US - Technical Operations Manager

Job description

Before the detail, here's the challenge you'd help us solve. We build the embodied intelligence that moves real vehicles safely, and the ecosystem a billion machines will run on in the future. Very few people in AI can say this. Every role here, whatever the team, plugs into that. Here’s what this particular role covers. 🛠️ About our Technical Operations Team Our Technical Operations function acts as the critical bridge between Science, Product, Engineering, and Operations. The team is responsible for translating complex technical strategies into actionable field operations and driving the transformation from R&D-focused activities to seamless commercial delivery. We lead testing and demonstration programs across global operations, ensuring reliable feedback loops between field and development teams to accelerate Wayve’s evolution into a world-class, delivery-grade AV organization. 🧠 Your day-to-day - Serve as the key bridge between Science, Product, Engineering, and Operations, ensuring the alignment of technical programs and on-road activities. - Lead testing and demonstration programs across global operations, including roadshow campaigns, customer programs, and on-road validation activities. - Coordinate structured feedback between field operations and development teams, supporting faster iteration and technical advancement. - Convert high-level strategies into clear action plans for on-road testing, working closely with Fleet Operations to maintain schedules, safety, and feasibility. - Collaborate with Systems and Enablement teams to leverage fleet metrics for continuous process improvement and operational refinement. - Foster innovation in field testing, proactively exploring new experimental methods and supporting a culture of curiosity and experimentation. 🧩 What you’ll be working on - Technical and Operations Enablement: Converting program plans into actionable on-road operations in partnership with Fleet Operations leadership. - Testing and Validation: Coordinating and leading execution of internal and external programs, ensuring the highest safety standards and capturing mission-critical feedback. - Cross-Functional Alignment: Acting as the connective tissue between development teams and field operations, enabling structured, two-way feedback loops. - Operational Readiness: Ensuring consistent experiment design, vehicle availability, and process quality across all testing programs. - Continuous Improvement: Partnering to utilize fleet data and systems for process refinement and quantifiable gains in operational performance. - Innovation in Testing & Evaluation: Driving new experimental methodologies and supporting the discovery of novel operational insights. - Technical Collaboration: Building strong partnerships with model development teams to maximize the value of data, tests, and operational feedback. 🙌 You should apply if Essential: - Demonstrable experience in technical program management or operations roles at the intersection of R&D, product development, and field testing in high-complexity environments (e.g., autonomous systems, robotics, aerospace, or advanced mobility). - Proven track record of managing programs, demonstrations, or operations requiring tight coordination between technical development and operational teams. - Deep experience with test planning, operational readiness frameworks, and structured field-to-development feedback loops. - Strong facilitation and stakeholder management skills, leading cross-functional workshops and coordinating between technical and operational teams. - Proven ability to influence across remote and international teams in fast-paced technology environments. - Excellent written, verbal, and visual communication skills, with experience preparing technical documentation, SOPs, and stakeholder presentations. - Ability to travel internationally up to 30% of the time to support cross-region testing and coordination. - Strong problem-solving skills and comfort working in rapidly evolving, ambiguous environments. Desirable: - Experience in autonomous vehicles, advanced driver assistance systems, or field robotics operations. - Exposure to automotive testing protocols, validation frameworks, or OEM partnership programs. - Experience supporting scaling in distributed, global teams with complex technical dependencies. - Data analysis and performance tracking skills; able to work with dashboards and quantify operational improvements. - Comfortable with project management tools (Confluence, Asana, Jira, or equivalents) and implementing operational tracking systems. - Background in process improvement (Lean, Six Sigma) or operational excellence frameworks. - Familiarity with vehicle commissioning, fleet management, or automotive safety protocols. 🌱 Not ticking every box? That’s totally okay! If you’re passionate about autonomy and keen to learn, we encourage y