Critical Incident & Escalation Operations Lead

Neura Market; Tempe (AZ); Hybrid; USD 159,000 - 196,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Discretionary annual bonus

Equity incentive plan

Generous benefits program

Job summary

Waymo is seeking a senior operations leader based in Phoenix, AZ, to serve as the primary escalation point for safety and high-priority issues affecting the Waymo Driver fleet. You will guide rapid, safety-driven decisions and collaborate with engineering, safety, and local leadership to sustain continuity.

Responsibilities include directing escalation pathways, leading incident reviews, updating policies, and coordinating with vendor teams on change management.

Qualifications

• Experience in high-pressure operational environments such as network operations or emergency response.
• Strong real-time thinking and de-escalation skills to prioritize safety.
• Excellent verbal and written skills for concise executive briefings.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent 4+ years of program management in operations.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary operations leader and escalation point for safety and operational issues.
• Direct immediate response actions with local leadership to ensure business continuity and provide authoritative updates.
• Lead post-incident reviews, capture root causes, and update policies and playbooks.
• Standardize escalation frameworks and coordinate product releases with vendors.
• Model composure and mentor frontline teams during escalations.

Skills

Real-time critical thinking

De-escalation

Executive communication

Workflow management tools

Data analysis for trends

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Emergency response protocols

Job description

Waymo is seeking a senior operations leader based in Phoenix, AZ, to serve as the primary escalation point for safety and high-priority issues affecting the Waymo Driver fleet. You will guide rapid, safety-driven decisions and collaborate with engineering, safety, and local leadership to sustain continuity.

Responsibilities include directing escalation pathways, leading incident reviews, updating policies, and coordinating with vendor teams on change management.