Full-Time
Senior Solutions Engineer
Posted on 10/31/2025
Zūm
501-1,000 employees
Tech-driven school transport platform with safety
Compensation Overview
$175k - $220k/yr
San Carlos, CA, USA
Hybrid
Willing to travel for partner/customer onsite work as needed.
 Sales & Solution Engineering (1) |
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- Have a minimum of 5 years of experience in a Solutions Engineering or similar role
- You're equally comfortable in both a business and technical context, working with executives or talking shop with technical audiences
- Experience with APIs and integrations/hardware installations, E2E implementations for Zūm’s customers
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to translate technical topics to both technical and non-technical audiences alike
- Demonstrated proficiency in project management, adeptly steering project timelines through Agile methodologies or analogous frameworks, ensuring meticulous execution for the successful implementation of solutions
- You understand the process by which software gets defined, built, and deployed, and you have experience or familiarity with the Scaled ITSM solution spaces
- Willing to travel to visit partners, prospects, and customers, and to engage in onsite customer and partner work when required
- Must have experience working in the Transportation and logistics industry
- Report directly to the CTO and demonstrate excellent interpersonal communication skills, technical comprehension, product expertise, and business acumen
- Support the Product and Engineering Teams with training on new feature releases, focusing on the unique value proposition they will offer the Sales Team
- Successfully match customer pains and requirements to proposed solutions
- Implement innovative solutions that save people time and radically improve enterprise applications
- Design and develop technical solutions tailored to client requirements
- Optimize processes to improve efficiency and client satisfaction
- Work with Account Executives to respond to Requests for Information and Proposals
- Become an expert on Zūm’s competition, lending your expertise to Account Executives working on displacement deals
- Act as a technical expert and consultant to develop and propose solutions that meet the technology and business requirements of assigned customers
- Make technical and sales presentations to customers’ technical staff and senior management
- Partner and strategize with Account Executives for discovery calls, product demonstrations, Proof of Concept support, and onsite meetings
- Serve as a sales liaison between multiple internal organizations, including Product, Engineering, Customer Success, and Product Marketing
Zum provides a technology-driven school transportation service. It operates a fleet—including electric vehicles—focused on safety, efficiency, and sustainability, mainly serving schools and districts. The product is a platform that analyzes routes and operations to optimize schedules, predict traffic, and manage fleets. It includes an app for parents, drivers, and schools to track buses and student rides in real time, increasing transparency and safety while saving time and costs. Drivers and operators get tools to manage staffing and routing, and schools stay securely aligned with families and drivers. Compared with traditional bus services, Zum emphasizes data-driven route optimization, real-time visibility, and environmental sustainability to differentiate itself. The company aims to improve student safety, reduce operational costs, and lower carbon emissions by using smart routing and electric vehicles, growing its footprint through school contracts and parent-based access.
Company Size
501-1,000
Company Stage
Growth Equity (Venture Capital)
Total Funding
$468.8M
Headquarters
Redwood City, California
Founded
2014
Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Transportation Anxiety Crisis research quantifies $15 billion annual educational spending loss, validating massive TAM expansion.
- Reached $333M revenue (35% YoY growth) and adjusted EBITDA breakeven with 40%+ four-year CAGR trajectory.
- Long-term contracts (5-10 years) with $2B+ total contract value provide predictable revenue and customer stickiness.
What critics are saying
- Driver wage compression: Amazon ($23/hr) and UPS ($24/hr) undercut Zum's $21-$32/hr across 257+ open positions.
- School district budget crisis: 42 states face $68B structural deficits by 2027, forcing 20-30% contract price cuts.
- First Student acquired Transfinder routing software, bundling legacy operations 15-20% below Zum's pricing to existing customers.
What makes Zūm unique
- Unified platform orchestrates routing, dispatch, workforce, safety, and communications in real-time across 4,500+ schools.
- AI-powered system achieves 98% on-time performance and 4.9/5 parent satisfaction across 1.7 million ratings.
- Vehicle-to-grid technology converts school bus batteries into virtual power plants for grid support and decarbonization.
