Product Operations Specialist

Kodiak; Mountain View (CA); On-site; USD 115,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity and annual bonuses

Medical, Dental, Vision insurance

Fidelity 401(k)

Flexible PTO + holidays

Catered lunch in-office

Job summary

Kodiak Robotics, Inc. in Mountain View, CA is seeking a Product Operations Specialist to bridge Product/Engineering with Operations. The role focuses on scalability, processes, and operational excellence for deploying autonomous vehicle technology.

You will design scalable processes, manage the feedback loop, test and deploy features, monitor KPIs, and communicate risks to leadership. This position requires 3+ years in related roles and a passion for AI-enabled workflows.

Qualifications

• 3+ years in Product Operations or similar in an operational-intensive tech company.
• Strong data-driven approach to process improvement and product decisions.
• Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Willingness to work full-time in Mountain View, CA.
• Technical curiosity or nerdy inclination is a plus.
• Experience leveraging AI tools to streamline workflows is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Design, document, and stand up scalable operational processes.
• Own the feedback loop between Field Ops and Product/Engineering.
• Test, validate, and deploy new product features in field settings.
• Collaborate across Product, Engineering, and Field Operations.
• Drive timely execution in deployment and workflows.
• Define and monitor operational KPIs and report risks to leadership.
• Communicate progress, risks, and mitigation plans to stakeholders.
• Adapt to rapid, undefined spaces and changes.

Skills

Data-driven decision making

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

Kibana/Elastic

Education

Non-technical degree acceptable

Tools

Kibana/Elastic

Job description

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 Mountain View, CA. 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 Mountain View 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 Mountain View, CA 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
• 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

The pay range listed below reflects the base salaryin our SF/Silicon Valley location,across several internal levels. Actual starting pay will be based on job-related factors including: work location, experience, relevant training, education, skill level and performance during interview. Total compensation at Kodiak includes base pay, equity, bonus and a competitive benefits package

$115,000 - $130,000 USD

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.