Operations Manager, Autonomous Safety

The Role As Manager of Operational Safety, you will lead the team responsible for safety systems, incident response, and SOP governance for DoorDash's autonomous robot operations. You will set strategy, build and develop a team of safety specialists, and partner with engineering and product leadership to ensure safety is embedded into every phase of development. This is a senior leadership role for someone who thrives at the intersection of operational rigor and cutting-edge autonomy. What You'll Do • Lead and grow the safety team — hire, develop, and manage a team of operations safety specialists across remote and on-site functions • Set SOP strategy — own the design, governance, and continuous improvement of standard operating procedures; drive compliance across all Labs programs • Own safety analytics & reporting — establish metrics and KPIs for operational safety; present trends, risks, and recommendations to senior leadership • Lead incident command — oversee critical incident triage and resolution; ensure root cause analysis and corrective action processes are rigorous and timely • Drive cross-functional safety programs — partner with engineering, product, legal, and field operations to build safety into product design, launches, and scale • Represent safety externally — engage with regulators, partners, and customers on safety standards and compliance as needed What We're Looking For Required • 7+ years in operations, safety, or a related field — autonomy, robotics strongly preferred • 2+ years managing or leading teams, with a track record of developing talent and building high-performing functions • Proven experience designing and scaling safety or operational systems in a regulated or safety-critical environment • Executive presence with the ability to influence senior stakeholders and present complex risk data clearly • Strong analytical mindset; comfortable with ambiguity and fast-changing priorities • Participate in on-call rotation and promptly respond to on-call events with urgency and rigor on nights and weekends. Preferred • Deep familiarity with safety management systems (SMS), ISO 45001, or equivalent frameworks • Proven track record in designing, developing, and deploying comprehensive training programs and instructional materials. • Experience with autonomous systems, robotics deployment, or fleet operations at scale • Proficiency in Google Workspace, Jira, and SQL Why This Role • Build and lead the safety function at one of the most ambitious autonomy teams in tech • Direct influence over systems that affect millions of real-world interactions • High visibility to DoorDash senior leadership and a clear path to Director-level growth • Competitive compensation, equity, and benefits Compensation The successful candidate’s starting pay will fall within the pay range listed below and is determined based on job-related factors including, but not limited to, skills, experience, qualifications, work location, and market conditions. Base salary is localized according to an employee’s work location. Ranges are market-dependent and may be modified in the future. In addition to base salary, the compensation for this role includes opportunities for equity grants. Talk to your recruiter for more information. DoorDash cares about you and your overall well-being. That’s why we offer a comprehensive benefits package to all regular employees, which includes a 401(k) plan with employer matching, 16 weeks of paid parental leave, wellness benefits, commuter benefits match, paid time off and paid sick leave in compliance with applicable laws (e.g. Colorado Healthy Families and Workplaces Act). DoorDash also offers medical, dental, and vision benefits, 11 paid holidays, disability and basic life insura