Policy & Regulatory Affairs Manager

The Policy and Regulatory Affairs team at Zoox is a cross­-functional organization responsible for advancing Zoox's public policy and regulatory goals and creating a proactive safety culture across the company.  Within the Policy and Regulatory Affairs team, the State Policy team works closely with state regulators and policymakers to foster transparency, trust, and confidence in Zoox.

At Zoox, safety is foundational to our mission, and we believe in transparency and collaboration when working with governments.

As Zoox expands its operations, this exciting new role will develop and lead our Western Region state-level political and legislative strategy for Public Policy and Regulatory Affairs.  The position will represent Zoox before the executive offices of the Governor and key executive agencies, including transportation, public safety, and business and economic development, the state legislature, trade and business associations, and think tanks in states where Zoox has operations.

This position will be based at Zoox headquarters in Foster City, CA.  Frequent travel within and out of state will be required.

In this role, you will...

• Support the strategic development and cross-functional execution of state and local regulatory permitting initiatives.
• Assist in driving engagement with regulators and policymakers to secure critical approvals and advance Zoox’s mission in alignment with our safety-first operational principles.
• Assist in engagement efforts with state and local regulators, policymakers, industry stakeholders, and key opinion leaders to shape policy and regulatory outcomes, ensuring alignment with Zoox’s safety-first operational principles.
• Support the tracking and communication of state and local-level policy and regulation/rulemakings (e.g., state rulemakings on AVs) to inform Zoox’s political strategy, while aligning with safety-first principles.
• Support cross-functional teams—including Legal, Safety, and Communications—in the development of strategies and applications, helping ensure up-to-date knowledge of company plans and reporting of policy developments.
• Support the development and maintenance of strong relationships with state and local regulators and agencies, consistent with our safety-first operational commitments.
• Support Zoox’s participation and representation in trade associations, industry, and political events, promoting our safety-first operational standards.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of government relations or public policy experience within government and/or relevant nonprofits, public interest groups, companies, or industry association
• Exceptional project management and organizational skills, with experience successfully supporting the execution of multiple complex, cross-functional projects simultaneously
• Skilled and experienced at persuasively and diplomatically advocating complex policy positions, aligned with Zoox’s safety-first operational principles, before a wide variety of audiences
• Experience in analyzing and summarizing complex policy and regulatory proposals, crafting succinct and informative materials to support Zoox policy and regulatory affairs objectives
• Knowledge of state and local regulatory dynamics and decision-making
• Possesses a meaningful regulatory and political professional network
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills
• Experience with a state legislature, executive office or department, or regulatory body with oversight of technology, transportation and/or autonomous vehicles

Bonus Qualifications

• Advanced Degree (J.D., MBA, MPP, MPA, etc.)
• 3+ years working on transportation technology policy
• Experience with policy and regulatory affairs related to autonomous vehicles, specifically working with state agencies with oversight authority
• Experience working with state level regulatory agencies

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 accommodations@zoox.com 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.