Manager, Multi-Modal LLM Applications

Zoox is developing the first fully autonomous, purpose-built electric vehicle designed for autonomous ride-hailing. We are a passionate, collaborative, and fast-moving team working to build a revolutionary new mobility experience. This role offers the opportunity to make critical contributions to a challenging and groundbreaking product.

Zoox is seeking an experienced Manager of Multi-Modal LLM Applications to lead a team focused on applying cutting-edge Large Multi-Modal Models (MLLMs) to solve concrete, offline autonomy problems. This role is crucial for deploying state-of-the-art AI into our autonomous driving platform, directly impacting the safety and performance of our technology.

In this role, you will::
Leadership: Lead and manage a team of talented Machine Learning Engineers specializing MLLMs for concrete applications. Model Development & Deployment: Oversee the full lifecycle of MLLM development, with a specific focus on post-training methodologies (e.g., fine-tuning, RLHF, context engineering) to optimize models for autonomy tasks. Internal Customer Focus: Drive the deployment of complex MLLM solutions to internal customers, specifically solving tangible offline autonomy problems within the Zoox ecosystem. Cross-Functional Strategy: Understand and identify dependencies between your team's work and other engineering teams and domains (e.g., Perception, Prediction, Planning, Validation). Collaborate with functional peer managers to ensure alignment and cooperation. People Management & Development: Proactively create development opportunities for team members, coaching and mentoring them to grow their technical and leadership skills. Estimate staffing needs and schedules and assign project work to drive efficiency and meet operational goals. Operational Execution & Problem Solving: Establish team goals and priorities and execute against operational needs. Apply and improve upon existing processes and procedures to resolve functional problems for the team. Identify issues, gather facts, and execute analysis of situations or data to inform strategy and decisions. Accountability & Influence: Your decisions will have a lasting impact on the success of the team and department. You will be responsible for managing special projects and initiatives and will frequently conduct presentations of key information to gain the cooperation of others. Strategic Influence: Leverage broad knowledge of the specialized field/discipline to analyze complex information. Recommend and collaborate with senior management to resolve strategic issues. This role may involve leading a medium-to-large team, including direct reports who are also managers.

Qualifications:
5+ years of professional experience in Machine Learning or Deep Learning, with a focus on large-scale model applications. 3+ years of experience leading and managing engineering or research teams focused on AI/ML.  Direct experience leading teams training Multi-Modal Large Language Models (MLLMs), with deep expertise in post-training techniques (e.g., instruction tuning, alignment, domain adaptation). Proven track record of deploying ML/MLLM models to production or internal customers to solve complex, real-world problems, ideally within the autonomy or robotics domain. Strong organizational skills to manage complex project schedules, staffing needs, and priorities effectively. A passion for mentoring and developing high-performing team members.

About Zoox
Zoox is developing the first ground-up, fully autonomous vehicle fleet and the supporting ecosystem required to bring this technology to market. Sitting at the intersection of robotics, machine learning, and design, Zoox aims to provide the next generation of mobility-as-a-service in urban environments. We’re looking for top talent that shares our passion and wants to be part of a fast-moving and highly execution-oriented team.

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Accommodations
If you need an accommodation to participate in the application or interview process please reach out to [email protected] or your assigned recruiter.

A Final Note:
You do not need to match every listed expectation to apply for this position. Here at Zoox, we know that diverse perspectives foster the innovation we need to be successful, and we are committed to building a team that encompasses a variety of backgrounds, experiences, and skills.