Engineering Program Manager Jobs in Tennessee
Engineering Program Manager jobs in Tennessee are in strong and steady demand, with the deepest concentration in aerospace and defense, automotive manufacturing, and healthcare technology sectors that anchor the state's industrial base from entry-level coordinator roles through senior director positions. Nashville, Huntsville-adjacent corridors in Middle Tennessee, and Memphis stand out as the primary hiring metros, where employers like FedEx, Nissan North America, and HCA Healthcare maintain large engineering operations that regularly seek program managers. The most consistently posted specialties are systems integration, manufacturing process management, and technology program delivery. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 7+ Engineering Program Manager jobs
Position Summary:
The Program Manager is the founding operational team member for the Florida Institute for Engineering, Innovation, Education, and Research, reporting directly to the Executive Director. This is a hands-on, high-autonomy role during the Institute's startup phase: the Program Manager provides direct administrative support to the Executive Director while simultaneously leading the launch of the Institute's first short certificate and non-credit course offerings, including industry partner development, instructor recruitment, and venue logistics. As the Institute grows, this position is expected to take on an expanded role supporting the development of future master's and Ph.D. programs. The ideal candidate is comfortable with ambiguity, able to operate independently in a fast-paced, evolving environment, and capable of shifting fluidly between executive support, program building, and external partnership development. This position may be based in either Nashville, Tennessee, or South Florida, with hybrid arrangements available from either location. Occasional travel between the two regions will be required to support Institute programs, partner meetings, and leadership engagement.
Key Functions and Expected Performance:
Executive and Administrative Support (20%)
- Provide day-to-day administrative support to the Executive Director, including developing slide decks, presentations, and briefing materials for internal and external audiences.
- Prepare flyers, brochures, and other promotional materials to support Institute programs and events.
- Manage scheduling and calendar coordination for the Executive Director during the Institute's startup phase, prioritizing competing requests and ensuring timely follow-through.
- As the Institute grows and an administrative assistant is added, transition day-to-day administrative and scheduling work to that role, providing guidance and oversight of their work.
- Lead the planning and launch of short certificate and non-credit courses, managing timelines, budgets, and deliverables from concept through first offering.
- Identify, research, and cultivate relationships with industry partners in the West Palm Beach region and beyond to support course development, sponsorship, and enrollment pipelines.
- Schedule and support meetings between Institute leadership and prospective industry partners, preparing briefing materials and agendas.
- Identify, recruit, and hire qualified faculty and subject-matter experts to teach short courses, managing contracts, scheduling, and logistics.
- Oversee and provide feedback to course instructors to ensure quality, consistency, and adherence to Institute standards.
- Coordinate with hotels and event venues in the West Palm Beach area to secure space for course delivery until the Institute has a permanent facility, negotiating rates and logistics within budget.
- Track and manage the budget for course development and delivery activities, ensuring adherence to approved funding and flagging variances to the Executive Director.
- Recommend improvements to course offerings and delivery based on participant feedback and enrollment outcomes.
- Support development of Institute communications and marketing materials, including website content, in coordination with university marketing resources.
- Track key Institute metrics (e.g., course enrollment, industry partnerships, participant outcomes) and prepare regular reports for Institute leadership.
- Help establish the administrative processes, procedures, and systems appropriate to a newly forming academic unit.
- Coordinate with university offices (e.g., procurement, legal, finance) on contracts, vendor agreements, and compliance matters related to Institute activities.
- Support planning for the Institute's future master's and Ph.D. programs, including coordination with university Admissions, the Graduate School, and academic departments on program design and approval processes.
- Assist with recruiting activities for future graduate programs, including prospective student outreach and coordination of recruitment events.
- Support faculty research hiring processes as the Institute expands its research faculty, including coordinating search logistics and candidate visits.
- Perform other duties in support of the Institute's mission and strategic priorities as assigned by the Executive Director.
Supervisory Relationships:
This position does not currently have supervisory responsibility. As the Institute grows, this position is expected to provide supervision and oversight of an administrative assistant. This position reports administratively and functionally to the Executive Director of the Florida Institute for Engineering, Innovation, Education, and Research.
