Defense Technical Program Manager

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. Kodiak is growing its defense portfolio and needs a TPM who can hold multiple programs together simultaneously. You won’t own just one program type—you’ll drive delivery across a diverse set of contracts that range from tactical vehicle autonomy integration (e.g., ROGUE-Fires/NMESIS with the Marine Corps) to autonomous fleet deployment programs for other DoD customers. Each program has different customers, different hardware, and different operational demands. This is a cross-functional leadership role for someone who thinks in systems and thrives on coordination complexity. You’ll work across hardware, software, safety, and ops sub-teams—aligning schedules, managing dependencies, and driving each program to delivery while maintaining the rigor defense customers expect. What you’ll do: Own end-to-end execution across multiple concurrent defense programs—from requirements and hardware design through integration, field testing, and customer delivery or demonstration. Serve as the integrating force across sub-program TPMs and engineering teams (hardware, controls, safety, autonomy, ops), ensuring cross-workstream dependencies are visible and resolved. Build and maintain integrated program schedules that span procurement, fabrication, integration, field testing, and milestone events across programs with different timelines and customers. Lead demo and delivery readiness: define criteria, track open items across all workstreams, and drive closure so the team shows up prepared. Drive hardware design reviews and iteration cycles; translate customer requirements into scope, BOMs, build plans, and verification matrices. Lead operational planning for field deployments—site standup, vehicle commissioning, logistics, and sustainment support. Communicate program status, risks, and decisions to internal leadership and external government customers; travel to field sites as needed for demos and customer events. What you’ll bring: 5+ years in technical program management for hardware-intensive, multi-disciplinary programs in robotics, autonomous vehicles, defense, aerospace, or other safety-critical domains. Proven ability to coordinate across concurrent workstreams or multiple programs simultaneously—holding the integrated schedule and surfacing cross-team dependencies. Operational planning experience: you’ve stood up assets or teams in new environments and managed field logistics. Strong communicator able to translate between engineering teams and government customers. Bachelor’s in Industrial Engineering, Systems Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science or a related field. US Person (required for ITAR and government program access). Nice to have: Direct experience with DoD programs, government customers, DIU, prime contractors, or defense OEMs. Background in fleet management, autonomous vehicle operations, or on-installation logistics. Familiarity with MIL-SPEC standards, defense qualification frameworks, or government acquisition (OTA, IDIQ). Exposure to tactical vehicle platforms, ruggedized electronics, or ITAR-controlled hardware development. Background in functional safety (ISO 26262, MIL-STD-882) or controls systems. What we offer: Competitive compensation package including equity and annual bonuses Excellent Medical, Dental, and Vision plans