Process Improvement Intern [2027]

Zoox•Foster City, CA

1d•$5,500 - $9,500•Onsite

About The Position

Zoox’s Process Improvement team in Fleet Operations helps ensure readiness and response processes scale as its fleet expands across cities. The intern will work alongside ground operations and frontline depot teams to examine current workflows, identify bottlenecks, and design standardized, repeatable operational procedures. The role focuses on turning complex physical operations into lean, scalable processes that support vehicle availability and mission safety. The intern will map depot readiness and response workflows, stress-test operating processes and handoffs at larger fleet scales, audit operational metrics, and develop scorecards and dashboards. They will formulate data-backed recommendations and align stakeholders across frontline teams and leadership to implement sustainable process improvements. This is a full-time, 12-week internship. The intern must work on-site and travel locally to depot facilities in the San Francisco Bay Area. The monthly salary range is $5,500 to $9,500, varying by geographic location and education level. Additional benefits may include medical insurance and a housing stipend; relocation assistance is offered based on eligibility.

Requirements

Currently working toward a master’s, MBA, or bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Operations Research, Supply Chain, Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline.
Be in good academic standing and enrolled at an accredited college or university throughout the internship.
Expected graduation date between Fall 2027 and Summer 2028.
Able to commit to a full-time, 12-week internship.
Able to work on-site and travel locally to depot facilities in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Must not use Zoox proprietary information for a thesis or publication outside Zoox.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to break down operational workflows and identify root causes.
Foundational understanding of process mapping, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and lean continuous improvement methods.
Comfortable working hands-on with frontline ground teams in active depot environments.
Proficient in data analytics and visualization using Excel, Sheets, or dashboarding tools.
Clear communication and stakeholder management skills to earn trust and influence across teams.

Nice To Haves

Prior internship or hands-on experience in automotive maintenance, fleet operations, or logistics environments.
Experience with project management tools such as Jira, Confluence, or similar workflow platforms.
Experience applying root cause analysis frameworks such as 5-Whys, Fishbone diagrams, or DMAIC.

Responsibilities

Shadow frontline depot teams to map readiness and response workflows, identify time-loss and operational pain points, and document best practices for standardization across domiciles.
Stress-test operational processes and handoffs at two and three times fleet scale, identify vulnerable failure points, and design scalable operating mechanisms.
Audit existing turnaround and fleet health metrics and define performance indicators that reflect operational efficiency.
Develop a standardized domicile scorecard and weekly executive dashboard showing depot performance, bottlenecks, and emerging operational risks.
Develop data-backed recommendations with quantified impact, align stakeholders from frontline teams to leadership, and drive sustainable process improvements.