- Bachelor's degree is required; Master's degree preferred.
- Minimum of 3 years of relevant program coordination, project management, or administrative/executive support experience is required.
- Experience building relationships with external partners (industry, vendors, or similar) is strongly preferred.
- Experience in higher education, professional/continuing education, or workforce development is preferred.
- Strong proficiency in PowerPoint and related presentation/design tools.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to prepare polished materials for executive and external audiences.
- Demonstrated ability to work independently and manage ambiguity in a fast-paced, startup-like environment.
- Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple concurrent priorities and deadlines.
- Willingness to travel locally within the West Palm Beach area as needed for venue and partner meetings.
Position Summary:
The Program Manager is the founding operational team member for the Florida Institute for Engineering, Innovation, Education, and Research, reporting directly to the Executive Director. This is a hands-on, high-autonomy role during the Institute's startup phase: the Program Manager provides direct administrative support to the Executive Director while simultaneously leading the launch of the Institute's first short certificate and non-credit course offerings, including industry partner development, instructor recruitment, and venue logistics. As the Institute grows, this position is expected to take on an expanded role supporting the development of future master's and Ph.D. programs. The ideal candidate is comfortable with ambiguity, able to operate independently in a fast-paced, evolving environment, and capable of shifting fluidly between executive support, program building, and external partnership development. This position may be based in either Nashville, Tennessee, or South Florida, with hybrid arrangements available from either location. Occasional travel between the two regions will be required to support Institute programs, partner meetings, and leadership engagement.
Key Functions and Expected Performance:
Executive and Administrative Support (20%)
- Provide day-to-day administrative support to the Executive Director, including developing slide decks, presentations, and briefing materials for internal and external audiences.
- Prepare flyers, brochures, and other promotional materials to support Institute programs and events.
- Manage scheduling and calendar coordination for the Executive Director during the Institute's startup phase, prioritizing competing requests and ensuring timely follow-through.
- As the Institute grows and an administrative assistant is added, transition day-to-day administrative and scheduling work to that role, providing guidance and oversight of their work.
- Lead the planning and launch of short certificate and non-credit courses, managing timelines, budgets, and deliverables from concept through first offering.
- Identify, research, and cultivate relationships with industry partners in the West Palm Beach region and beyond to support course development, sponsorship, and enrollment pipelines.
- Schedule and support meetings between Institute leadership and prospective industry partners, preparing briefing materials and agendas.
- Identify, recruit, and hire qualified faculty and subject-matter experts to teach short courses, managing contracts, scheduling, and logistics.
- Oversee and provide feedback to course instructors to ensure quality, consistency, and adherence to Institute standards.
- Coordinate with hotels and event venues in the West Palm Beach area to secure space for course delivery until the Institute has a permanent facility, negotiating rates and logistics within budget.
- Track and manage the budget for course development and delivery activities, ensuring adherence to approved funding and flagging variances to the Executive Director.
- Recommend improvements to course offerings and delivery based on participant feedback and enrollment outcomes.
- Support development of Institute communications and marketing materials, including website content, in coordination with university marketing resources.
- Track key Institute metrics (e.g., course enrollment, industry partnerships, participant outcomes) and prepare regular reports for Institute leadership.
- Help establish the administrative processes, procedures, and systems appropriate to a newly forming academic unit.
- Coordinate with university offices (e.g., procurement, legal, finance) on contracts, vendor agreements, and compliance matters related to Institute activities.
- Support planning for the Institute's future master's and Ph.D. programs, including coordination with university Admissions, the Graduate School, and academic departments on program design and approval processes.
- Assist with recruiting activities for future graduate programs, including prospective student outreach and coordination of recruitment events.
- Support faculty research hiring processes as the Institute expands its research faculty, including coordinating search logistics and candidate visits.
- Perform other duties in support of the Institute's mission and strategic priorities as assigned by the Executive Director.
Supervisory Relationships:
This position does not currently have supervisory responsibility. As the Institute grows, this position is expected to provide supervision and oversight of an administrative assistant. This position reports administratively and functionally to the Executive Director of the Florida Institute for Engineering, Innovation, Education, and Research.
