Prop Team Shift Lead

About the Role

Physical Intelligence is bringing general-purpose AI into the physical world. We are a group of engineers, scientists, roboticists, and company builders developing learning algorithms to create a model that will control any robot to do any task. The "Props" team manages the physical objects that robots interact with—items manipulated by robots or present in scenes during data collection and research. This role leads the hourly Prop Team staff and ensures the smooth flow of incoming prop requests across all work areas.

Responsibilities

• Direct the Request Queue & Upkeep Work: Assign incoming and recurring prop requests across shifts, unblock team members, and ensure the queue clears within service-level targets.
• Oversee recurring upkeep tasks, including central inventory management, staging stations, and labeling/QR-coding bins.
• Step in hands-on occasionally when the team is short-staffed or a request is time-sensitive (exceptional, not routine).
• Lead & Manage the Team: Supervise a team across all shifts, conduct check-ins and coaching, facilitate trials for new hires, manage time cards, and coordinate with the staffing vendor/agency.
• Audit & Coordinate: Review Prop Team members' work against the queue, collaborate with operations leads and researchers submitting requests, and provide feedback on tooling gaps.
• Maintain Cross-Shift Continuity: Review shift handover notes at the start of each shift, set priorities, and write handover notes for the incoming shift. Adjust hours across the week (Mon–Fri) to engage with all shift teams.
• Execute the Process: Own the team's day-to-day operational playbook, while process design remains with the Props Program Lead.

Requirements

• Experience managing, scheduling, and motivating an hourly, shift-based workforce (people-management experience strongly preferred).
• A responsible, detail-oriented, organized, and high-ownership approach; comfortable working with evolving standard operating procedures.
• Clear communication skills, including collaborating with researchers and operations teams to clarify process questions.
• Comfort prioritizing management and direction of work, stepping into hands-on tasks only as needed.
• For candidates without formal people-management experience, an explicit development plan must be in place before hiring to ensure role expectations are clear and growth is supported.

Nice to Have

• Experience with inventory management, staging/logistics, or physical operations.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.