As the Team Lead for Base Operations, you will move beyond day-to-day fleet maintenance to own and evolve the operational backbone of Zoox’s Base Operations function. This role drives operational excellence, standardization, and scale-readiness across workshop operations while ensuring the holistic readiness, safety, and strategic deployment of Zoox’s Robotaxi vehicle fleet.
You will serve as a people leader, operational owner, and change driver, accountable for implementing and improving Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), enforcing EH&S and 5S standards, and building a culture of accountability, safety, and continuous improvement. In partnership with cross-functional stakeholders, you will translate company-level objectives and future growth plans into actionable, scalable execution models for your team.
In this role, you will:
Manage the full team lifecycle, including workforce planning, recruiting, onboarding, and performance management, to build high-performing teams rooted in safety and quality.
Coach and develop technicians and leads by establishing clear expectations, providing consistent feedback, and creating succession plans to support organizational scaling.
Own the development and enforcement of SOPs across all workflows (inspections, maintenance, upgrades), ensuring documentation is audited and aligned with real-world execution.
Drive operational excellence by utilizing data, root cause analysis, and standard work methodologies to improve throughput, vehicle uptime, and process repeatability.
Ensure operational readiness by verifying that tools, equipment, parts, and facilities are standardized, maintained, and fully available to meet operational demand.
Champion EHS & 5S standards, maintaining a clean, organized, and compliant work environment while embedding safety into daily behaviors and decision-making.
Proactively identify and mitigate risks, leading corrective and preventive actions to address safety concerns, near misses, and process gaps.
Define and track critical KPIs related to fleet readiness, quality, and downtime, using data insights to drive accountability and prevent systemic failures.
Partner with Engineering, Test, and Facilities teams to align operational execution with company roadmaps, testing milestones, and evolving requirements.
Lead strategic scaling initiatives, translating high-level goals into practical plans for increased fleet size, new platforms, and expanded facility operations.
Serve as the primary technical escalation point, overseeing complex maintenance and configuration changes to ensure strict adherence to quality standards.
Provide data-backed communication to leadership and stakeholders regarding operational risks, constraints, and trade-offs to support agile decision-making.
Qualifications
6+ years of hands-on automotive technician experience.
3+ years of people leadership experience. Experience leading teams in technical, automotive, or high-volume service environments.
High proficiency in CAN/LIN architecture, wiring diagrams, and soldering
Proven experience implementing and improving SOPs, standard work, and operational processes in complex technical environments, with a track record of leading high-output teams.
Strong understanding of EH&S compliance, safety programs, and 5S methodologies.
Extensive knowledge of automotive systems, diagnostic methods, parts, and tools.
Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to influence across technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, drive initiatives to completion, and operate effectively in fast-paced, ambiguous environments.
Willingness and ability to travel locally and nationally (50%+), with a clean driving record.
Bonus Qualifications
Bachelors degree
Technical trade school certificate or Associate Degree in automotive repair
Experience with autonomous vehicles or a similar safety-critical industry
Experience working in R&D, testing, or pre-production environments, including engineering labs or prototype operations.
Familiarity with Lean, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement methodologies.
Experience supporting scaling operations, new site launches, or fleet expansion initiatives.
Strong understanding of EV architectures and high-voltage systems.
Experience utilizing specialized test equipment (NVH, vehicle dynamics, thermal, durability).