- Bachelor's degree is required; Master's degree preferred.
- Minimum of 3 years of relevant program coordination, project management, or administrative/executive support experience is required.
- Experience building relationships with external partners (industry, vendors, or similar) is strongly preferred.
- Experience in higher education, professional/continuing education, or workforce development is preferred.
- Strong proficiency in PowerPoint and related presentation/design tools.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to prepare polished materials for executive and external audiences.
- Demonstrated ability to work independently and manage ambiguity in a fast-paced, startup-like environment.
- Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple concurrent priorities and deadlines.
- Willingness to travel locally within the West Palm Beach area as needed for venue and partner meetings.
See All 7 Engineering Program Manager Jobs in Tennessee
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Find JobsEngineering Program Manager Jobs by City in Tennessee
Where Tennessee roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Engineering Program Manager Job Market in Tennessee
A snapshot from current Tennessee openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Electronics & Hardware
What Tennessee Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in engineering program manager jobs across Tennessee.
- Bachelor's degree in engineering, computer science, or a related technical field required
- Five or more years of program or project management experience in an engineering environment
- PMP certification or equivalent project management credential strongly preferred by Tennessee employers
- Demonstrated experience managing cross-functional teams across full product or system development lifecycles
- Proficiency with program management tools such as MS Project, Jira, or equivalent planning software
- Strong communication skills for coordinating between engineering, operations, and executive stakeholders
Engineering Program Manager Jobs in Tennessee: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a engineering program manager in Tennessee?
Most engineering program managers in Tennessee enter the role after earning a bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline and accumulating several years of technical project or team lead experience. Tennessee does not require a state-issued license specific to program management, but employers across the state's aerospace, automotive, and healthcare tech sectors consistently expect candidates to hold or actively pursue the Project Management Professional certification. A background in a relevant engineering domain, such as systems, mechanical, or industrial engineering, combined with demonstrated program delivery experience, is the most reliable hiring path.
How much do engineering program managers make in Tennessee?
Engineering program managers in Tennessee earn a median of about $161,430 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $105,980 for the lowest 10% to over $239,240 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire engineering program managers in Tennessee?
Employers hiring engineering program managers in Tennessee right now include Eaton, Oracle, and Covenant Health, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Tennessee's mix of defense contractors, major automotive producers, and large healthcare systems means demand for this role is distributed across several distinct industry clusters rather than concentrated in a single employer type.
Which Tennessee cities have the most engineering program manager jobs?
Nashville, Erwin, and Franklin lead Tennessee for engineering program manager openings. Nashville drives volume through its large healthcare technology and corporate headquarters presence, while Memphis reflects demand from logistics and manufacturing operations, and smaller metro areas such as Chattanooga and the Middle Tennessee corridor benefit from automotive and advanced manufacturing employers that maintain dedicated program management functions on-site.
Are there remote engineering program manager jobs in Tennessee?
Yes, and more than many engineering roles, because program management work centers on coordination, planning, and stakeholder communication rather than hands-on lab or shop-floor activity. About 0% of engineering program manager openings tied to Tennessee are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting the role's suitability for distributed work. The portions of the job most commonly performed remotely include status reporting, vendor coordination, and documentation, while kickoff sessions and cross-functional reviews often remain on-site.
How can I get hired as a engineering program manager in Tennessee with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is moving into the role from an adjacent engineering or project coordinator position within a Tennessee employer. Large operations like those in Nashville's healthcare technology sector or Chattanooga's advanced manufacturing base frequently post associate program manager or engineering coordinator roles that serve as a direct on-ramp. Pursuing the Certified Associate in Project Management credential demonstrates commitment to the discipline before you have full program management experience, and building a portfolio of delivered projects, even smaller internal ones, makes a meaningful difference when applying to employers seeking their first full-cycle hire.
Where can I find and apply to engineering program manager jobs in Tennessee?
You can find and apply to engineering program manager jobs in Tennessee on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings across the state's major hiring metros and industries. Find roles that fit your background and apply directly to the ones that match your experience and target sector.
See All 7 Engineering Program Manager Jobs in Tennessee
Find roles in Tennessee that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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