Manager, Behavior Foundation Model

As the Manager of the Behavior Foundation Model team at Zoox, your primary responsibilities include leading and mentoring a team of technical experts, developing a strategic vision for machine learning models related to driving behavior, and providing technical oversight on the design and training of large, multi-modal foundation models. You will also be expected to set short and long-term technical directions, monitor the team's performance through key performance indicators, and manage resources effectively to ensure project success.

To qualify for the Manager, Behavior Foundation Model role at Zoox, candidates should have fluency in Python and extensive experience in programming and algorithm design. A BS, MS, or PhD in computer science or a related field is required, along with at least 5 years of experience with production machine learning pipelines and 2 years in a leadership capacity. Familiarity with large language models, reinforcement learning, and experience in robotics or autonomous vehicles would be advantageous.

In the role of Manager for the Behavior Foundation Model at Zoox, team leadership involves managing, mentoring, and growing a diverse team of managers and technical leads. You will have the responsibility to foster a culture that encourages innovation and continuous improvement. You'll be responsible for setting the technical direction and ensuring that your team is aligned with broader company goals while providing the necessary support and resources for them to excel.

The Manager, Behavior Foundation Model position at Zoox offers a competitive compensation package that includes a salary range from $230,000 to $332,000, along with Amazon Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) and Zoox Stock Appreciation Rights. Additionally, Zoox provides comprehensive benefits that include paid time off, health insurance, and both long-term and short-term disability insurance, ensuring that you are well-supported in both your health and career.

As the Manager of the Behavior Foundation Model at Zoox, you will work on a variety of cutting-edge projects that leverage generative AI for applications such as scene encoding for learned driving trajectories, automated driving quality assessments, and the creation of synthetic scenarios. Furthermore, as emergent applications continue to evolve, you’ll be at the helm of innovation, guiding your team towards groundbreaking advancements in the realm of autonomous driving technology.

In answering this question, you should highlight your specific experience with building and deploying machine learning pipelines. Discuss the stages of the pipeline you've worked on, including data preprocessing, model training, testing, and evaluation, and how these contributed to successful projects in your previous roles.

When answering, emphasize your leadership style and how you adapt to the needs of a diverse team. Discuss approaches like fostering open communication, encouraging collaboration, and providing mentorship to help team members grow. Highlight specific examples where your leadership positively impacted your team's performance.

Describe your approach to assessing project needs, aligning resources accordingly, and ensuring that team members have the tools they need to succeed. Stress the importance of regular resource evaluation and being adaptable to changes in project demands or personnel.

Share a specific instance where you defined KPIs, explaining the reasoning behind your selections and how they guided your project's success. Discuss how you monitored these indicators and made necessary adjustments to ensure objectives were met.

In your response, cover any specific experience you've had with large language models. Discuss how their capabilities can be utilized for understanding and predicting driving behaviors, such as through natural language processing for scenario simulation or interaction with agents.

Reflect on a particular challenge you've faced in a machine learning project, explaining how you identified the issue, collaborated with others to address it, and the outcome. This shows your problem-solving skills and ability to work under pressure.

In your answer, highlight the resources you follow, such as academic journals, conferences, and online courses. Discuss how you apply this knowledge to your work and foster a learning culture within your team.

Describe examples of successful collaborations you've had on past projects. Emphasize the value of interdisciplinary teamwork, sharing ideas, and combining strengths to achieve common goals, especially in complex domains like behavior modeling.

Explain how you would establish evaluation metrics that align with project goals and assess the impact of various optimization strategies based on these metrics. Discuss your methodology for iterating on these strategies to ensure continuous improvement.

In your response, articulate your passion for the field of autonomous vehicles and the unique opportunities that leading the Behavior Foundation Model team offers. Discuss how your vision aligns with Zoox’s mission and how you can contribute to shaping their future.