Robot Operations Manager

Figure AI

San Jose, US

Career-pivot friendly

Who this role is best for

Geared toward mid-level operations leaders comfortable with hands-on robotics troubleshooting and 24/7 shift management in San Jose.

Best fit for

Operations leaders who thrive in hardware-rich environments with rapid iteration cycles.
— “operating and troubleshooting hardware, robotics, or mechanical systems”
Managers experienced in scaling technical teams with structured feedback loops.
— “ensuring operators properly identify, document, and escalate issues through Jira”
Candidates who balance frontline execution with cross-functional engineering collaboration.
— “partner closely with engineering teams to troubleshoot operational and robot performance issues”

Things to consider

Physical demands include standing for extended periods and direct hardware interaction.
— “standing for extended periods”
Immediate travel readiness required without geographic restrictions noted.
— “available for immediate travel as operational needs arise”

How to stand out

Document specific metrics-driven process improvements from past technical operations roles.
— “track operational metrics and drive continuous process improvements”
Showcase safety protocol development experience beyond basic compliance.
— “promote a culture of safety, accountability, and operational discipline”
Highlight any robotics-specific training programs you've designed or implemented.
— “develop onboarding and training programs for new operators”

Pace · Fast PacedCollaboration · HighAutonomy · MediumDecision Impact · TeamLevel · Senior

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

high robot uptime
effective issue reporting
cross-functional coordination

Typical background

operations management experiencerobotics industry background

Skills & requirements

Required

Robotics OperationsTeam ManagementProblem-solvingCommunication

Preferred

AI RoboticsProcess Improvement

Stack & domain

RoboticsAi Data CollectionProblem-solvingDecision-makingCommunicationOrganizational SkillsAI

About the role

Original posting from Figure AI via Greenhouse

Figure is an AI Robotics company developing autonomous general-purpose humanoid robots. Our mission is to deploy humanoids with human-level intelligence capable of performing a wide range of tasks across commercial and home environments. Figure is headquartered in San Jose, CA and operates with a highly collaborative, hands-on culture.
Our Robot Operations team is responsible for deploying humanoid robots into real-world environments, ensuring reliable operation, and surfacing critical issues to engineering. Operators are on the frontlines running robots continuously, identifying failures, and helping improve system performance through structured feedback and issue reporting.
We are looking for a Robot Operations Manager to lead and scale our Robot Operations team, ensuring operational excellence, high robot uptime, and strong cross-functional coordination with engineering teams.
Responsibilities:
Build, train, and lead Figure’s Robot Operator team.
Manage 24/7 robot operations, ensuring continuous coverage and successful execution of customer use cases.
Oversee shift scheduling and frontline operations, including weekend coverage.
Ensure operators properly identify, document, and escalate issues through Jira.
Partner closely with engineering teams to troubleshoot operational and robot performance issues.
Track operational metrics and drive continuous process improvements.
Develop onboarding and training programs for new operators.
Promote a culture of safety, accountability, and operational discipline.
Support hands-on robot operation and troubleshooting as needed.
Requirements:
6+ years experience leading frontline or technical operations teams in a fast-paced environment.
Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills.
Experience operating and troubleshooting hardware, robotics, or mechanical systems.
Excellent communication and organizational skills.
Experience managing shift-based operations and competing priorities.
Comfortable working hands-on with humanoid hardware and standing for extended periods.
Ability to thrive in a rapidly evolving environment.
Available for immediate travel as operational needs arise
Bonus Qualifications:
Experience with robotics or AI data collection.
10+ years experience leading skilled teams operating complex technology.
A passion for helping scale the deployment of learning humanoid robots.
The US base salary range for this full-time position is between $150,000 - $190,000 annually.
The pay offered for this position may vary based on several individual factors, including job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package may also include additional components/benefits depending on the specific role. This information will be shared if an employment offer is extended.
 

Source: Figure AI careers (Greenhouse)