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 Robotics is seeking a highly experienced and strategic Vice President of Product to lead the vision, strategy, execution, and lifecycle of our autonomous trucking solutions for both our commercial and defense-oriented customers. This is a critical leadership role that will drive the definition and delivery of our product roadmap, ensuring Kodiak remains at the forefront of the autonomous vehicle industry. You will be responsible for a team of product managers, fostering a culture of innovation and excellence.
This role requires a unique blend of technical depth in autonomous systems, product sense, business acumen, and program execution rigor with a strong understanding of customer-centric product deployment.
In this role, you will:
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Product Vision and Strategy:
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Define and champion a compelling product vision and a multi-year strategic roadmap for Kodiak’s autonomous driving solutions, encompassing both commercial and public sector applications.
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Translate the company’s strategic objectives into actionable product plans and priorities.
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Articulate and evangelize the product strategy internally and externally to stakeholders, partners, and customers.
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Product Lifecycle Management:
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Oversee the entire product lifecycle from ideation, concept definition, and requirements gathering through development, launch, and post-launch performance analysis and iteration.
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Work closely with engineering, operations and commercialization teams to ensure successful product development and deployment
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Define and track key product metrics (KPIs) to measure success and drive continuous improvement.
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Product Deployment and Execution:
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Drive cross-functional alignment and collaboration across all departments involved in product development and deployment.
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Collaborate and guide teams to proactively identify and mitigate risks, resolve roadblocks, and manage dependencies across multiple projects.
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Customer and Stakeholder Engagement:
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Act as one of the key voices of the customer within the organization, deeply understanding their needs, pain points, and operational workflows
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Build long-lasting relationships and credibility with internal and external stakeholders and gather and synthesize customer feedback to inform product development and prioritization.
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Team Leadership and Development:
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Build, lead, and mentor a high-performing team of product management professionals.
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Foster a collaborative, innovative, and results-oriented team culture aligned with Kodiak’s values.
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Set clear goals, provide regular feedback, and support the professional growth of team members.
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At Kodiak, leadership means to not just be a coach, but also a player, and this role will require the ability and willingness to take own management of parts of the product yourself
What you’ll bring:
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Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Business Administration, or a related field. An MBA is a plus.
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15+ years of experience in product management, with at least 10+ years in a leadership role managing teams.
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Proven track record of successfully defining, launching, and scaling complex hardware and software products, preferably in autonomous vehicles, robotics, AI/ML, automotive, or a related high-tech industry.
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Deep understanding of the product development lifecycle, from concept to commercialization.
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Strong technical background with the ability to engage effectively with engineering teams on complex technical details of autonomous systems, sensors, software, and AI.
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Experience with agile development methodologies and program management tools.
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Excellent leadership, communication, interpersonal, and presentation skills, with the ability to influence and inspire cross-functional teams and engage with executive leadership.
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Strategic thinker with strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
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Demonstrated ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic, and pre-IPO/newly public company environment.
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Experience working with both commercial and government/defense customers is highly desirable.
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Understanding of the trucking, logistics, or transportation industry is a significant advantage.
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Willingness to travel as needed to engage with customers, partners, and internal teams.
What we offer:
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Competitive compensation package including equity and biannual bonuses
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Excellent Medical, Dental, and Vision plans through Kaiser Permanente, Anthem, and Guardian (including a medical plan with infertility benefits)
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Flexible PTO and generous parental leave policies
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Our office is centrally located in Mountain View, CA
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Office perks: dog-friendly, free catered lunch, a fully stocked kitchen, and free EV charging
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Long Term Disability, Short Term Disability, Life Insurance
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Wellbeing Benefits - Headspace, One Medical, Gympass, Spring Health
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Fidelity 401(k)
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Commuter, FSA, Dependent Care FSA, HSA
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Various incentive programs (referral bonuses, patent bonuses, etc.)
Actual starting pay will be based on job-related factors, including exact work location, experience, relevant training and education, and skill level. Please note that the compensation details listed above are base salary only and do not include bonus, equity, or benefits.
California Pay Range: $280,000 USD - $350,000 USD
Actual salary ranges will be based on job-related factors, including exact work location, experience, relevant training and education, and skill level. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for the role location. Please note that the compensation details listed above are base salary only and do not include bonus, equity, or benefits.
At Kodiak, we strive to build a diverse community working towards our common company goals in a safe and collaborative environment where harassment of any kind is strictly prohibited. Kodiak is committed to equal opportunity employment regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status, or any other basis protected by applicable law.
In alignment with its business operations, Kodiak adheres to all relevant statutes, regulations, and administrative prerequisites. Accordingly, roles that carry more sensitive requirements may be limited to candidates that can satisfy additional scrutiny and eligibility for such positions may hinge on verification of a candidate’s residence, U.S. person status, and/or citizenship status. Should the position require, and Kodiak determines that a candidate’s residence, U.S. person status, and/or citizenship status necessitate an export license, bar the candidate from the position, or otherwise fall under national security-related restrictions, Kodiak will consider the candidate for alternative positions unaffected by such restrictions, under terms and conditions set forth at Kodiak’s sole discretion, or, as an alternative, opt not to proceed with the candidate’s application. If applicable, Kodiak may provide visa sponsorship for eligible candidates.