Project Manager

Note: This is a leadership role focused on ensuring project success and aligning technical achievements with marketing opportunities. We are looking for organized individuals who can bridge the gap between engineering execution and public visibility.

Description

WATonomous is seeking a dedicated Project Manager to join our Leadership and Management team. In this role, you will oversee the successful delivery of our robotics projects while ensuring they create maximum impact for our marketing and outreach efforts. You'll work at the intersection of technical project management and strategic communication, helping translate engineering milestones into compelling stories that attract sponsors, recruits, and recognition.

This position offers a unique opportunity to develop project management skills in a fast-paced, technical environment while learning how to leverage project outcomes for organizational growth and visibility.

Responsibilities

As a Project Manager at WATonomous, you will:

• Project Planning & Execution: Create and maintain project roadmaps, timelines, and deliverables for robotics initiatives
• Marketing Alignment: Identify project milestones and achievements that can be leveraged for marketing content
• Cross-functional Coordination: Facilitate communication between technical teams and marketing/business operations
• Progress Tracking: Monitor project status and provide regular updates to leadership and stakeholders
• Risk Management: Identify potential roadblocks and develop mitigation strategies
• Resource Allocation: Work with division leads to ensure optimal resource distribution across projects
• Documentation: Maintain project documentation that can be easily translated into marketing materials
• Event Planning: Coordinate project showcases, demos, and presentations for sponsors and public audiences
• Success Metrics: Define and track KPIs that demonstrate both technical and marketing value
• Content Creation Support: Work with marketing team to develop project-based content for social media, website, and sponsors

Key Qualifications

Required:

• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication abilities
• Ability to understand technical concepts and translate them for non-technical audiences
• Experience with project management tools (Notion, Jira, Asana, or similar)
• Collaborative mindset with ability to work across diverse teams
• Problem-solving skills and adaptability

Nice to Have:

• Previous project management experience in technical or engineering contexts
• Familiarity with Agile/Scrum methodologies
• Experience with content creation or marketing
• Understanding of robotics or autonomous systems
• Knowledge of social media platforms and digital marketing
• Photography/videography skills for documenting projects
• Experience presenting to stakeholders or public audiences
• PMP, CAPM, or other project management certification
• Background in engineering, computer science, or related fields

Project Portfolio

You'll manage projects across our initiatives including:

• Eve Autonomy: Autonomous vehicle development milestones
• Micro Autonomy: F1Tenth competition preparations and results
• Rover Autonomy: Indoor robotics and mars rover demonstrations
• Humanoid Autonomy: Teleoperated humanoid robot showcases
• Special Events: Hackathons, workshops, and recruitment drives

Marketing Integration

A key aspect of this role involves:

• Identifying "Instagram-worthy" moments in technical development
• Creating narratives around engineering challenges and solutions
• Scheduling project milestones to align with marketing campaigns
• Facilitating photo/video shoots of robots and team members
• Preparing talking points for team members at public events
• Ensuring project outcomes support sponsorship renewal conversations

What We Offer

• Leadership experience managing cutting-edge robotics projects
• Opportunity to shape how technical work is communicated publicly
• Exposure to various aspects of robotics development
• Network building with industry professionals and sponsors
• Development of both technical and soft skills
• Direct impact on team visibility and growth
• Mentorship from experienced team leaders
• Flexible scheduling that accommodates academics

Time Commitment

This is a part-time position requiring approximately 8-12 hours per week, with flexibility for:

• Weekly team meetings and stand-ups
• Major project milestones and demos
• Competition seasons
• Sponsor visits and showcase events
• Strategic planning sessions

Success Metrics

Your performance will be evaluated based on:

• Project delivery on time and within scope
• Quality and frequency of marketing content generated from projects
• Team satisfaction with project management processes
• Sponsor engagement with project updates
• Growth in social media metrics related to project content
• Successful project demos and presentations

What We're Looking For

WATonomous values leaders who can see the big picture while managing the details. We're looking for someone who:

• Gets excited about both building robots and sharing that excitement with the world
• Can balance technical rigor with marketing creativity
• Thrives in dynamic environments with changing priorities
• Takes ownership of project success from conception to public presentation
• Understands that great engineering deserves great storytelling
• Can motivate teams while keeping projects on track

Whether you're an experienced project manager or an organized individual eager to develop leadership skills, we want to hear from you if you're passionate about ensuring robotics projects achieve both technical excellence and public impact.