Engineering Program Specialist

About the Team
The Engineering Program Specialist (EPS) team is responsible for driving the logistical and configuration management aspects of new product development and manufacturing. We ensure that Bill of Materials (BOMs), Engineering Change Orders (ECOs), logistics, and supply chain processes are managed effectively to support production readiness and program timelines. Unlike Engineering Program Managers (EPMs)—who lead technical teams, define roadmaps, and drive feature development—EPSs specialize in operational execution and the processes that keep hardware programs on track.

About the Role
OpenAI is seeking an Engineering Program Specialist to support the development and manufacturing of next-generation hardware. As an EPS, you will manage BOMs, oversee engineering changes, resolve logistics and supply chain challenges, and ensure production materials are ready to meet program milestones. You’ll collaborate closely with Engineering, Operations, and external partners to maintain quality, compliance, and readiness across the product lifecycle.

This role is based in San Francisco, CA. We use a hybrid work model of 4 days in the office per week and offer relocation assistance to new employees.

In this role, you will:

• Create, manage, and structure complex Bills of Materials (BOMs)

• Generate and process Engineering Change Orders (ECOs) and Manufacturer Change Orders (MCOs)

• Resolve supply chain logistics issues, track part deliveries, and manage allocations

• Ensure production material readiness (“Clear-to-Build”) to meet program milestones

• Collaborate with Contract Manufacturers (CMs), Global Commodity Managers, and cross-functional engineering/operations teams

• Maintain part numbers, Approved Manufacturer’s Lists (AMLs), and ensure compliance with safety/security requirements

You might thrive in this role if you:

• Have strong knowledge of configuration management and BOM structuring, particularly for hardware products

• Bring 3+ years of experience in New Product Introduction (NPI) program management with a focus on procurement, logistics, and supplier management

• Possess excellent problem-solving skills and can identify/resolve supply chain or logistics constraints

• Understand engineering workflows, product development processes, and budget management

• Communicate effectively with global teams and stakeholders, with strong written and verbal skills

• Are proficient in MS Excel and familiar with other tools supporting program operations

About OpenAI

OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company dedicated to ensuring that general-purpose artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity. We push the boundaries of the capabilities of AI systems and seek to safely deploy them to the world through our products. AI is an extremely powerful tool that must be created with safety and human needs at its core, and to achieve our mission, we must encompass and value the many different perspectives, voices, and experiences that form the full spectrum of humanity. 

We are an equal opportunity employer, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other applicable legally protected characteristic.

For additional information, please see OpenAI’s Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Statement.

Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with applicable law, including the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, and the California Fair Chance Act. For unincorporated Los Angeles County workers: we reasonably believe that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship with the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of a conditional offer of employment: protect computer hardware entrusted to you from theft, loss or damage; return all computer hardware in your possession (including the data contained therein) upon termination of employment or end of assignment; and maintain the confidentiality of proprietary, confidential, and non-public information. In addition, job duties require access to secure and protected information technology systems and related data security obligations.

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