Senior Operations Associate, Engineering Testing

Doordashusa; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 85,400 - 125,500; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) plan with employer matching

Paid parental leave

Wellness benefits

Commuter benefits match

Paid time off

Job summary

DoorDash Labs is seeking a seasoned Technical Operator to lead testing, deployment, and validation of advanced autonomous technologies within a fast-paced logistics environment. You’ll collaborate with engineering, product, TPM, safety, and operations teams to ensure safe deployment and actionable feedback for product readiness.

You will shape testing practices, mentor operators, and influence long-term strategy while driving root-cause analysis across hardware and software systems.

Qualifications

• 3–5+ years in autonomous systems testing, robotics operations, or similar

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end testing programs across multiple engineering initiatives
• Define evolving testing methodologies and quality frameworks
• Lead cross-functional initiatives with engineering, product, TPM, safety, and operations teams
• Drive investigations across hardware, software, and operational systems
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency via process optimization and tooling
• Establish metrics and translate data into strategic recommendations
• Mentor operators and raise the technical bar within the team
• Provide guidance during high-priority testing efforts and cross-functional decisions

Skills

Autonomous systems testing

Robotics operations

Technical operations

Linux

GitHub

Jira

CI/CD (Jenkins)

Debugging & triage

Cross-functional collaboration

Leadership

Tools

Linux

GitHub

Jira

Jenkins

Job description

About the Team

DoorDash Labs is an independent team within DoorDash. We explore robotics and automation to transform last-mile logistics in the long term. If you have a passion for applying robotics solutions in a service used by millions of people, then we want to talk to you!

About the Role

We're looking for an experienced technical operator to lead the testing, deployment, and operational validation of advanced autonomous technologies. In this role, you'll partner closely with engineering, product, and operations teams to ensure new capabilities are safely deployed, thoroughly evaluated, and translated into actionable engineering feedback. As a senior member of the Development Testing Operations team, you'll help shape testing practices, mentor teammates, and improve how we validate autonomous systems in real-world environments.

You’re excited about this opportunity because you will…

• Own end-to-end testing programs, defining scope, priorities, success criteria, and execution across multiple complex engineering initiatives.
• Define and continuously evolve testing methodologies, operational standards, and quality frameworks that improve consistency, scalability, and engineering confidence.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives with engineering, product, TPM, safety, and operations teams to influence product readiness, launch decisions, and long-term strategy.
• Drive complex investigations by leading root cause analysis across hardware, software, and operational systems, ensuring timely resolution while influencing long-term product improvements.
• Identify opportunities to improve organizational efficiency through process optimization, tooling, automation, and scalable operational best practices.
• Establish metrics, analyze operational performance, and translate data into strategic recommendations that improve product quality, testing effectiveness, and overall fleet performance.
• Mentor and develop operators while raising the technical bar across the Engineering Testing organization through coaching, knowledge sharing, and operational leadership.
• Serve as a trusted technical and operational advisor, providing guidance during high-priority testing efforts, critical investigations, and cross-functional decision making.

We’re excited about you because…

• 3 - 5+ years of experience in autonomous systems testing, robotics operations, technical operations, or other complex engineering environments.
• Proven ability to lead large-scale testing or deployment programs from planning through execution while balancing technical, operational, and business priorities.
• Demonstrated expertise in debugging, triaging, and driving resolution of complex cross-functional technical issues.
• Experience defining operational standards, testing methodologies, or scalable processes that improve organizational performance.
• Strong experience partnering with engineering, product, and program management teams to influence technical direction and product outcomes.
• Advanced proficiency with Linux, GitHub, Jira, CI/CD tools (e.g., Jenkins), and log analysis to investigate complex system behavior.
• Demonstrated ability to influence without direct authority, build alignment across organizations, and drive execution in ambiguous environments.
• Strong leadership experience mentoring senior operators, developing technical talent, and elevating team performance.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex technical topics to engineering and executive stakeholders.

Compensation

Actual compensation within the pay range listed below will be decided based on factors including, but not limited to, skills, prior relevant experience, and specific work location. Base salary is localized according to employee work location.

DoorDash cares about you and your overall well-being. That’s why we offer a comprehensive benefits package to all regular employees, which includes a 401(k) plan with employer matching, 16 weeks of paid parental leave, wellness benefits, commuter benefits match, paid time off and paid sick leave in compliance with applicable laws (e.g. Colorado Healthy Families and Workplaces Act). DoorDash also offers medical, dental, and vision benefits, 11 paid holidays, disability and basic life insurance, family-forming assistance, and a mental health program, among others.

To learn more about our benefits, visit our careers page here.

See below for paid time off details:

• For salaried roles: flexible paid time off/vacation, plus 80 hours of paid sick time per year.
• For hourly roles: vacation accrued at about 1 hour for every 25.97 hours worked (e.g. about 6.7 hours/month if working 40 hours/week; about 3.4 hours/month if working 20 hours/week), and paid sick time accrued at 1 hour for every 30 hours worked (e.g. about 5.8 hours/month if working 40 hours/week; about 2.9 hours/month if working 20 hours/week).

The national base pay range for this position within the United States, including Illinois and Colorado.

$85,400 — $125,500 USD

About DoorDash

At DoorDash, our mission to empower local economies shapes how our team members move quickly, learn, and reiterate in order to make impactful decisions that display empathy for our range of users—from Dashers to merchant partners to consumers. We are a technology and logistics company that started by enabling door-to-door delivery, and we are looking for team members who can help us go from a company that is known as the place you order food to a company that people turn to for any and all goods.

DoorDash is growing rapidly and changing constantly, which gives our team members the opportunity to share their unique perspectives, solve new challenges, and own their careers. We're committed to supporting employees’ happiness, healthiness, and overall well-being by providing comprehensive benefits and perks including premium healthcare, wellness expense reimbursement, paid parental leave and more.

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

We’re committed to growing and empowering a more inclusive community within our company, industry, and cities. That’s why we hire and cultivate diverse teams of people from all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. We believe that true innovation happens when everyone has room at the table and the tools, resources, and opportunity to excel.

Statement of Non-Discrimination: In keeping with our beliefs and goals, no employee or applicant will face discrimination or harassment based on: race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, age, gender, marital/domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability status, or veteran status. Above and beyond discrimination and harassment based on “protected categories,” we also strive to prevent other subtler forms of inappropriate behavior (i.e., stereotyping) from ever gaining a foothold in our office. Whether blatant or hidden, barriers to success have no place at DoorDash. We value a diverse workforce – people who identify as women, non-binary or gender non-conforming, LGBTQIA+, American Indian or Native Alaskan, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latinx, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, differently-abled, caretakers and parents, and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply. Thank you to the Level Playing Field Institute for this statement of non-discrimination.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and any other state or local hiring regulations, we will consider for employment any qualified applicant, including those with arrest and conviction records, in a manner consistent with the applicable regulation.

If you need any accommodations, please inform your recruiting contact upon initial connection.

Notice to Applicants for Jobs Located in NYC or Remote Jobs Associated With Office in NYC Only

We used Covey as part of our hiring and/or promotional process for jobs in NYC and certain features may qualify it as an AEDT in NYC. As part of the hiring and/or promotion process, we provided Covey with job requirements and candidate submitted applications. We began using Covey Scout for Inbound from August 21, 2023, through December 21, 2023. We resumed using Covey Scout for Inbound again on June 29, 2024, and ceased using Covey Scout for Inbound on April 30, 2026.

The Covey tool has been reviewed by an independent auditor. Results of the audit may be viewed here: https://getcovey.com/nyc-local-law-144.