Head of Total Rewards

Applied Intuition, Inc. is powering the future of physical AI. Founded in 2017 and now valued at $15 billion, the Silicon Valley company is creating the digital infrastructure needed to bring intelligence to every moving machine on the planet. Applied Intuition services the automotive, defense, trucking, construction, mining and agriculture industries in three core areas: tools and infrastructure, operating systems, and autonomy. Eighteen of the top 20 global automakers, as well as the United States military and its allies, trust the company’s solutions to deliver physical intelligence. Applied Intuition is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, with offices in Washington, D.C.; San Diego; Ft. Walton Beach, Florida; Ann Arbor, Michigan; London; Stuttgart; Munich; Stockholm; Bangalore; Seoul; and Tokyo. Learn more at applied.co.

We are an in-office company, and our expectation is that employees primarily work from their Applied Intuition office 5 days a week. However, we also recognize the importance of flexibility and trust our employees to manage their schedules responsibly. This may include occasional remote work, starting the day with morning meetings from home before heading to the office, or leaving earlier when needed to accommodate family commitments.

We are seeking a Head of Total Rewards to serve as a strategic architect for our global compensation, equity, and benefits programs. In this role, you’ll shape the total rewards philosophy that supports our business model, reinforces our values and enables us to attract, motivate and retain exceptional talent.

You will report to our Chief People Officer and partner with stakeholders across different functions in the organization to define our total reward philosophy and ensure it scales with the business, balancing competitiveness, internal equity, fiscal discipline, and long-term value creation.

• Design and lead a world-class philosophy covering global cash, stock-based compensation, and long-term incentives that align with our high-performance culture.

• Oversee Applied’s benefits and wellness programs, ensuring that we are engaging in competitive, scalable and inclusive offerings .

• Serve as a strategic advisor to our leadership team, guiding compensation and long-term incentive design across all functions and geographies within the organization

• Lead all annual planning cycles, including benchmarking, merit reviews, and bonus planning initiatives

• Drive selection and implementation of systems and vendors, including 401(k) and international benefit

• Establish and drive the governance framework for all total rewards programs and decision-making processes, including approval workflows for offers, stock-based compensation policies and annual merit cycles

• Own the company’s job architecture and career framework ensuring alignment and effectiveness across geographies and functions while leading program development and enablement as needed

We're looking for someone who has:

• 10+ years of experience leading total rewards in both high-growth private and public companies

• Experience in designing and managing compensation programs for a global workforce (high preference for companies with predominantly engineering teams)

• Strong modeling, analytics, and communication skills, with the ability to distill complex data into actionable insights.

• Deep knowledge of compensation structures (base, bonus, equity), equity vehicles (RSUs, PSUs, options, ESPP), and benefits programs

• Familiarity with HRIS systems like Workday, or similar for compensation and benefits administration

• Familiarity with various international tax regulations and compliance requirements related to compensation and benefits

• Familiarity with global equity compensation frameworks and international benefits program design

Compensation at Applied Intuition for eligible roles includes base salary, equity, and benefits. Base salary is a single component of the total compensation package, which may also include equity in the form of options and/or restricted stock units, comprehensive health, dental, vision, life and disability insurance coverage, 401k retirement benefits with employer match, learning and wellness stipends, and paid time off. Note that benefits are subject to change and may vary based on jurisdiction of employment.

Applied Intuition pay ranges reflect the minimum and maximum intended target base salary for new hire salaries for the position. The actual base salary offered to a successful candidate will additionally be influenced by a variety of factors including experience, credentials & certifications, educational attainment, skill level requirements, interview performance, and the level and scope of the position.

Please reference the job posting’s subtitle for where this position will be located. For pay transparency purposes, the base salary range for this full-time position in the location listed is: $275,000 – $330,000 USD annually.

Don’t meet every single requirement? If you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Applied Intuition is an equal opportunity employer and federal contractor or subcontractor. Consequently, the parties agree that, as applicable, they will abide by the requirements of 41 CFR 60-1.4(a), 41 CFR 60-300.5(a) and 41 CFR 60-741.5(a) and that these laws are incorporated herein by reference. These regulations prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities, and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin. These regulations require that covered prime contractors and subcontractors take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status or disability. The parties also agree that, as applicable, they will abide by the requirements of Executive Order 13496 (29 CFR Part 471, Appendix A to Subpart A), relating to the notice of employee rights under federal labor laws.