Vehicle Engineering Manager – K7 Autonomous Security Robot

About Knightscope
Knightscope is building an Autonomous Security Force to make America the safest country in the world. Our systems combine autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence, advanced sensing, and real-world deployment at scale.

The K7 Autonomous Security Robot is a ground-up, electric, autonomous vehicle program designed for large area outdoor operation. We are looking for a experienced Vehicle Engineering Manager – someone who has lived inside OEM vehicle programs and is ready to own one end-to-end.

The Role

The Vehicle Engineering Manager is the vehicle-level technical owner of the K7. You will be responsible for balancing targets, leading cross-functional execution, driving trade-off decisions, and delivering a production-ready vehicle.

This role is best suited for a seasoned vehicle engineering supervisor or manager from a major automaker who wants broader authority, faster decision-making, and real accountability. If you've ever said
"I could run this whole vehicle better if I actually had the authority,"
this is that job.

Location: Sunnyvale, CA (On-Site at KHQ)

Key Responsibilities

Vehicle Ownership & Program Leadership

• Own the K7 vehicle system from architecture through production release.
• Establish, maintain, and rebalance vehicle targets (BOM cost, weight, performance, durability, manufacturability, serviceability, timing).
• Maintain the Program Description Book (PDB) as the authoritative definition of vehicle content.
• Lead vehicle-level technical reviews and program milestones.

Trade-Offs & Rebalancing

• Drive vehicle trade studies across cost, weight, timing, function, quality, and investment.
• Make disciplined decisions when targets conflict — and clearly communicate rationale.
• Continuously rebalance the vehicle as supplier realities, test data, and schedule constraints emerge.

Cross-Functional Integration

• Coordinate mechanical, electrical, autonomy, software, manufacturing, supply chain, and quality teams.
• Ensure subsystem designs integrate cleanly at the vehicle level, not just on paper.
• Serve as the escalation point when integration or priority conflicts arise.

Autonomy, EV, and Architecture

• Ensure the vehicle architecture supports autonomy sensing, compute, power, and redundancy needs.
• Oversee integration of EV systems including battery, thermal management, power electronics, and charging.
• Balance autonomy and sensor requirements against cost, robustness, and serviceability.

Low-Volume Production & Suppliers

• Lead vehicle engineering decisions appropriate for low-volume production.
• Work directly with suppliers on cost, timing, technical risk, and manufacturability.
• Partner with manufacturing to define build strategy, tolerances, and assembly sequencing.

Testing & Validation

• Define and oversee vehicle-level test and validation strategy.
• Ensure prototype and field learnings drive design changes.
• Deliver a production-ready vehicle with known risks, mitigations, and documented decisions.

Required Qualifications

• 10+ years of vehicle engineering experience at a major automaker or Tier-1 supplier.
• Prior experience as a Vehicle Engineering Supervisor, Manager, or equivalent vehicle-level role.
• Proven track record of taking at least one complete vehicle from concept to production and/or been deeply involved in every phase of product development across multiple vehicle programs.

• Deep understanding of:

• Vehicle architecture and system integration

• Automotive product development processes

• Cost, mass, and timing trade-offs

• Experience with electric vehicles and low-volume or specialty programs.

• Willingness to work on-site at Knightscope HQ in Sunnyvale, CA.

Strongly Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with autonomous or ADAS-heavy vehicles.
• Hands-on involvement in prototype builds and launches.
• Background spanning mechanical, electrical, and software integration.
• Experience stepping into greater responsibility than a traditional OEM role allowed.

Compensation & Benefits

• Base Salary: $185,000 – $250,000 (commensurate with experience)
• Equity: Stock options
• Benefits: Medical, dental, vision, 401(k), paid time off
• Location Requirement: Full-time, on-site at Sunnyvale HQ