---
title: 'Manager, Multi-Modal Language Action Models at Zoox'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/manager-multi-modal-language-action-models-zoox-foster-city-xhv98gvat3ya'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-08'
---

# Manager, Multi-Modal Language Action Models at Zoox

- **Company:** Zoox
- **Location:** Foster City, CA
- **Compensation:** $291k–$350k
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** hybrid
- **Posted:** 2025-11-04
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-08
- **Apply:** https://jobs.lever.co/zoox/52040c45-6937-47af-b5f8-41dd20b83c11

## Job description

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 Language Action Models 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.

Follow us on LinkedIn

Accommodations If you need an accommodation to participate in the application or interview process please reach out to accommodations@zoox.com 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.

## About Zoox

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Zoox is building a fully autonomous, all-electric, purpose-built robotaxi service to give the world a better way to ride.
- **Entity Type**: Private (independent subsidiary of Amazon, acquired in 2020)
- **Headquarters**: Foster City, California, USA (with offices in Las Vegas, San Francisco, Austin, Miami, Atlanta, Los Angeles)
- **Founded**: 2014
- **Founders**: Not specified in provided sources

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Autonomous ride‑hailing / Self‑driving electric vehicles
- **Target customers**: B2C – individual riders seeking safe, convenient, and sustainable urban transportation
- **Mission**: “Give the world a better way to ride” – providing safer, cleaner, autonomous ride‑hailing for everyone [zoox.com](https://zoox.com/about)

## Products & Services
- **Zoox Robotaxi**: A purpose‑built, fully autonomous electric vehicle designed from the ground up for ride‑hailing. Features bidirectional driving, four‑wheel steering, and no steering wheel or pedals. The service handles all charging, maintenance, and fleet management – riders simply get in and enjoy the ride [zoox.com](https://zoox.com).

## Market Standing
- **Valuation / Market Cap**: Not disclosed (Zoox is a private subsidiary of Amazon)
- **Key Metric**: Not publicly available (revenue and funding details are not reported as a stand‑alone entity)
- **Notable Investors / Partners**: Amazon (parent company)
- **Growth Signals**:
  - Received authorization from the Nevada DMV to operate robotaxis on public roads [zoox.com/about](https://zoox.com/about)
  - Expanded testing and operations to Las Vegas, Seattle, San Francisco, and other cities
  - Continues to scale its engineering and operations teams (multiple open roles on the careers page as of 2026)

## Competitive Advantages
- **Purpose‑built design**: Unlike retrofitted vehicles, Zoox’s robotaxi is designed from scratch for autonomous ride‑hailing (symmetrical, bidirectional, four‑wheel steering, no driver controls)
- **Amazon backing**: Deep financial resources, supply chain expertise, and cloud infrastructure (AWS) support rapid development and scaling
- **Full‑stack autonomy**: In‑house AI, computer vision, and sensing stack integrated directly into the vehicle design
- **Safety‑first approach**: Comprehensive testing, safety‑critical system design, and focus on public road validation

## Strategic Focus
- Achieving commercial launch of the Zoox ride‑hailing service in select U.S. cities
- Continuing to mature the autonomous driving system through real‑world testing and simulation
- Expanding the “Go‑to‑Market” strategy and building out operations teams (see CRM Lead, Go‑to‑Market Manager roles) [jobs.lever.co/zoox](https://jobs.lever.co/zoox)
- Scaling manufacturing and prototyping to prepare for fleet deployment

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Diverse, supportive community with inclusion‑focused strategy. Crew‑led groups for personal and professional development. Emphasis on trust, humility, and openness [zoox.com/careers](https://zoox.com/careers)
- **Work environment**: Hybrid? The careers page lists many roles as “On‑site” in Foster City, CA, with other office locations available. In‑office perks include a famous food program with daily changing local and sustainable dishes, plus a busy calendar of events and sports teams.
- **Benefits**: Comprehensive health plans (Cigna), mental health support, wellbeing program, flexible time off, generous family planning and caregiver support, and a commitment to work‑life balance.
- **Growth opportunities**: Work on cutting‑edge autonomous vehicle technology alongside some of the brightest minds in AI, engineering, computer vision, and more. Offers internships and re‑entry programs (via Path Forward) for career returners.
- **Recruitment process**: Uses AI tools to assist in reviewing applications but final decisions are human. No fees are charged at any stage – watch for recruitment scams [zoox.com/journal/landing-a-job-zoox](https://zoox.com/journal/landing-a-job-zoox)

## Sources
1. [Zoox official website](https://zoox.com)
2. [Zoox About page](https://zoox.com/about)
3. [Zoox Careers page](https://zoox.com/careers)
4. [Zoox job openings on Lever](https://jobs.lever.co/zoox)
5. [Zoox hiring and interview process](https://zoox.com/journal/landing-a-job-zoox)

## Other roles at Zoox

- [Sensing and Perception System Safety Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/sensing-and-perception-system-safety-engineer-zoox-foster-city-9b41z224ntq6) — Foster City, CA
- [Lead Data Platform Engineer - Enterprise, Data & AI](https://feeny.ai/job/lead-data-platform-engineer-enterprise-data-ai-zoox-foster-city-61c1tdms6spr) — Foster City, CA
- [Software Engineer - Collision Avoidance System Metrics](https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineer-collision-avoidance-system-metrics-zoox-foster-city-9xfh2gw0nayv) — Foster City, CA
- [Contract Student Worker - Autonomy Safety Data Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/contract-student-worker-autonomy-safety-data-engineer-zoox-foster-city-vb29ss0k5hgs) — Foster City, CA
- [Software Engineer, Operational Tools](https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineer-operational-tools-zoox-foster-city-mmfc9jxj9vgs) — Foster City, CA
- [Diagnostics Serviceability Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/diagnostics-serviceability-engineer-zoox-foster-city-zpp032643x45) — Foster City, CA
- [Manager, Fleet Operations Training](https://feeny.ai/job/manager-fleet-operations-training-zoox-foster-city-8vfyx98j41fz) — Foster City, CA
- [Embedded Software Engineer - Drive Systems](https://feeny.ai/job/embedded-software-engineer-drive-systems-zoox-foster-city-whvhzqychegb) — Foster City, CA
- [Senior Staff / Principal Software Engineer - Freeway Autonomy](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-staff-principal-software-engineer-freeway-autonomy-zoox-foster-city-y93sb485dj53) — Foster City, CA
- [Senior Supplier Quality Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-supplier-quality-engineer-zoox-foster-city-d9gmdemvwa6b) — Foster City, CA