Engineering Manager, Middleware Transport

Company: zoox
Location: Foster City, CA
Type: full_time
Posted: Sep 22, 2026
Views: 0

Zoox is building the world's most advanced self-driving hardware and software solution, and nearly every part of it depends on moving data reliably. Sensor frames to perception, planner decisions to vehicle controls, telemetry to the cloud, and remote operator video back down again. All of it crosses process, host, and network boundaries under hard latency and reliability budgets, on a vehicle that has to keep working when a link degrades or a network gets congested.

The Middleware Transport team owns that data path end to end: in-vehicle messaging (pub/sub, RPC, inter-process and inter-host transport), the vehicle's internal network, and vehicle-to-cloud connectivity. It also owns the transport and serialization abstractions the rest of the software organization builds on. Every one of those paths crosses a team boundary, so the work happens alongside firmware, product security, simulation, manufacturing, and IT, and those partners rely on this team for transport and networking depth to achieve their goals. As the team leader you will own the roadmap and the release commitments, and you will spend a real share of your time in those partnerships.

In this role, you will:

  • Own the roadmap, staffing, and release commitments across the team's messaging, in-vehicle network, and cloud connectivity work.

  • Lead and grow a team of software engineers, run their performance and promotion cycles, and hire into the gaps.

  • Represent the team in cross-functional programs across firmware, product security, simulation, fleet operations, and infrastructure, and build the relationships that keep shared work moving.

  • Set the technical bar. Make the architecture calls stick, and make sure the abstractions the team ships are ones other teams want to build on.

  • Balance interrupt-driven reliability work against long-horizon architecture, and be explicit with partners about the tradeoff.

    • Qualifications

  • Bachelor's or Master's degree in computer science, electrical / computer engineering, or equivalent experience.
  • 9+ years of experience in software development, with 4+ years in a leadership role managing software engineers.
  • Strong grounding in at least one of: networked distributed systems, pub/sub and RPC middleware, vehicle or embedded networking, or transport protocols. Enough depth to hold your own in a design review without needing to run it.
  • Strong C++ programming experience with large code bases and technical dependencies.
  • A track record of driving work that spans organizational boundaries, where you did not control the people doing the work.

    • Bonus Qualifications

  • Robotics, automotive, aerospace, or another safety-relevant domain.
  • Hands-on experience with DDS, PTP and time synchronization, QUIC or multipath transport, or Ethernet switch configuration and diagnostics at fleet scale.
  • Experience building platform abstractions with internal customers, including the migration and adoption side.
    • Compensation There are three major components to compensation for this position: salary, Amazon Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), and Zoox Stock Appreciation Rights. The salary range for this position is $211,000 to $349,000. A sign-on bonus may be offered as part of the compensation package. Compensation will vary based on geographic location and level. Leveling, as well as positioning within a level, is determined by a range of factors, including, but not limited to, a candidate's relevant years of experience, domain knowledge, and interview performance. The salary range listed in this posting is representative of the range of levels Zoox is considering for this position.

    Zoox also offers a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (e.g. sick leave, vacation, bereavement), unpaid time off, Zoox Stock Appreciation Rights, Amazon RSUs, health insurance, long-term care insurance, long-term and short-term disability insurance, and life insurance.


    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.

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    Accommodations
    If you need an accommodation to participate in the application or interview process please reach out to [email protected] 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.
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    About the Company

    Name: zoox

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