Product Operations 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. We are seeking a highly motivated and detail-oriented Product Operations Specialist to join our team in Lancaster, TX. 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 Lancaster 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 Lancaster, TX 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 Long Term Disability, Short Term Disability,