Operations Safety and Compliance Manager

Kodiak; Lancaster (TX); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation package

Excellent Medical, Dental, and Vision plans

Flexible PTO

Dog-friendly office

Free catered lunch

Fully stocked kitchen

Free EV charging

Fidelity 401(k)

Job summary

Kodiak in Lancaster, TX, is seeking an Operations Safety and Compliance Manager to ensure safety and regulatory compliance across operations. This role is crucial for scaling operations safely and effectively, translating safety strategy and compliance regulations into operational processes.

The ideal candidate will have over 5 years of relevant experience, focusing on operational mindset and strong leadership skills. The position offers a competitive compensation package and office perks.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in operations, compliance, fleet management, or regulated operational environments.
• Prior experience owning safety or compliance execution in transportation, logistics, or industrial operations.
• Experience supporting audits, inspections, or regulatory reviews.

Responsibilities

• Own safety execution across Operations, including OSS, drivers, depots, and on-road activities.
• Ensure operational teams adhere to established safety standards and policies.
• Lead operational incident response from an execution perspective.

Skills

Operational mindset

Understanding of FMCSA and DOT regulations

Leadership in compliance

Job description

Operations Safety and Compliance Manager

Lancaster, TX

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.

As an Operations Safety & Compliance Manager, you will own the execution of safety and regulatory compliance across Kodiak’s operational environments. This role ensures Kodiak can scale commercial and testing operations safely, consistently, and in compliance with regulatory requirements.

This position is embedded within Operations and focused on execution, readiness, and accountability. You will translate established safety strategy, regulatory requirements, and company policy into practical, enforceable operational processes. The role partners closely with Operations leadership, Safety, Legal, People Operations, Fleet, and Training teams, while remaining distinct from Safety Engineering and safety strategy ownership.

In this role you will build structure, reduce risk, and enable teams to execute safely at scale.

Operational Safety Execution

• Own safety execution across Operations, including OSS, drivers, depots, yards, and on‑road activities.
• Ensure operational teams adhere to established safety standards, policies, and approved safety frameworks.
• Represent Operations in incident reviews, providing operational context and driving corrective actions.
• Lead operational incident response from an execution perspective, including classification, response coordination, and post‑incident follow‑up.
• Identify recurring operational safety risks and partner with Operations leadership to reduce repeat incidents.

Compliance Ownership

• Own FMCSA and DOT Motor Carrier compliance execution for Kodiak, maintaining audit readiness at all times. This includes IRP, IFTA, HVUT (2290), UCR, MCS‑150, and state‑specific filings.
• Own driver compliance programs, including CDL qualifications, driver qualification files, HOS adherence and HOS logfile certification, medical certifications, and Clearinghouse requirements.
• Own drug and alcohol testing workflows for operational roles, including pre‑employment, post‑incident, random, and reasonable suspicion testing.
• Serve as the primary Operations point of contact for regulatory audits, inspections, and compliance inquiries.

Training, SOPs & Readiness

• Embed safety and compliance requirements into Operations SOPs, QRGs, and training programs.
• Partner with Training Operations to ensure training reflects real‑world operational risks and expectations.
• Support new sites, customers, and operational expansions with safety and compliance readiness reviews.

Cross‑Functional Leadership

• Lead cross‑functional alignment across Operations, Safety, Legal, and People Operations through clear ownership, sound judgment, and operational credibility.
• Partner with Operations leadership to define and track safety and compliance metrics that support execution and scale.
• Own operational compliance tooling workflows in partnership with Ops Systems and Fleet teams.

What you’ll bring

Experience

• 5+ years of experience in operations, compliance, fleet management, or regulated operational environments.
• Prior experience owning safety or compliance execution in transportation, logistics, or industrial operations.
• Experience supporting audits, inspections, or regulatory reviews.

Background

• Strong operational mindset with the ability to translate policy into executable processes.
• Experience working closely with frontline teams, drivers, and operational leaders.
• Comfortable operating in scaling, fast‑changing operational environments.

Industry Knowledge

• Working knowledge of FMCSA and DOT regulations applicable to commercial operations.
• Familiarity with driver compliance, vehicle compliance, and incident response workflows.

Leadership Mindset

• Execution‑focused leader who drives accountability through clarity and follow‑through.
• Trusted operator who balances safety, compliance, and operational realities.
• Builds structure and consistency without adding unnecessary friction.

Why Join Kodiak?

At Kodiak, you’ll help ensure operations scale safely and compliantly as autonomous trucking moves into real‑world commercial deployment. Your work will directly protect people, enable uptime, and reduce operational risk while supporting Kodiak’s continued growth.

What we offer

• Competitive compensation package including equity and biannual bonuses.
• Excellent Medical, Dental, and Vision plans through Kaiser Permanente, Cigna, and Guardian (including a medical plan with infertility benefits).
• Flexible PTO and generous parental leave policies.
• Facility located in Lancaster, TX – 3901 Corporate Dr Ste 300.
• Office perks: dog‑friendly, free catered lunch, a fully stocked kitchen, and free EV charging.
• Fidelity 401(k).
• Commuter, FSA, Dependent Care FSA, HSA.

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, veteran status, or any other basis protected by applicable law.