Head of Operations

Head Of Operations

Mountain View, California (HQ)

Who We Are

Nuro believes self-driving vehicles are the most immediate and profound opportunity for AI to drive positive change in the physical world. Safer streets, more time for what matters, and easier access to the world around us, that's why we're building a universal autonomy platform: self-driving for all roads and all rides. Founded in 2016, Nuro is a physical AI company developing Level 4 autonomous driving technology for a wide range of vehicles, use cases, and markets. Powered by the Nuro Driver™, our universal autonomy platform enables the global mobility ecosystem to deploy autonomy at scale, from robotaxis and logistics fleets to personal vehicles. With years of real-world deployment experience and a flexible, partner-led business model, Nuro is working toward a future where millions of autonomous vehicles powered by our technology help make everyday life safer, easier, and more connected. Nuro has raised over $2B in capital from Uber, NVIDIA, Google, Softbank, Fidelity, T. Rowe Price, and other leading investors.

About The Role

As the Head of Operations, you will lead a team responsible for supporting the development and global rollout of Nuro's autonomous driving technology. This scope includes managing hundreds of team members across six operational functions: operations strategy, commercial launch/geographic expansion, in-vehicle operations, remote assistance, closed course testing, and operations safety. The operations org plays a critical role in both R&D efforts and commercial deployment, and you will lead it.

Today we operate in three cities. Over the coming months and years, that footprint will expand significantly, across multiple geographies, time zones, vehicle platforms, partners, and operational environments. You will help build the plan that gets us there and the team that executes it, with a mix of full-time employees and contractors who each bring different requirements, different site conditions, and different challenges.

The core deliverables:

• Execute real-world, mission-critical R&D activities in service of developing and deploying Nuro's autonomy systems, at scale, safely, and at low cost
• Collaborate with internal Nuro stakeholders and external partners to prepare for and launch commercial driverless operations
• Launch operations in new markets in the US and abroad

That means building analytically disciplined teams, safety-first operating norms, and scalable onboarding and training programs across a geographically distributed population, all while staying tightly connected to the technical and commercial roadmap Nuro's operations are built to serve.

About The Work

• Set strategic direction and own outcomes across all operations, including capacity, cost, quality, and safety
• Define KPIs for each function and hold the team accountable against them
• Work with technical leadership to define the mileage and data collection program across R&D, mapping, and production vehicle fleets, balancing data quality, operational efficiency, and cost
• Build and scale the operations organization across multiple operating domains, geographies, vehicle platforms, and regulatory environments
• Develop the systems, processes, and training programs that allow a distributed, mixed FTE/contractor workforce to operate consistently and safely
• Travel regularly to operational sites to understand local conditions, identify opportunities, and stay connected to the realities your team faces daily
• Partner closely with Engineering, Hardware, Commercial Partnerships, Policy, and People to align operational priorities with Nuro's broader technical and commercial roadmap
• Set the cultural tone for the operations organization, modeling the safety-first, analytically rigorous standards you expect from the team

About You

• 10+ years in operations or management consulting, with at least five of those in direct leadership roles, managing managers and scaling large, geographically distributed teams.
• Proven track record building and scaling field operations in complex, high-volume environments, whether fleet, logistics, supply chain, or general management
• Experience running 24/7 shift operations across multiple sites, time zones, and workforce types, including blended FTE and contractor populations
• Deeply analytical, you make decisions based on data, pull insight from operational metrics, and communicate tradeoffs clearly to technical audiences
• Hands-on and site-present, you understand that good operations leadership requires direct observation, not just dashboards
• Strong track record building training, onboarding, and quality programs that produce consistent performance at scale
• Comfortable with ambiguity and able to build structure in fast-moving, resource-constrained environments
• Prior P&L ownership with demonstrated accountability for cost, efficiency, and growth outcomes

Bonus Points

• Experience in safety-critical industries: automotive, aviation, space, energy, or regulated manufacturing
• Experience with vehicle fleet operations at scale, whether AV test programs, commercial trucking, ride-hail, or last-mile delivery
• Familiarity with AV test operations, specifically, including safety driver programs, tele-operation, or remote monitoring infrastructure
• Enough technical fluency in software development to have a substantive conversation with engineers about data quality, coverage, and how operational miles translate to software performance
• Experience designing or managing programs where operational output, miles driven, routes covered, and conditions captured, directly fed a technical or data roadmap

At Nuro, your base pay is one part of your total compensation package. For this position, the reasonably expected base pay range is between $176,400 and $264,600 for the level at which this job has been scoped. Your base pay will depend on several factors, including your experience, qualifications, education, location, and skills. In the event that you are considered for a different level, a higher or lower pay range would apply. This position is also eligible for an annual performance bonus, equity, and a competitive benefits package.

At Nuro, we celebrate differences and are committed to a diverse workplace that fosters inclusion and psychological safety for all employees. Nuro is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and expressly prohibits any form of workplace discrimination based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristics.