Engineering Manager - Trials & Product Incubation

ABOUT OBVIO AI Each year, more than 40,000 people in the U.S. leave home and never make it back due to traffic crashes. At Obvio, we believe these deaths are preventable. We deploy solar-powered, AI-assisted cameras to enforce traffic laws where pedestrians are most vulnerable—automating enforcement in ways that traditional systems cannot. Our approach has already led to a 50% reduction in reckless driving in early partner cities. Founded by the team behind Motive's AI dashcam and backed by Bain Capital Ventures and Khosla Ventures, we are building the intelligence layer for safer streets globally. THE ROLE We are looking for a high-agency leader to run our "Skunkworks" division. As the Engineering Manager of Trials & Product Incubation, you will be the primary engine for turning raw ideas into full-stack prototypes and community-facing safety trials. You will work directly with key company leaders to filter, refine, and execute experimental products that merge hardware sensors with software intelligence. You will inherit a talented cross-geography software team and collaborate with our hardware team to build "good enough" versions of future products to prove their value in weeks, not months. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES - Experimental Leader: You must be able to take a "back of the napkin" idea, identify the technical "delta" (what we need to prove), and map out a sprint to test it. - Trial Design: Lead the "Trials" initiative—developing tools and methodologies to measure safety risks in diverse communities. - Architecting the Bridge: Lead a cross-geography software team to build the backend and computer vision logic for new experiments. You ensure the software they build integrates seamlessly with our local hardware prototypes. - Rapid Prototyping Leadership: Work with local mechanical engineers to build physical rigs (vehicles, camera mounts, sensor housings, IoT nodes) for real-world data collection. - Tech Stack Hacking: Personally dive into the tech when needed—writing glue code, configuring NVIDIA Jetson boards, or tweaking a YOLO model to ensure a pilot works on day one. WHO YOU ARE - A "Full-Stack" Thinker: You understand the constraints of the physical world (latency, power, weather) as well as the possibilities of the digital world (CV, cloud, mobile). - Bias for Action: You prefer a "dirty" prototype that works today over a polished product that takes six months. You know when to use off-the-shelf components vs. custom builds. - CV Literate: You have a working knowledge of Computer Vision pipelines. You don't need to be a research scientist, but you should know how to deploy a model and interpret the results. - Resilient & Adaptable: You thrive in high-ambiguity environments. When the CEO walks in with a pivot, you don't see a "distraction"—you see a new challenge to solve. - Global Manager: You have experience (or a strong aptitude for) managing remote engineering teams across significant time zones. QUALIFICATIONS - 6+ years of experience in Product, Engineering, or Creative Technologist roles - 2+ years of experience managing engineers and at least 4 years of software engineering experience - Bachelors degree in CS or Engineering - Proven track record of taking physical-digital products from concept to "in the wild" pilot. - Experience with IoT, Robotics, or Computer Vision applications - Background as a startup founder or working on New Product Initiatives is a plus - Able to work from the office in San Carlos, California WHY OBVIO - Your work will help save lives and improve road safety - Series A of $22M led by Bain Capital - Fast-moving startup environment with meaningful ownership - Competitive compensation and early-stage equity Obvio is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate in hiring or any employment decision based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disabilit