Waymo is an autonomous driving technology company with the mission to be the world's most trusted driver. Since its start as the Google Self-Driving Car Project in 2009, Waymo has focused on building the Waymo Driver—The World's Most Experienced Driver™—to improve access to mobility while saving thousands of lives now lost to traffic crashes. The Waymo Driver powers Waymo’s fully autonomous ride-hail service and can also be applied to a range of vehicle platforms and product use cases. The Waymo Driver has provided over ten million rider-only trips, enabled by its experience autonomously driving over 100 million miles on public roads and tens of billions in simulation across 15+ U.S. states.
Hardware Engineering is an innovative and collaborative group of electrical, mechanical, reliability, software and vehicle engineers. We design, build, and perfect the products which are the eyes and ears of Waymo's autonomous driving technology, and integrate those products into vehicle platforms. We're seeking curious and talented teammates to keep us moving in the right direction.
You will:
- Supplier Assembly Line Deployment: Lead the industrialization of "build to print" automotive autonomous sensors & ECUs (cameras, radars, lidars, compute) at external supplier partner facilities. Oversee the design, installation, and validation of automated and semi-automated assembly lines. Track production line readiness (PCBA and FATP) for all NPI builds and early production builds. Drive the resolution of open technical questions from external suppliers.
- Process Engineering & Quality: Ensure supplier manufacturing processes strictly adhere to engineering drawings, tolerances, and automotive quality standards. Drive the completion of DFxs, PFMEAs, Control Plans, MSA and capability studies (Cp/Cpk). Enforce structured equipment/station development with FMEA approach. Support ILQC audits and drive implementation of Preventative & Detective controls at external suppliers.
- Program Management: Act as the primary technical project manager for supplier launches. Establish realistic timelines, track milestones, manage equipment buy-offs (FAT/SAT), and ensure flawless execution through PPAP and Start of Production (SOP). Coordinate material supply to ensure the manufacturing development schedule stays on track. Ensure CMs have the latest BOMs and corresponding component specifications. Drive the mitigation of all process development / qualification risks that pose a threat to meeting the product performance and quality requirements.
- Contract & Commercial Management: Collaborate with Procurement and Legal to develop Statements of Work (SOW), technical specifications, and equipment contracts. Negotiate technical terms, manage change orders, and hold suppliers accountable to contractual obligations. Track suppliers Capex spend.
- Cross-Functional Leadership: Serve as the technical liaison between Internal R&D, Quality, Purchasing, and External manufacturing partners. Coordinate with Waymo cross-functional technical teams for support in debugging & resolving issues that impact manufacturing line qualification. Ensure compliance to defined requirements and manage any changes proposed by Waymo or external suppliers. Provide clear updates to Waymo management on the manufacturing process & test development & qualification status.
- Continuous Improvement: Identify manufacturing bottlenecks, yield issues, and cycle time constraints on supplier lines. Drive root cause analysis and implement corrective actions to optimize production efficiency and product quality. Identify key learnings from past projects and ensure target action items are fully executed. Ensure all proposed product or component changes are properly evaluated and appropriately implemented while mitigating associated risks for the production / equipment processes.
You have:
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Manufacturing, Electrical, Industrial Engineering, or a related field.
- Experience: 10+ years of experience in process or manufacturing engineering within the automotive industry, with direct experience handling automotive sensors, ECUs or complex electronic assemblies.
- Technical Skills: Deep understanding of "build to print" manufacturing models, automated assembly processes, testing/calibration of sensors, and automotive core tools (APQP, PPAP, PFMEA, SPC, MSA).
- Supplier Management: Proven ability to drive Tier 1/Tier 2 suppliers and equipment integrators to meet strict launch deadlines and quality metrics.
- Commercial Acumen: Hands-on experience reviewing, negotiating, and executing technical contracts, SOWs, and capital equipment agreements.
- Program Management: Strong project management skills. PMP certification is a strong plus.
We prefer:
- Advanced Manufacturing Experience: Hands-on experience with automation, active alignment (AA) of optical lenses, precision automated adhesive/TIM dispensing, UV curing, wire bonding, or cleanroom manufacturing (ISO Class 5-7).
- Specialized Testing Knowledge: Familiarity with end-of-line (EOL) functional testing for ECUs, optical target rooms for cameras/LiDAR, or RF testing in anechoic chambers for radar.
- Certifications: Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification.
- Software Proficiency: Experience using statistical analysis software (e.g., Minitab, JMP) to analyze supplier yield data, and basic proficiency in CAD (e.g., CATIA, SolidWorks) to review engineering prints and supplier DFM feedback.
- Industry Standards: Deep working knowledge of TS16949, ISO 26262 (Functional Safety) and ASPICE, specifically how they dictate manufacturing traceability, serialization, and line-side controls.
Travel requirements:
- 30% to travel domestically and internationally to supplier manufacturing sites as required during critical launch phases.
The expected base salary range for this full-time position across US locations is listed below. Actual starting pay will be based on job-related factors, including exact work location, experience, relevant training and education, and skill level. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for the role location or, if the role can be performed remote, the specific salary range for your preferred location, during the hiring process.
Waymo employees are also eligible to participate in Waymo’s discretionary annual bonus program, equity incentive plan, and generous Company benefits program, subject to eligibility requirements.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Manufacturing, Electrical, Industrial Engineering, or a related field
- 10+ years of process or manufacturing engineering experience within the automotive industry
- Direct experience with automotive sensors, ECUs, or complex electronic assemblies
- Deep understanding of build-to-print manufacturing models and automated assembly processes
- Experience with sensor testing and calibration
- Working knowledge of automotive core tools, including APQP, PPAP, PFMEA, SPC, and MSA
- Experience managing Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers and equipment integrators
- Experience reviewing, negotiating, and executing technical contracts, statements of work, and capital equipment agreements
- Strong project and program management skills
- PMP certification
- Experience with manufacturing automation, active optical alignment, adhesive or TIM dispensing, UV curing, wire bonding, or cleanroom manufacturing
- Familiarity with end-of-line ECU testing, optical target rooms, or RF testing in anechoic chambers
- Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification
- Experience using Minitab or JMP for supplier yield analysis
- Basic CAD proficiency using CATIA or SolidWorks
- Knowledge of TS16949, ISO 26262, and ASPICE manufacturing requirements
Waymo Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Waymo and has not been reviewed or approved by Waymo.
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Fair & Transparent Compensation — Pay is considered strong for full‑time technical roles, aligning with top‑tier AV/Big Tech benchmarks. Employer materials also emphasize competitive pay with eligibility for bonuses and equity as part of total rewards.
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Healthcare Strength — Coverage spans medical, dental, vision, mental‑health resources, onsite wellness centers, and counseling, with specialized programs such as menopause and transgender medical advocacy. Dependents are included, indicating depth across core health needs.
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Parental & Family Support — Offerings include fertility and family‑forming assistance, parental and baby‑bonding leave, caregiver and elder‑care support, and backup childcare. These programs are positioned to support families through multiple life stages.
Waymo Insights
What We Do
Waymo is an autonomous driving technology company with a mission to make it safe and easy for people and things to move around. With the Waymo Driver, we can improve the world’s mobility while saving thousands of lives. Waymo reaches out to candidates from official channels only (e.g. directly from @waymo.com email addresses, or through our recruiters or sourcers who are noted as such on LinkedIn). We do not contact candidates about career opportunities through instant messaging apps like Telegram, email addresses from domains other than waymo.com (such as Gmail addresses), direct messages on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, or text messages. Visit waymo.com to check out our official job listings.