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Benefits
Competitive compensation, including cash and equity
Medical, dental and vision benefits, including paid membership to One Medical
Unlimited vacation policy
Free daily catered lunches + fully stocked kitchen at HQ
Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
↑ 0%1 year growth
↑ 0%2 year growth
↑ 1%Zum, provides child transportation for school districts and busy families. Here you'll find information about their funding, investors and team.
Zum has been named to the Financial Times' Americas' Fastest Growing Companies 2026 list for the fourth consecutive year, ranking 47th overall and highest in the Logistics & Transportation category. The student mobility platform serves over 4,000 schools across 15 states in the US. The Redwood City-based company generated $333 million in revenue in 2025, a 35% year-over-year increase, and has achieved a four-year revenue CAGR exceeding 40%. Zum's total contract value now surpasses $2 billion. Zum's AI-powered platform manages student transportation through real-time routing and operational management. The company also offers vehicle-to-grid technology to modernise fleets. Zum is backed by Sequoia Capital, GIC and SoftBank.
Zum, a student mobility platform, reported $333 million in revenue for 2025, up 35% year-over-year, whilst achieving adjusted EBITDA breakeven. The company has reached over $2 billion in total contract value with a four-year revenue compound annual growth rate exceeding 40%. The Redwood City-based startup now serves more than 4,000 schools across 15 states, including major districts in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. Zum operates on long-term contracts of five to 10 years with school districts, providing predictable revenue streams. The company completed 68.5 million student rides in 2025, up 120% from 2024. Zum has deployed fully electric school bus fleets in Oakland, California, and plans to launch vehicle-to-grid capabilities in Connecticut. The platform uses AI-powered routing to achieve 98% on-time performance.
Shawnee Mission School District partners with Zum, expanding service to 15 states. Zūm Services, Inc. is excited to announce that Shawnee Mission School District (SMSD) has selected Zūm to modernize district-wide transportation services beginning in the 2026 - 2027 school year. With this 7-year contract, Kansas becomes Zum's 15th state, marking a major milestone in its national expansion and growing momentum across the country. Following a rigorous procurement process, SMSD selected Zum to replace legacy operating models with a modern, technology-led transportation experience. By embracing innovation, the district is creating a safer, more reliable, and more predictable service that gives parents peace of mind and helps students arrive ready to learn. "We treat student transportation as an extension of the classroom here in Shawnee Mission School District. It is a foundational component of educational access," said Dr. David Stubblefield, Deputy Superintendent at Shawnee Mission School District. "Zum's mission goes beyond simply moving students from Point A to Point B, and their commitment to keeping students at the center of their service aligns seamlessly with Shawnee Mission's guiding theme. This is the modern, safe, and transparent experience its community deserves." "For decades, student transportation has relied on systems that were never designed for the expectations of today's families," said Ritu Narayan, Founder and CEO of Zum. "We built Zum to reimagine what's possible by combining technology, operational excellence, and a relentless focus on safety. With Shawnee Mission joining us, Kansas becomes our 15th state, underscoring the growing demand from districts nationwide for a better, more modern transportation model." Through Zum, Shawnee Mission School District will experience: * Modern, transparent technology for families and districts: Real-time bus tracking, proactive notifications, and clear, consistent communication that provide parents with peace of mind and districts with greater visibility and operational confidence. * Efficient, reliable transportation that supports student success: Optimized routes with a 98% on-time performance, ensuring predictable service and helping students arrive on time and ready to learn. * An industry-leading driver and monitor model: Comprehensive training, competitive pay, and benefits that attract and retain qualified drivers and monitors - addressing a nationwide driver shortage and ensuring 100% route coverage. An informational meeting for drivers and monitors will be held at Shawnee Mission North High School (7401 Johnson Dr, Overland Park, KS 66202) in the cafeteria on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, from 6:00 - 8:00 PM. All existing drivers and monitors, as well as new applicants, are encouraged to join. For more information and updates on upcoming hiring events, visit Zum's driver and monitor page. * State-of-the-art buses and infrastructure: Modern, air-conditioned buses and advanced safety technology designed to enhance the student experience and improve drivers' day-to-day work. * A parent-first experience: Transparency built into every ride, with real-time updates through the Zum app on bus location and student pickup and drop-off status. Zūm Services, Inc. is thrilled to welcome Shawnee Mission as a school district partner!
This is the third year Zum has partnered with San Bernardino City Unified School District for student transportation.