Senior/Staff Program Manager, Verification and Validation Operations

Zoox; Foster City (CA); On-site; USD 183,000 - 251,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Zoox Stock Appreciation Rights

Amazon RSUs

Health insurance

Paid time off

Job summary

Zoox is seeking a Senior/Staff Program Manager to define and execute strategies that scale Verification & Validation operations across a growing autonomous fleet. You will navigate technical complexity while aligning a broad set of stakeholders in a highly cross-functional role.

The role includes leading efficiency initiatives, data‑driven decision making, and monthly reviews with leadership to shape resource allocation, partnerships, and priorities for the fleet and software quality

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations Research, Operations Management, or a STEM field.
• 10+ years of program management experience with strong technical depth and operational execution.
• Demonstrated ability to lead large-scale, cross-functional programs with significant impact.
• Comfortable operating in ambiguity and structuring undefined problems.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication across engineering, product, and operations.
• Deeply data-driven, validating metrics and questioning outputs.
• Proficiency with modern AI tools and workflows and applying them to drive efficiency.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate large-scale, cross-functional programs spanning Autonomy, Product, Infrastructure, Engineering, and Safety teams to drive improvements in fleet efficiency and software quality.
• Own and drive operational efficiency initiatives across engineering, field service, and operations teams, identify bottlenecks, align stakeholders, and unblock execution.
• Partner with System Design & Mission Assurance and safety teams to gather and pressure-test requirements for the right solutions.
• Champion AI and data-driven tools within operations and build centralized reporting systems for leadership decisions.
• Run monthly business reviews with stakeholders, translating signals into recommendations on resources, partnerships, and priorities.
• Define and track operational metrics, shaping what should be measured and why.
• Collaborate with Finance to support OP1, OP2, and quarterly R&O planning with accurate budgets.
• Lead efficiency initiatives across L3 and robotaxi R&D fleets, improving fleet utilization and cycle times.
• Manage program timelines, resources, and risks; create and maintain leadership-facing progress reports.
• Create and maintain program documentation for senior leadership.

Skills

Program management

Cross-functional leadership

Data-driven decision making

AI tooling familiarity

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/OR/OM/STEM

Tools

Gemini

Claude

MCP APIs

Job description

Zoox's Fleet Operations Program Management team delivers cross-functional programs critical to the growth, expansion, and efficient operation of our commercial autonomous vehicle service. We partner closely with Fleet Operations and cross-functional stakeholders to verify, validate, and launch new software on our fleet — while continuously maturing our operational processes to deliver a premium customer experience.

We're looking for an experienced, forward-thinking Senior / Staff Program Manager to help define and execute strategies that scale our Verification & Validation (V&V) operations. Our testing fleet — hundreds of vehicles across multiple cities and private tracks — is growing rapidly in size and geographic reach. This is a highly cross‑functional role operating at the intersection of operations, autonomy, engineering, and product — requiring someone who can navigate technical complexity while driving alignment and execution across a broad set of stakeholders.

Expected Travel: 10–15%

In this role, you will:

• Lead and coordinate large-scale, highly cross‑functional programs spanning Autonomy, Product, Infrastructure, Engineering, and Safety teams to drive measurable improvements in fleet efficiency and software quality
• Own and drive operational efficiency initiatives that span multiple engineering, field service, and operations teams — identifying bottlenecks, aligning stakeholders, and unblocking downstream execution
• Partner with System Design & Mission Assurance and other safety teams to gather and pressure‑test requirements — bringing a critical lens to ensure what's being asked for is the right thing to build or prioritize
• Champion the adoption of AI and data‑driven tools within operations — including building centralized, multi‑source reporting systems that surface actionable intelligence from the field and feed into leadership decision‑making
• Run monthly business reviews (MBRs) with a broad set of stakeholders — synthesizing ground‑level signals from market leads and operational locations into clear recommendations on resources, partnerships, and priorities for leadership
• Define and track the right operational metrics — not just reporting on what exists, but actively shaping what should be measured and why
• Partner with Finance to support operational and financial planning cycles (OP1, OP2, quarterly R&O), ensuring budgets reflect operational needs accurately and efficiently
• Lead key efficiency initiatives across our L3 and robotaxi R&D fleets, including improvements in fleet utilization, time‑in‑autonomy, troubleshooting cycle times, and operational infrastructure
• Manage program timelines, resources, and deliverables; proactively identify and mitigate operational and programmatic risks
• Create and maintain program documentation and progress reports for senior leadership

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations Research, Operations Management, or a STEM field
• 10+ years of program management experience, with a strong preference for backgrounds that blend technical depth with operational execution
• Demonstrated ability to lead large‑scale, highly cross‑functional programs with significant organizational impact
• Comfortable operating in ambiguity — able to structure undefined problems, build frameworks from scratch, and drive toward clarity
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills across engineering, product, and operations audiences
• Deeply data‑driven — not just tracking metrics but validating them, questioning outputs that don't add up, and pushing back when the data tells the wrong story
• Proficient with modern AI tools and workflows (e.g., Gemini, Claude, MCP APIs, cloud‑based coding environments) and actively applies them to drive operational efficiency and better decision‑making

Bonus Qualifications

• Experience in autonomous vehicles, aerospace, ride‑hail, robotics, or fleet management
• Background in systems engineering, software development, or technical operations
• MBA or Master's degree in a STEM field
• PMP, PgMP, or equivalent certification
• Experience with vehicle testing, validation, or disengagement analysis

$183,000 - $251,000 a year

Base Salary Range

There are three major components to compensation for this position: salary, Amazon Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), and Zoox Stock Appreciation Rights. A sign‑on bonus may be offered as part of the compensation package. The listed range applies only to the base salary. Compensation will vary based on geographic location and level. Leveling, as well as positioning within a level, is determined by a range of factors, including, but not limited to, a candidate's relevant years of experience, domain knowledge, and interview performance. The salary range listed in this posting is representative of the range of levels Zoox is considering for this position.

Zoox also offers a comprehensive package of benefits, including paid time off (e.g. sick leave, vacation, bereavement), unpaid time off, Zoox Stock Appreciation Rights, Amazon RSUs, health insurance, long‑term care insurance, long‑term and short‑term disability insurance, and life insurance.