Product Operations Manager at Kodiak Robotics in Lancaster, CA

Kodiak Robotics, Inc. was founded in 2018 and has become a leader in autonomous ground transportation committed to a safer and more efficient future for all. The company has developed an artificial intelligence (AI) powered technology stack purpose-built for commercial trucking and the public sector. The company delivers freight daily for its customers across the southern United States using its autonomous technology. In 2024, Kodiak became the first known company to publicly announce delivering a driverless semi-truck to a customer. Kodiak is also leveraging its commercial self-driving software to develop, test and deploy autonomous capabilities for the U.S. Department of Defense. We are seeking a highly motivated and detail-oriented Product Operations Specialist to join our team in Lancaster, TX. This role bridges the gap between our Product/Engineering teams and our Operations/Field teams. You will own optimizing, and developing mechanisms that enable product operations to scale our operational footprint. This role is based full-time in our Lancaster office. In this role, you will: Process Design and Scalability: Partner closely with Program, Engineering, and Ops to design, document, and stand up processes that support operational scalability for our autonomous vehicle technology. Feedback Loop Management: Own the feedback loop between Field Ops and Product & Engineering, translating operational needs into actionable product and engineering requirements. Feature Deployment & Validation: Work with cross-functional teams to rapidly test, validate, and deploy new product features in an operationally-intensive environment. Cross-Functional Collaboration: Act as a liaison between Product, Engineering, Field Operations, and other teams to ensure alignment and smooth feature adoption. Operational Excellence: Focus on driving attention to detail and timeliness in product deployment and operational workflows. Performance Monitoring: Define operational KPIs and monitor product performance in the field, communicating insights and risks to stakeholders. Stakeholder Communication: Provide clear, data-driven updates on product-related operational progress, risks, and mitigation plans to leadership and cross-functional teams. Adaptability: Ability to get gritty and operate in spaces that are not yet well defined and are subject to rapid and unexpected changes What you'll bring: 3+ years of experience in Product Operations, Technical Program Management, or a similar role at an operational-intensive technology company. Highly analytical with a proven ability to use data to drive process improvements and product decisions, e.g., Kibana/Elastic. Exceptional attention to detail and a track record of driving timely execution in complex environments. Outstanding people and communication skills, with demonstrated experience working across diverse teams (e.g., Engineering, Field Operations, Product). Must be willing to work full-time in the Lancaster, TX office. A non-technical degree is acceptable, but evidence of some technical aptitude or "nerdiness" is a plus. Adeptness in leveraging generative AI tools to streamline workflows and enhance clarity and quality in stakeholder communication. Additional experience in the following areas is also a plus Operations research, industrial engineering, and/or process optimization Autonomy, mobility, supply chain, or logistics Working in both a startup and a larger company environment What we offer: Competitive compensation package including equity and annual bonuses Excellent Medical, Dental, and Vision plans through Kaiser Permanente, Cigna, and  MetLife (including a medical plan with infertility benefits) MetLife Legal Services, Identity & Fraud Protection, Hospital Indemnity Insurance, Accident Insurance, & Critical Illness Insurance Flexible PTO, 10 paid holidays, and generous parental leave policies Office perks: free catered lunch, a fully stocked kitchen Long Term Disability, Short Term Disability, Life Insurance Wellbeing Benefits - Headspace through Cigna, Calm through Kaiser, One Medical, Gympass, Spring Health through Cigna, Rula (mental health navigation) Fidelity 401(k) Commuter, FSA, Dependent Care FSA, HSA Various incentive programs (referral bonuses, patent bonuses, etc.) At Kodiak, we strive to build a diverse community working towards our common company goals in a safe and collaborative environment where harassment of any kind is strictly prohibited. Kodiak is committed to equal opportunity employment regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status, or any other basis protected by applicable law. In alignment with its business operations, Kodiak adheres to all relevant statutes, regulations, and administrative prerequisites. Accordingly, roles that carry more sensitive requirements may be limited to candidates that can satisfy additional scrutiny and eligibility for such positions may hinge on verification of a candidate’s residence, U.S. person status, and/or citizenship status. Should the position require, and Kodiak determines that a candidate’s residence, U.S. person status, and/or citizenship status necessitate an export license, bar the candidate from the position, or otherwise fall under national security-related restrictions, Kodiak will consider the candidate for alternative positions unaffected by such restrictions, under terms and conditions set forth at Kodiak’s sole discretion, or, as an alternative, opt not to proceed with the candidate’s application. If applicable, Kodiak may provide visa sponsorship for eligible candidates. We use a third-party AI tool (Endorsed) to assist in the initial screening of applications. As part of the evaluation process, we provide Endorsed with job requirements and candidate-submitted applications. Final hiring decisions are made by our human recruitment team, and no automated system makes the ultimate decision regarding hiring. Certain features of the platform may qualify it as an Automated Employment Decision Tool (AEDT) under applicable regulations. We began using Endorsed on January 1, 2026. You can review the independent bias audit report covering our use of Endorsed [here](https://endorsed.com/local-law-144). By submitting your application, you acknowledge that your application may be processed by AI systems as part of the screening and selection process. If you have any questions or would like to request a separate review of your application, please contact careers@kodiak.ai with "Separate Review Request" in the email subject line.