Senior/Staff Technical Program Manager, Driverless Highway Launch

Kodiak is launching driverless operations on public highways by the end of year — and we need the TPM who gets us there.

This is a high-stakes, high-visibility role with one north star: get the truck on the highway, without a driver, safely and on schedule. You'll partner with Systems Engineering, Safety and the Autonomy Teams to drive execution of our Functional Safety (FuSA) and SOTIF programs and the Safety Case that underpins them — keeping every workstream on track on the critical path to driverless highway deployment.

You'll run the cross-functional program cadence, drive how we verify and document software, and push every workstream to move faster without cutting corners. You'll also find smarter ways to execute — including using AI tools wherever they give us an edge.

Launch is the milestone, not the finish line. After we go driverless, the next chapter is expanding our Operational Design Domain — and you'll lead that too.

This role demands someone who is deeply execution-driven, technically fluent in software, willing to learn safety standards, and energized by the challenge of building something with real impact.

In this role, you will: 

• Manage and drive the critical path from safety goals to driverless highway launch 
• Partner with systems and software leads to adapt features and architecture to meet ISO 26262/ISO 21448 requirements on the path to driverless
• Hold the team accountable: get date commitments and track execution weekly

• Support the Safety team in building and maintaining the Safety Case — the structured argument that our system is acceptably safe for driverless highway operations
• Ensure that the Safety Case stays current as the system evolves, capturing evidence from testing, validation, and hazard analysis
• Own the connection between the Safety Case and every other safety artifact: goals, requirements, verification results, and release decisions
• Make the Safety Case a living, useful document — not a shelf artifact

• Ensure the team follows the processes to check software, verify that it works, and document it for safety-critical driverless operations
• Build rigor without bureaucracy — the process should accelerate launch, not slow it down

• Use AI tools and automation to move faster — assist engineers with requirements gap analysis, documentation, traceability tracking, reporting, wherever it helps
• Identify and eliminate inefficiencies in the safety and compliance workflow; introduce tooling, templates, and dashboards that scale
• Set the example for how a modern safety program runs

• Deliver crisp, regular updates to leadership — balancing technical depth with executive clarity
• Identify risks proactively and resolve cross-team blockers before they become launch blockers

What you’ll bring: 

• Experience: 5+ years in technical program management, with a track record of shipping safety-critical systems on deadline — not just tracking them
• Background: Bachelor's or Master's in Automotive Engineering, Robotics, Computer Science, Systems Engineering, or related field
• Safety-first, Execution-Second: You make the plan, set the dates, and hold people to them. You're comfortable with urgency and thrive when the stakes are high; however, you will help us hold the line if the conditions for launch are not safe enough — this is the most important thing
• Software fluency: You understand how software is built, tested, and verified. You can speak credibly with engineers about SW architecture, verification methods, and what "done" means
• Innovation orientation: You've used AI tools, automation, or novel approaches to get programs done faster. You look for leverage, not just headcount
• Industry knowledge: Experience in autonomous vehicles, automotive, trucking, aerospace, medical devices, or any domain where software safety and reliability are non-negotiable
• Safety standards: Familiarity with ISO 26262, UL 4600, or ISO 21448 (SOTIF) is a plus — but not a requirement. If you're a fast learner who can get up to speed quickly, we'll teach you what you need to know
• Program management toolkit: JIRA/Linear, Lucidchart, or equivalent — you know your tools and use them well
• Communication: You can walk an engineer through a traceability gap and brief a CTO on launch readiness in the same afternoon

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
• Our office is centrally located in Mountain View, CA
• Office perks: dog-friendly, free catered lunch, a fully stocked kitchen, and free EV charging
• Long Term Disability, Short Term Disability, Life Insurance
• Wellbeing Benefits - Headspace through Cigna, Calm through Kaiser, One Medical, Gympass, Spring Health through Cigna, Rula (mental health navigation) 
• Fidelity 401(k)
• Commuter, FSA, Dependent Care FSA, HSA
• Various incentive programs (referral bonuses, patent bonuses, etc.)