware, Information Security, Platform Infrastructure Engineering, and more — provide support and guidance at the corporate level. They work across business groups and around the globe, spanning time zones and disciplines to develop inclusive People policies, forecast finances, give legal counsel, safeguard systems, nurture new initiatives, and more. Every challenge creates possibilities, and we need different perspectives to see them all. Bring yours to Block.

Today, SQUARE products offer a full ecosystem of hardware, software, and financial services — including point-of-sale devices, payment processing, inventory systems, business loans, and e-commerce tools. It serves millions of merchants globally, from small retailers to enterprise-scale sellers. Besides, PROTO products are accelerating the world's transition to an open economy with products that increase access and independence for everyone. We're building Bitkey, a simple and safe self-custody bitcoin wallet that will put customers in control, as well as hardware and software that will help decentralize bitcoin mining and enable new and innovative use cases for bitcoin mining.

About the role

We are seeking a highly organized and detail-oriented Technical Program Manager (TPM) to lead and coordinate the planning, execution, and delivery of hardware assembly programs across cross-functional teams. This role is critical in managing end-to-end hardware assembly processes from prototype builds to mass production， ensuring timelines, quality, fixture readiness, and cost targets are met.

Responsibilities

• Drive cross-functional program management for hardware assembly across mechanical, manufacturing, quality, and supply chain teams.


• Manage the development and deployment of assembly fixtures, SOPs, line layouts, and production equipment—including automation and AOI—to ensure they meet engineering and manufacturing requirements.


• Coordinate with design engineering to define fixture specifications, validation criteria, and readiness for production use.


• Oversee fixture fabrication, bring-up, and iterative improvements based on factory build feedback.


• Support the Hardware Product Design team to plan and execute design and manufacturing process experiments.


• Track progress against program milestones, identify risks early, and lead the development of mitigation plans.


• Coordinate activities across NPI and factory operations teams to ensure seamless technical and manufacturing execution.


• Facilitate communication between engineering and operations teams to drive efficient issue resolution.


• Lead post-mortems and continuous improvement initiatives to enhance future hardware builds and manufacturing strategies.

Hands-On Factory Engagement

• Actively support engineering builds in the factory, assisting directly with assembly, fixture operation, data collection, and issue reproduction.


• Perform real-time root-cause analysis on mechanical, electrical, and process issues directly at the factory.


• Participate in factory bring-up activities, including line readiness checks, equipment calibration, and process validation.


• Tune assembly parameters, test limits, and tooling configurations in collaboration with manufacturing engineers.


• Work closely with line operators and technicians to gather feedback, identify pain points, and implement process improvements.


• Execute hands-on experiments on the production line, including DOEs, process trials, and characterization builds.


• Collect on-line production data and analyze results to drive engineering decisions.


• Participate directly in bring-up, debugging, and maintenance coordination for automation, test stations, and AOI systems.


• Collaborate with equipment vendors during installation and troubleshooting.


• Perform physical teardowns, support failure analysis, and prepare reliability samples directly in the factory.


• Validate inspection criteria and refine quality gates with real units.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related field; a Master's degree is a plus.


• 5+ years of experience in technical program management within hardware, preferably in assembly or NPI environments.


• Strong understanding of hardware assembly processes, fixture development, and quality control systems.


• Demonstrated ability to work hands-on in factory environments and partner closely with manufacturing teams.


• Excellent project management, organizational, and cross-functional coordination skills.


• Familiarity with tools such as JIRA, Linear, Confluence, and PLM systems (Arena, Agile).


• Ability to travel to the San Jose factory site frequently (up to 50%).


• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes such as CNC machining, 3D printing, and sheet metal fabrication.


• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and GD&T.


• Excellent problem-solving ability and communication skills.


• Experience with server, crypto miners, consumer electronics, or other high-precision hardware products.


• Working knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and DFM/DFA principles.

We're working to build a more inclusive economy where our customers have equal access to opportunity, and we strive to live by these same values in building our workplace. Block is an equal opportunity employer evaluating all employees and job applicants without regard to identity or any legally protected class. We will consider qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records for employment in accordance with state and local laws and “fair chance” ordinances.

We believe in being fair, and are committed to an inclusive interview experience, including providing reasonable accommodations to disabled applicants throughout the recruitment process. We encourage applicants to share any needed accommodations with their recruiter, who will treat these requests as confidentially as possible. Want to learn more about what we're doing to build a workplace that is fair and square? Check out our I+D page.

While there is no specific deadline to apply for this role, U.S. roles are typically open for an average of 55 days before being filled by a successful candidate. Please refer to the date listed at the top of this job page for when this role was first posted.