Defense Technical Program Manager

Mountain View, CA - USA

Monthly Salary: $ 175000 - 245000

Posted on: Yesterday

Vacancies: 1 Vacancy

Job Summary

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 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 is seeking a Defense Technical Program Manager to lead execution of autonomy and platform capabilities supporting defense and government-adjacent customers. This role is responsible for driving complex cross-functional technical programs that require high rigor clear accountability and strong coordination across engineering product operations and external stakeholders.

You will help ensure that defense programs are delivered with the predictability documentation and risk management expected in government-facing environments while still moving with startup speed.

What youll do:

Own end-to-end execution of defense-focused technical programs from requirements definition through delivery test and customer acceptance.
Partner closely with engineering teams to plan build integrate and validate autonomy and platform capabilities for defense use cases.
Collaborate with product operations and leadership to translate customer mission and contractual requirements into clear technical scope and execution plans.
Lead cross-team technical planning ensuring requirements are traceable dependencies are understood and delivery plans are realistic and defensible.
Work with product managers to manage scope tradeoffs and change control while maintaining delivery commitments.
Build and maintain integrated program roadmaps that align features milestones reviews and dependencies to schedules.
Establish and manage program operating rhythms (milestone reviews risk reviews readiness checkpoints) appropriate for government-facing programs.
Identify track and mitigate technical schedule and integration risks; escalate issues with clear options and recommendations.
Drive closure of top program risks and quality issues including prioritization of critical defects and system-level performance gaps.
Communicate program status risks and decisions clearly to internal leadership and when appropriate external partners or customers.
Support technical decision-making by articulating constraints assumptions and downstream impacts.
Improve tools processes and documentation practices to support repeatable auditable execution in defense contexts.

What youll bring:

3 years of experience in technical or program management supporting autonomy robotics aerospace defense or other complex safety-critical systems.
Bachelors degree in Computer Science Engineering or a related technical discipline.
Experience managing programs with external customers contractual milestones or government-style delivery expectations.
Strong understanding of software and systems development lifecycles including integration verification and validation.
Demonstrated ability to operate in environments requiring high rigor documentation and accountability.
Excellent communication skills with the ability to align engineering product and leadership while maintaining safety and quality standards.
Interest in defense or government-adjacent applications of autonomous systems.
Nice to have experience working with government customers primes or defense contractors.

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.)

The pay range listed below reflects the base salaryin our SF/Silicon Valley locationacross several internal levels. Actual starting pay will be based on job-related factors including: work location experience relevant training education skill level and performance during interview. Total compensation at Kodiak includes base pay equity bonus and a competitive benefits package

California Pay Range

$175000 - $245000 USD

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 candidates residence U.S. person status and/or citizenship status. Should the position require and Kodiak determines that a candidates 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 Kodiaks sole discretion or as an alternative opt not to proceed with the candidates application. If applicable Kodiak may provide visa sponsorship for eligible candidates.

We use a third-party AI tool (Endorsed) to assist in the initial screening of applications. As part of the evaluation process we provide Endorsed with job requirements and candidate-submitted applications. Final hiring decisions are made by our human recruitment team and no automated system makes the ultimate decision regarding hiring. Certain features of the platform may qualify it as an Automated Employment Decision Tool (AEDT) under applicable regulations. We began using Endorsed on January 1 2026. You can review the independent bias audit report covering our use of Endorsed here( By submitting your application you acknowledge that your application may be processed by AI systems as part of the screening and selection process. If you have any questions or would like to request a separate review of your application please contact with Separate Review Request in the email subject line.

Required Experience:

Manager

You will help ensure that defense programs are delivered with the predictability documentation and risk management expected in government-facing environments while still moving with startup speed.

What youll do:

Own end-to-end execution of defense-focused technical programs from requirements definition through delivery test and customer acceptance.
Partner closely with engineering teams to plan build integrate and validate autonomy and platform capabilities for defense use cases.
Collaborate with product operations and leadership to translate customer mission and contractual requirements into clear technical scope and execution plans.
Lead cross-team technical planning ensuring requirements are traceable dependencies are understood and delivery plans are realistic and defensible.
Work with product managers to manage scope tradeoffs and change control while maintaining delivery commitments.
Build and maintain integrated program roadmaps that align features milestones reviews and dependencies to schedules.
Establish and manage program operating rhythms (milestone reviews risk reviews readiness checkpoints) appropriate for government-facing programs.
Identify track and mitigate technical schedule and integration risks; escalate issues with clear options and recommendations.
Drive closure of top program risks and quality issues including prioritization of critical defects and system-level performance gaps.
Communicate program status risks and decisions clearly to internal leadership and when appropriate external partners or customers.
Support technical decision-making by articulating constraints assumptions and downstream impacts.
Improve tools processes and documentation practices to support repeatable auditable execution in defense contexts.

What youll bring:

3 years of experience in technical or program management supporting autonomy robotics aerospace defense or other complex safety-critical systems.
Bachelors degree in Computer Science Engineering or a related technical discipline.
Experience managing programs with external customers contractual milestones or government-style delivery expectations.
Strong understanding of software and systems development lifecycles including integration verification and validation.
Demonstrated ability to operate in environments requiring high rigor documentation and accountability.
Excellent communication skills with the ability to align engineering product and leadership while maintaining safety and quality standards.
Interest in defense or government-adjacent applications of autonomous systems.
Nice to have experience working with government customers primes or defense contractors.

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.)