Director, Product Learning & Development

Job description

Apptronik is a human-centered robotics company developing AI-powered robots to support humanity in every facet of life. Our flagship humanoid robot, Apollo, is built to collaborate thoughtfully with people, starting with critical industries such as manufacturing and logistics, with future applications in healthcare, the home, and beyond. We operate at the cutting edge of Applied AI, applying our expertise across the full robotics stack to solve some of society's most important problems. You will join a team dedicated to bringing Apollo to market at scale, tackling the complex challenges like safety, commercialization, and mass production to change the world for the better. Full Time | Global Services & Support | Austin, Texas **JOB SUMMARY** Reporting to the Senior Vice President of Global Services and Support, the Director, Product Learning & Development is the executive architect of Apptronik’s global learning and knowledge strategy. Reporting directly to the SVP of Global Services & Support, you are responsible for building the end-to-end education ecosystem that transforms complex robotics technology into accessible, scalable expertise for our global workforce, partners, and customers. This is a high-impact "builder" role for a seasoned leader who understands that successful robotics integration requires far more than just mechanical knowledge. You will create and lead a world-class team to build an engine for Operational & Launch Readiness, ensuring that everyone in the Apptronik ecosystem, from our internal support engineers to our customers’ robot supervisors and global partners, possesses the product mastery, change-management literacy, and deep understanding of the customer-transformation journey required to succeed. You will build the definitive library and knowledge-based learning ecosystem that drives customer confidence, accelerates product adoption, and creates passionate brand advocates. Your team is responsible for architecting persona-based learning pathways and competency frameworks for every individual who interacts with, monitors, or manages our robotic solutions. **The GSS Mindset** In Global Services & Support, we don’t just "fix things". We deliver confidence, at scale. - **Customer-First Obsession:** You don’t just resolve tasks; you prioritize the human experience. Every build, fix, or workflow is measured by its impact on the people who rely on our technology. - **The Ultimate Partner:** You are a collaborator at your core. You act as the essential bridge between the "messy reality" of the field and our internal ambitions, building trust across departments to ensure a unified effort. - **Operational Evolution:** You don't just follow a process; you own it. You find joy in creating order where none exists and possess the discipline to constantly "improve the system." - **Dynamic Adaptability:** You thrive in a "small-team" environment. You are a true team player who is comfortable wearing multiple hats and navigating fast-paced change with patience and a relentless focus on the solution. **We are the shepherds of chaos.** - **The Culture Catalyst:** You are the person everyone wants on their project team. You bring a "solution-first" energy to every interaction, acting as a cultural ambassador who elevates the morale and standards of those around you. You understand that how we work together is just as important as the work itself. ### ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES or KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES: #### **Strategic Governance & Business Impact** - **Global Vision & Roadmap:** Define and own the multi-year strategic roadmap for internal technical readiness, field deployment, and external customer/partner enablement. Ensure our educational framework scales alongside Apptronik’s global expansion and rapid product release cycles. - **Operational Excellence & P&L:** Manage the functional budget as a high-yield investment. Establish and report on business-critical metrics, including Support Deflection, Time-to-Value (TTV), Certification rates, and Launch Readiness, directly to executive leadership. - **Commercialization:** Partner with Go-To-Market (GTM), Product, and Commercial teams to architect, price, and commercialize tiered training packages and professional certification tracks that contribute directly to GSS margins. - **Ecosystem Architecture:** Architect and oversee Apptronik’s multi-tenant Learning Tech Stack (LMS/LXP/Sandbox). Integrate learning directly with CRM, CS, and Support tools to establish a unified, 360-degree view of user proficiency and product adoption. #### **Programmatic & Technical Leadership** - **High-Stakes Curricula & Launch Readiness:** Oversee the creation of technical learning programs that go beyond basic maintenance to include robot supervision, teleoperation, and safety. Drive "Deployment Readiness" frameworks aligned to New Product Introductions (NPI). - **AI-Enabled & Simulation Learning:** Drive the adoption of modern, AI-powered learning tools, digital twins, and virtual "Sandbox" environments for risk-free, high-fidelity mastery, delivering performance support directly "in the flow of work." - **Certification Engine & Competency Models:** Architect a "Gold Standard" Global Certification program and define persona-based competency models for internal Field Engineers, partners, and customer operators worldwide. - **Documentation Partnership:** Act as a strategic stakeholder for Technical Documentation to ensure manuals, release notes, and instructional content are perfectly synchronized as a single source of truth. #### **Organizational Leadership & Culture** - **Scale the Org:** Recruit, mentor, and lead a high-performing management layer, building the functional muscle of the team and fostering the growth of technical trainers, instructional designers, and e-learning developers. - **Executive Liaison:** Serve as a vital bridge between GSS, Product, Engineering, and Commercial Transformation teams to embed the "Learning Loop" into the product development lifecycle. - **Product Insights & Advocacy:** Synthesize learner analytics, field observations, and user feedback to advocate for product "learnability," working with Engineering to reduce operational friction through better out-of-box design. - **Change Management:** Lead the cultural shift that transforms training from a reactive support function into a proactive business driver for human-robot operational literacy. ### SKILLS AND REQUIREMENTS - **The "Architect's" Vision:** Proven capability to design modern, multi-tenant learning ecosystems (combining LMS, LXP, AI-driven content, and simulated Sandbox environments) optimized for both structured certification and on-demand field support. - **Human-Robot Interface Literacy:** Deep understanding that bringing humanoid or advanced robotics into a customer environment requires change management, supervisory skills, and workflow redesign, not just a mechanical manual. - **Commercial & Launch Mindset:** Ability to treat learning as a margin-generating, churn-reducing business driver and tie education directly to commercial product launches and deployment speed. - **Cross-Functional Magnetism:** Executive presence and technical credibility to command respect from deep hardware/software engineers, GTM leaders, and C-suite stakeholders alike. - **Creating Structure:** Thrive in fast-paced, high-growth hardware/software environments where ambiguity is high and processes must be built from scratch. ### EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE: - **~10 years** of progressive leadership experience in Technical Training, Product L&D, Customer Education, or Technical Enablement within high-growth robotics, hardware-plus-software, or industrial tech environments. - **5+ years** of director-level management experience, with a proven track record of managing managers and leading multi-disciplinary technical teams. - **0-to-1 Track Record:** Demonstrated success building a global product education or enablement function from the ground up in a rapidly scaling organization. - **Business & Financial Acumen:** Deep understanding of complex B2B SaaS/Hardware business models, with a proven ability to link learning metrics directly to P&L performance (ROI, NRR, support deflection). - **Executive Presence:** Exceptional communication and influencing skills with the confidence to drive alignment across C-Suite and SVP levels. **WORK ENVIRONMENT** **Hybrid Role based in Austin, Texas** ### PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: - Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer - Vision to read printed materials and a computer screen - Hearing and speech to communicate ### Apptronik is an equal opportunity employer. We actively work to build a team that reflects the full range of backgrounds, identities, and perspectives — and we strongly encourage candidates from underrepresented groups to apply, even if you don’t check every box. \*This is a direct hire. Please, no outside Agency solicitations. Apptronik provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.