Fleet Operations Manager in Cambridge

The Robot Operations team is looking for a Fleet Operations Manager to own the planning, utilization, and performance of our robotic systems and operator workforce. This is a mid-level, execution-focused role with meaningful scope from day one — you will lead a team of Robot Operators directly while also serving as the connective tissue between engineering, product, and operations.

This role is built for someone who thrives in ambiguous, fast-moving environments where processes are still being invented. You won't be handed a playbook — you'll be expected to build one. As the company scales, this position is designed to grow with it: the right person will have a natural path toward managing a broader team of operations specialists and ICs across multiple sites.

Core Responsibilities:

• Fleet & Operator Management
  • Directly manage a team of Robot Operators, overseeing daily deployment, performance, and development.
  • Own the scheduling and utilization of a prototype robot fleet and operator workforce across onsite and offsite locations.
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for day-to-day operational execution and issue escalation.
  • Set clear expectations for operator performance, provide structured feedback, and maintain team accountability.
• Cross-Functional Program Ownership
  • Partner with software, hardware, and product teams to capture requirements and translate them into clear, actionable data collection instructions for operators.
  • Own the full lifecycle of data collection operations: requirements intake, scheduling, execution, quality review, and close-out.
  • Proactively identify dependencies and risks across teams; escalate blockers early and drive them to resolution.
  • Represent operations in cross-functional planning and prioritization discussions — not just as a note-taker, but as a decision-maker with a point of view.
• Metrics Infrastructure & Operational Insight
  • Design and build metrics systems from scratch to track robot utilization, operator throughput, data quality, and operational efficiency.
  • Own the ongoing maintenance and improvement of dashboards, trackers, and reporting tools.
  • Analyze operational trends and present actionable insights to engineering and product leadership.
  • Define what 'good' looks like across key operational dimensions, and drive continuous improvement toward those standards.
• Process & Documentation
  • Develop and maintain operational SOPs, runbooks, and scheduling infrastructure to support consistent execution.
  • Identify inefficiencies in current workflows, propose solutions, and validate improvements using data.
  • Build lightweight processes that are robust enough to be repeatable but flexible enough to evolve as the product does.

Required Qualifications:

• 3 + years of experience in operations coordination, technical operations, field operations, or a related function.
• Demonstrated experience leading or supervising a team — even informally — in a hands-on operational environment.
• Strong organizational and coordination skills with the ability to manage competing priorities across multiple workstreams.
• Experience working cross-functionally with both technical and non-technical teams.
• Ability to analyze operational data, identify trends, and communicate insights clearly to stakeholders.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; comfortable with ambiguity and evolving processes.
• Comfort operating in early-stage environments where you are expected to build, not just follow.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in robotics, autonomous systems, hardware field operations, or data collection environments.
• Demonstrated ability to build operational metrics and reporting infrastructure from scratch — not just maintain existing tools.
• Demonstrable, applied use of AI tools to improve workflows, analysis, or operational efficiency.
• Experience managing or coordinating across multiple geographic sites or customer-facing deployments.
• Familiarity with Linux environments or light technical tooling used in field data collection workflows.
• Background in operations roles at early-stage or growth-stage companies — especially those that required building processes where none existed.

Walden Robotics offers a competitive total compensation program, including salary, annual cash bonus, company equity, company-subsidized insurance programs, 401(k) with company match, flexible PTO, daily lunch, and other benefits.

Walden Robotics is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations, and ordinances.

If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please send a request to hello@waldenrobotics.com.

Walden Robotics participates in E-Verify. If you receive an offer of employment from Walden, you will need to go through the E-Verify process of digital verification of your employment authorization documents as provided on the Form I-9. Participation in E-Verify does not limit your right to work and verification will only be completed after you become employed.