Operations Lead - SDS Trucking

About Applied Intuition

Applied Intuition is the vehicle intelligence company that accelerates the global adoption of safe, AI-driven machines. Founded in 2017 and now valued at $15 billion following its recent Series F funding round, Applied Intuition delivers the Vehicle OS, Self-Driving System, and toolchain to help customers build intelligent vehicles and shorten time to market. 18 of the top 20 global automakers and major programs across the Department of Defense trust Applied Intuition's solutions to deliver vehicle intelligence. Applied Intuition services the automotive, defense, trucking, construction, mining, and agriculture industries and is headquartered in Mountain View, CA, with offices in Washington, D.C., San Diego, CA, Ft. Walton Beach, FL, Ann Arbor, MI, London, Stuttgart, Munich, Stockholm, Bangalore, Seoul, and Tokyo. Learn more at applied.co.

We are an in-office company, and our expectation is that employees primarily work from their Applied Intuition office 5 days a week. However, we also recognize the importance of flexibility and trust our employees to manage their schedules responsibly. This may include occasional remote work, starting the day with morning meetings from home before heading to the office, or leaving earlier when needed to accommodate family commitments. (Note: For EpiSci job openings, fully remote work will be considered by exception.)

About the Role

Applied Intuition is seeking an Operations Lead, SDS Trucking to bring our SDS on-road commercial trucking platform into real-world operation. In this role, you will own the end-to-end operational execution of SDS-enabled trucking programs, from site and fleet readiness to vehicle integration, on-road testing, validation, and ongoing operational feedback.

You will be responsible for translating advanced autonomy and ADAS capabilities into safe, compliant, and scalable commercial truck operations, working closely with OEM partners, regulators, and Applied’s engineering teams. This role sits at the intersection of technology, safety, fleet operations, and customer delivery, and is critical to enabling customers to progress from development testing toward sustained on-road commercial deployment.

At Applied you will:

• Lead SDS Trucking Deployments
Own operational readiness for SDS on-road trucking programs, including vehicle build readiness, instrumentation, fleet configuration, site setup, and daily execution across customer programs.

• Operationalize On-Road Validation
Define and run real-world testing and validation workflows for commercial trucks, including route planning, mileage targets, operational KPIs, data quality standards, and feedback loops to engineering and product teams.

• Drive OEM and Partner Execution
Serve as the primary operational interface with truck OEMs, Tier-1 suppliers, test partners, and internal stakeholders to align timelines, scope, and execution against program milestones.

• Ensure Safety and Regulatory Compliance
Implement and enforce safety processes, driver/operator procedures, and incident response frameworks appropriate for on-road commercial trucking, ensuring alignment with regulatory, customer, and internal requirements.

• Scale Global Trucking Operations
Build repeatable, scalable playbooks for SDS trucking operations that can be deployed across regions, vehicle platforms, and customer programs, accounting for local regulations, infrastructure, and operational constraints.

We're looking for someone who has:

• Commercial Vehicle or Autonomy Program Experience
Hands-on experience leading on-road testing or deployment programs for commercial vehicles, ADAS, or autonomy, ideally involving heavy-duty trucks or complex fleet operations.

• Operational Leadership
Proven ability to stand up, scale, and manage multi-site operational programs, balancing safety, speed, cost, and technical rigor in high-stakes environments.

• Technical and Operational Fluency
Comfort working with autonomy and ADAS systems, understanding how software, hardware, vehicles, and operations come together to enable safe on-road execution.

• Cross-Functional Leadership
Strong communicator and decision-maker who can align engineering, product, safety, legal, OEM partners, and operations teams toward shared outcomes.

• Safety-First Mindset
Demonstrated experience building and enforcing safety processes for on-road operations, including driver procedures, incident management, and continuous improvement.

Nice to have:

• Experience with autonomous or SDS-enabled commercial trucking programs.

• Background working directly with truck OEMs, commercial fleet operators, or Tier-1 suppliers.

• Familiarity with on-road validation strategies, simulation-to-road workflows, or fleet telemetry.

• Understanding of functional safety, regulatory frameworks, and permitting for on-road commercial vehicles.

• Experience scaling vehicle programs across multiple countries or regulatory environments.

Compensation at Applied Intuition for eligible roles includes base salary, equity, and benefits. Base salary is a single component of the total compensation package, which may also include equity in the form of options and/or restricted stock units, comprehensive health, dental, vision, life and disability insurance coverage, 401k retirement benefits with employer match, learning and wellness stipends, and paid time off. Note that benefits are subject to change and may vary based on jurisdiction of employment.

Applied Intuition pay ranges reflect the minimum and maximum intended target base salary for new hire salaries for the position. The actual base salary offered to a successful candidate will additionally be influenced by a variety of factors including experience, credentials & certifications, educational attainment, skill level requirements, interview performance, and the level and scope of the position.

Please reference the job posting’s subtitle for where this position will be located. For pay transparency purposes, the base salary range for this full-time position in the location listed is: $160,000 - $215,000 USD annually.

Don’t meet every single requirement? If you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Applied Intuition is an equal opportunity employer and federal contractor or subcontractor. Consequently, the parties agree that, as applicable, they will abide by the requirements of 41 CFR 60-1.4(a), 41 CFR 60-300.5(a) and 41 CFR 60-741.5(a) and that these laws are incorporated herein by reference. These regulations prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities, and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin. These regulations require that covered prime contractors and subcontractors take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status or disability. The parties also agree that, as applicable, they will abide by the requirements of Executive Order 13496 (29 CFR Part 471, Appendix A to Subpart A), relating to the notice of employee rights under federal labor laws.