Project/people manager responsible for leading a team of low-level firmware engineers working closely with hardware and other firmware teams to deliver system boot, power management, and low-level drivers for print video and control panels on enterprise LaserJet products. As project manager I balance many responsibilities including prioritization, scheduling, resource allocation, and requirements (using Jira software). As people manager I oversee employee career development, team motivation, promotions, performance reviews, salary/bonus administration, and contingent workforce.

In this role I led cross-functional teams delivering system releases for office printing solutions. This involved firmware and software releases for both new and previously released products. I collaborated closely with the managers of teams developing firmware, software, and fleet management tools, as well as with our QA department. I helped balance release schedules and quality to satisfy both business and customer needs. I was also actively involved in high-level cross-asset requirement planning and capture. While in this position I played a key role in delivering nearly two dozen system releases.

As a QPM, I led cross-functional teams to drive quality improvements on LaserJet products that were actively in production. I analyzed multiple information sources to determine both hardware and firmware quality issues, set appropriate priorities, and then led cross-functional teams to drive top issues to resolution. These teams often included individuals from current product engineering, operations, procurement, data analysis, regional product engineering, R&D, technical marketing, and product marketing.

In this role I worked closely with product development teams as well as many cross-functional partners. I successfully managed the production release of formatter PCAs for the Color M551, Color MFP M575, and MFP M525 LaserJet products. I also gained valuable experience in people management with full supervisory responsibilities over a team of electrical engineers. As a project manager I successfully managed project scheduling, resource allocation, prototype builds, and budgeting (~$3M annual budget). As a people manager I successfully managed employee career development, team motivation, promotions, performance reviews, salary/bonus administration, and contingent workforce.

I gained practical experience in leadership and cross-functional teams while driving efforts to lower PCA manufacturing defect rates. I also coordinated power cycle test efforts to assess risk and reliability for new products. I instituted PCA release criteria to track the progress of design revisions and increase the reliability, manufacturability, testability, and consistency of LaserJet PCA designs. I also filled an interim leadership assignment as an electrical hardware project manager leading a team of hardware design engineers.

I acquired experience designing, testing, and managing the PCA hardware development cycles of embedded digital systems for LaserJet devices. In addition to design and test work, I also coordinated hardware development with other internal departments including marketing, manufacturing (for DFM), operations (for DFT – both ICT and FCT), procurement (for AOS), and other technical teams including ASIC development, firmware, current product engineering, and print engine teams (ME). Technologies I worked on included ASICs, DDR, PCIe, SATA, USB Host/Device, LVDS, 10/100/1000 Ethernet/LAN, NAND Flash, PCB layout, etc. I was also involved with the product regulatory and compliance testing in several areas including RF immunity, RF emissions for FCC compliance, ESD testing, and I/O standards compliance. In this role I updated the controller for the Color LaserJet CM6030/6040 high-end MFP to meet revised Energy Star requirements. I managed the design and qualification testing for the LaserJet 5200 printer series controller PCA. I also designed a customer installable analog fax card for LaserJet MFPs (Fax Accessory 300). Working in these LaserJet R&D activities I earned a reputation for accountability, consistency, and detailed engineering work.

I assist my wife Jocelyn Lockhart in her successful small business venture, Treasure Valley Ballet Academy. My involvement includes business planning, marketing, contract negotiation, and accounting, as well as basic database and website design.