Director of Program Management

CScale is building the interconnect for gigawatt-scale AI. As AI scale-up moves toward deployments spanning thousands of accelerators and dozens of racks, the network needs to deliver high bandwidth, predictable low latency, and continuous communication. CScale is building integrated optical interconnect designed for this new scale, enabling accelerators to work together like a single, much larger computer. But at this scale, performance is only part of the challenge. Optical failures are inevitable, and the system needs to keep running. CScale is designing the interconnect for continuity. Lasers will fail. Compute shouldn’t. The ambition is simple: Build AI interconnect you can take for granted. CScale came out of stealth in September 2026 with $145 million in Series C funding, bringing total funding to $188 million.

Duties, Deliverables, and Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary point of contact for cross functional program execution, with broad responsibility for execution excellence across CScale

• Own the cross-functional execution plan from concept through production (architecture, design, verification, tapeout, bring-up, validation, customer sampling, qualification, release to manufacturing)

• Build the integrated program plan across design (multiple silicon die, hardware, software), fab, packaging, QA, test, and qualification

• Set milestones, phase gates, and the critical path with engineering and operations leads, and own the gate reviews

• Manage program scope, schedule, budget, and resource plans, and drive decisions when any of them change

• Run the program cadence across global sites and hold teams to their commitments

• Identify risks early, drive mitigations, and escalate issues with options and a recommendation

• Define program health indicators and build the executive dashboards leadership uses to run the business

• Own sample readiness and release-to-manufacturing criteria with engineering and operations

• Establish program management processes and tools as CScale moves into production

Expertise, Knowledge, and Skills

• Strong technical program management skills (i.e. build an integrated schedule, own the critical path, drive issues to closure)

• Working knowledge of the silicon development flow, from design and verification through tapeout, post-silicon validation, and qualification

• Technical depth to engage engineers on pre- and post-silicon problems and tradeoffs

• Ability to lead matrixed teams through influence and make sound decisions with incomplete information

• Clear communication with engineers and executives, and composure under pressure

• Proficiency with scheduling and tracking tools (e.g. MS Project, Jira, sharepoint, Notion)

• Bonus: Familiarity with reliability qualification and production ramp

Experience, Background, and Accomplishments

• 12+ years in semiconductor or hardware product development, including 7+ years leading technical programs and earlier hands-on engineering experience

• Driven multiple silicon programs from concept through release to manufacturing

• Experience leading programs across global teams

• Startup or first-generation product experience

• B.Sc.+ in EE, Physics, or a related field

• Bonus: experience with optical engine or silicon photonics programs, or high-speed connectivity products