About Us
Familiar Machines & Magic (FM&M) is building the Physical AI platform for human connection, beginning with Familiars — physically embodied AI systems designed to form long-term, emotionally intelligent relationships with people. Our mission is to create artificial life to build a more caring world.
Founded by industry leaders from iRobot, Outrider, and Amazon, our team has collectively deployed over 50 million consumer robots worldwide and led advances in navigation, machine learning, and human-robot interaction.
Familiar Machines & Magic is building a mission-driven team of high performers, anchored in our unique Culture Principles and Ways of Working.
We're looking for a Principal Software and AI Technical Program Manager to drive the development of the AI and software systems that bring Familiars to life. This is a senior, highly cross-functional role for someone who thrives where AI, software, hardware, and product meet, and who can turn ambitious, sometimes uncertain research into predictable, shippable milestones.
You'll be the connective tissue across our AI and software teams, coordinating the work that gives a Familiar its intelligence: perception, machine learning, and behavior. You'll work closely with our Hardware Technical Program Manager (TPM) and Chief R&D Officer to keep the AI, software, and hardware programs in lockstep, while owning delivery for the AI and software functions.
As a Principal TPM, you'll operate with a high degree of autonomy: determining the objectives and approach for the team's most critical programs, driving strategic initiatives, and making the framework-level decisions that set direction for how the organization plans and ships. You'll help build something new to the world: emotionally intelligent Physical AI.
This role reports to our Head of Technical Program Management.
What You'll Do | Responsibilities & ScopeOwn end-to-end delivery of complex AI and software functionality, from research through production, across the AI and Software teams
Build and maintain realistic program plans, schedules, and milestones, and keep them accurate as priorities and research outcomes shift
Coordinate across disciplines and sub-teams (e.g., perception, AI, behaviors) and collaborate tightly with the Hardware TPM on shared dependencies
Identify and manage technical risks and cross-team dependencies early, and move them to resolution
Set the framework for how programs are planned, sequenced, and delivered, and bring improvements to senior leadership
Partner with the engineering leadership and key stakeholders to align execution with the product roadmap
Balance research uncertainty with delivery deadlines, helping teams make smart trade-offs without losing momentum
Communicate status, risks, and changes clearly to stakeholders and leadership
Extensive experience in technical program or project management, including deep experience delivering AI/ML products
A track record leading multi-team programs where software, AI, and hardware come together, recognized by your peers as a technical leader in AI/ML program delivery
Strong, hands-on understanding of AI/ML systems: how models are built, trained, evaluated, and shipped in a real product
Experience managing programs through research uncertainty, where scope and outcomes aren't fixed up front
Fluency with modern development and release practices (agile, release planning, risk and dependency management)
Consumer robotics, embedded, or real-time systems experience (preferred)
Autonomy and ownership: you take initiative on critical, ambiguous programs and move strategic work forward
Systems thinking: you hold the whole picture and see how AI, software, and hardware decisions ripple across each other
Comfort with ambiguity and genuine excitement for building a new category
Motivation to improve how the team works, paired with the judgment to bring the right recommendations to leadership
The ability to distill complex technical detail into clear, concise guidance for engineers and leadership alike
Empathy and steadiness under pressure
Driven by the opportunity to explore the intersection of technology, design, and emotional connection
Skills Required
- Extensive experience in technical program or project management, including deep experience delivering AI/ML products
- Experience leading multi-team programs spanning software, AI, and hardware
- Strong hands-on understanding of AI/ML systems, including model development, training, evaluation, and production deployment
- Experience managing programs through research uncertainty and evolving scope
- Fluency with agile development, release planning, risk management, and dependency management
- Consumer robotics, embedded systems, or real-time systems experience
Familiar Machines & Magic Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Familiar Machines & Magic and has not been reviewed or approved by Familiar Machines & Magic.
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Fair & Transparent Compensation — Posted salary ranges for senior and specialized roles (e.g., $175K–$215K base for a Senior Robot Software Engineer; $145K–$165K for a Principal Animator) indicate clear cash-comp signals. Public listings also flag major components like equity and, in at least one case, bonus.
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Equity Value & Accessibility — Equity is explicitly included in multiple postings (e.g., “Offers Equity”), signaling accessible ownership as part of offers. While terms aren’t detailed publicly, its consistent presence suggests equity participation is common.
Familiar Machines & Magic Insights
What We Do
Familiar Machines & Magic is pioneering Consumer Physical AI, beginning with Familiars - physically embodied AI systems designed to form long-term, emotionally intelligent relationships with people. The company’s mission is to create artificial life to build a more caring world. Founded by Colin Angle, cofounder and former CEO of iRobot, FM&M builds on more than three decades of consumer robotics experience. Angle is joined by cofounders Ira Renfrew, Chief People and Product Officer (C2PO), and Dr. Chris Jones, Chief Research and Development Officer (CRDO)—veteran robotics and AI leaders with experience spanning iRobot, Amazon, and other global consumer technology platforms. Collectively, the founding team has deployed over 50 million consumer robots worldwide and led advances in navigation, machine learning, and human-robot interaction. The broader team brings additional expertise from institutions including Disney Research, MIT, Boston Dynamics, and USC.
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