As the first Technical PM, you will drive the execution of breakthrough optical wireless systems (Wi-OW™) that outperform Wi-Fi by orders of magnitude. You will bridge hardware, firmware, and software teams while leading customer field trials in robotics and defense, translating complex real-world needs into foundational communication infrastructure for autonomous systems.
Technical Product / Program Manager at Light Links, Inc.
We are seeking a founding Technical Product/Program Manager to join a high-caliber Bay Area deep-tech team building the future of wireless connectivity. This UC Berkeley SkyDeck-backed startup has developed a novel optical communication system that delivers sub-millisecond latency and gigabit bandwidth—outperforming Wi-Fi by orders of magnitude. In this role, you'll bridge the gap between world-class hardware engineering and real-world robotics deployments, owning the roadmap for a technology essential to physical AI and defense. If you're a technically fluent leader ready to move breakthrough science from the lab to mission-critical field trials, this first-hire opportunity offers significant equity and direct strategic influence.
Overview
Role overview
Company
Light Links, Inc.
UC Berkeley SkyDeck-backed deep-tech startup building sub-millisecond optical wireless infrastructure for robotics and physical AI.
Responsibilities
What you will do
- Own the end-to-end product roadmap and program delivery, defining technical requirements and managing milestones across hardware, firmware, and software engineering.
- Coordinate and lead high-stakes field trials and pilot deployments, gathering direct feedback from early customers in robotics and defense.
- Act as a technical translator between engineering, commercial stakeholders, and leadership to align system architecture with market-driven use cases.
Candidate profile
Who this is a fit for
- 5–10 years of experience in product management, TPM, or systems engineering within robotics, industrial automation, or high-performance networking.
- Deep technical fluency capable of engaging engineers on complex system architecture tradeoffs such as latency, bandwidth, and hardware-firmware integration.
- Proven ability to navigate early-stage ambiguity and a "Swiss-army-knife" mindset to manage product, programs, and customer relations simultaneously.
What makes it remarkable
Why this role is remarkable
- Lead the commercialization of a novel optical wireless technology that solves the fundamental latency bottleneck for the next generation of physical AI and industrial automation.
- Join an elite team of 10 including optical physicists and hardware veterans at a pivotal pre-seed stage with meaningful equity ownership (0.5–1.5%).
- Work at the intersection of high-stakes industries, delivering dual-use technology to both commercial robotics leaders and mission-critical government/defense programs.
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