Team Lead, Ground Operations (3rd Shift)

In this role, you will: • Strategic Leadership & Team Culture • Overnight Shift Leadership: Provide direct leadership, coaching, and mentorship to both technical staff and contract personnel during the 3rd shift. • Team Development: Engage in the recruiting, hiring, onboarding, and training of workshop personnel. Foster a high-performance culture centered on accountability, safety, and continuous improvement. • Resource Management: Assist in creating and managing employee and contractor schedules, including time-off. • Performance Tracking: Support the tracking of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure individual and team performance, providing consistent feedback to help your team achieve its mission. • Continuous Process Improvement: Identify bottlenecks in overnight workflows and implement lean methodologies to streamline maintenance, repair, and fleet readiness processes, driving ongoing operational efficiency. • Technical Execution & Maintenance • Overnight Maintenance Optimization: Lead vehicle maintenance and rework activities during low-demand periods to maximize daytime vehicle availability and service efficiency. • Technical Escalation: Serve as the primary escalation point for complex technical issues, ensuring all work meets rigorous internal quality standards. • Data-Driven Operations: Support the analysis, documentation, and reporting of fleet data to aid in root cause analysis on component and vehicle-level issues, preventing future downtime. • Safety Stewardship: Enforce all health and safety policies in the workshop. Ensure the facility remains clean, organized, and free of hazardous materials in accordance with company and OSHA guidelines. • Mission Readiness & Logistics • Software Deployment: Ensure the correct software and firmware are deployed to the right vehicles at the right time to support morning operations. • Pre-Mission Checks & Ingest: Direct the ingest of vehicles, conduct rigorous pre-mission checks, and ensure the completion of readiness checklists for the first shift. • Logistical Support: Oversee the logistical movement and storage of vehicles to ensure seamless shift transitions. • Vehicle Operations: Manually drive and maneuver autonomous and auxiliary vehicles when needed to support readiness workflows and yard logistics. • Multi-Site Support: Support team and vehicle fleet operations across multiple sites within the geo, coordinating across different Mission Readiness and Base Operations locations as operations scale. Qualifications • 5+ years of hands-on automotive technician experience combined with 2+ years of people leadership or supervisory experience. • Willingness and ability to lead overnight operations (3rd shift). • Extensive knowledge of automotive maintenance methods, diagnostic methods, parts, and tools, including high proficiency in CAN/LIN architecture, wiring diagrams, and soldering. • Proven ability to quickly learn technical subjects. • Excellent written and verbal communication skills; must be honest, responsible, and capable of translating technical details for cross-functional stakeholders. • Demonstrated ability to manage time, multitask, and drive priorities effectively in a fast-paced, ambiguous startup environment. • Clean driving record and the ability to travel locally and nationally (less than 20%). Bonus Qualifications • Bachelor's degree in a technical or business field, or a Technical trade school certificate / Associate Degree in automotive repair. • Strong understanding of electric vehicle architecture and high-voltage systems. • Experience in a fast-paced service environment. • Familiarity with Lean, Six Sigma, or other continuous improvement methodologies.