Lead Product Manager, Autonomy

Waabi; Toronto; On-site; CAD 227,000 - 358,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation and equity

Health and Wellness benefits

Unlimited Vacation

Flexible hours and Work from Home

Daily snacks and catered meals

Team building events

Equity incentives

Job summary

Waabi is seeking a Lead Product Manager to drive the strategy and execution of the Autonomy stack powering Waabi Driver. You will bridge AI research with real‑world commercial needs and own end‑to‑end product lifecycle across trucking and robotaxi verticals.

You will collaborate with Engineering, Design, Research, Simulation, Systems, Safety, and Commercial teams to translate complex use cases into requirements, prioritize readiness metrics, and accelerate driverless deployment.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 8+ years of experience in a Product Management role, with a proven track record in autonomous vehicles, robotics, or complex AI/ML systems.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills to resolve dependencies, inform strategic decisions, and evaluate trade‑offs between performance and safety.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with significant experience drafting written strategy documents and slides to communicate complex autonomy concepts to diverse stakeholders.
• Demonstrated leadership abilities, with experience driving results and cross‑functional alignment in fast‑paced, high‑growth environments.
• Exhibits exceptional empathy, fostering a deep understanding of the needs of internal engineering teams, safety drivers, and commercial partners.
• Adaptable and versatile, proficient at navigating the shift from R&D‑heavy environments to product‑driven commercial execution.
• Able to maintain progress towards long‑term architectural goals while solving immediate operational hurdles.
• Passion for autonomous systems, safety‑critical software, and building the “brain” of the vehicle that will redefine the future of freight.

Responsibilities

• Define, develop and execute the Autonomy roadmap, aligning core driving capabilities with the company’s driverless and commercial milestones across both the trucking and robotaxi verticals.
• Drive the end‑to‑end product lifecycle for autonomy features by translating complex use cases into actionable requirements and establishing performance benchmarks for deploying core driving behaviors in the real world.
• Lead cross‑functional alignment across Engineering, Design, Research, Simulation, Systems Engineering, Safety, and Commercial teams to define product requirements, manage technical trade‑offs, and develop frameworks that make autonomy performance measurable and transparent.
• Analyze performance data and feedback from simulation, track, and road testing to develop a comprehensive understanding of system readiness metrics and systematically prioritize issue resolution.
• Be a team player who prioritizes trust, transparency, and honesty, leading by example in a high‑stakes, safety‑critical environment.
• Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) such as ODD coverage, system readiness, and route viability to make data‑driven decisions that accelerate commercialization.

Job description

Waabi, founded by AI visionary Raquel Urtasun, is the leader in Physical AI. With a world-class team, we’re unlocking the next era of autonomous transportation with technology that’s powering commercial autonomous trucks and robotaxis. Waabi is backed by and partners with world leaders in AI, automotive, logistics, and deep tech.

With offices in Toronto, San Francisco, Dallas, and Pittsburgh, Waabi is growing quickly and looking for diverse, innovative and collaborative candidates who want to impact the world in a positive way. To learn more visit: www.waabi.ai

We are seeking a Lead Product Manager to lead the strategy and execution of the core autonomy stack that powers the Waabi Driver. This role is central to the success of the business and requires a leader who can bridge the gap between cutting‑edge AI research and real‑world commercial requirements. You will provide focused ownership and coordination across teams, ensuring that autonomy efforts are aligned with both technical milestones and driverless launch objectives. You will bring the strategic depth and execution rigor needed to manage complexity at this scale, turning advanced autonomy capabilities into a reliable, commercial product.

You Will…

• Define, develop and execute the Autonomy roadmap, aligning core driving capabilities with the company’s driverless and commercial milestones across both the trucking and robotaxi verticals.

• Drive the end‑to‑end product lifecycle for autonomy features by translating complex use cases into actionable requirements and establishing performance benchmarks for deploying core driving behaviors in the real world.

• Lead cross‑functional alignment across Engineering, Design, Research, Simulation, Systems Engineering, Safety, and Commercial teams to define product requirements, manage technical trade‑offs, and develop frameworks that make autonomy performance measurable and transparent.

• Analyze performance data and feedback from simulation, track, and road testing to develop a comprehensive understanding of system readiness metrics and systematically prioritize issue resolution.

• Be a team player who prioritizes trust, transparency, and honesty, leading by example in a high‑stakes, safety‑critical environment.

• Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) such as ODD coverage, system readiness, and route viability to make data‑driven decisions that accelerate commercialization.

Qualifications:

• Minimum of 8+ years of experience in a Product Management role, with a proven track record in autonomous vehicles, robotics, or complex AI/ML systems.

• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills to resolve dependencies, inform strategic decisions, and evaluate trade‑offs between performance and safety.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with significant experience drafting written strategy documents and slides to communicate complex autonomy concepts to diverse stakeholders.

• Demonstrated leadership abilities, with experience driving results and cross‑functional alignment in fast‑paced, high‑growth environments.

• Exhibits exceptional empathy, fostering a deep understanding of the needs of internal engineering teams, safety drivers, and commercial partners.

• Adaptable and versatile, proficient at navigating the shift from R&D‑heavy environments to product‑driven commercial execution.

• Able to maintain progress towards long‑term architectural goals while solving immediate operational hurdles.

• Passion for autonomous systems, safety‑critical software, and building the “brain” of the vehicle that will redefine the future of freight.

Bonus:

• Deep understanding of the autonomy stack (e.g. Perception, Prediction, Motion Planning, Localization) and the nuances of autonomous driving operations.

• Experience defining operational boundaries and safety validation milestones to drive the successful deployment of autonomous features in complex environments.

• Technical experience in autonomous vehicle development or a background in Computer Science/Robotics.

• Experience working in an Agile/Scrum environment tailored for deep‑tech research.

The US yearly salary range for this role is: $165,000 - $260,000 USD in addition to competitive perks & benefits. Waabi (US) Inc.’s yearly salary ranges are determined based on several factors in accordance with the Company’s compensation practices. The salary base range is reflective of the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for the position across all US locations. Note: The Company provides additional compensation for employees in this role, including equity incentive awards and an annual performance bonus.

Perks/Benefits:

• Competitive compensation and equity awards.

• Health and Wellness benefits encompassing Medical, Dental and Vision coverage (for full‑time employees only).

• Unlimited Vacation.

• Flexible hours and Work from Home support.

• Daily drinks, snacks and catered meals (when in office).

• Regularly scheduled team building activities and social events both on‑site, off‑site & virtually.

• As we grow, this list continues to evolve!

Waabi is a technology start‑up building technologies to transform the way the world moves. Join our talented team to be a part of the future and to make an impact!

Waabi is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating a supportive, inclusive, and accessible workplace for all our employees. We seek applicants of all backgrounds and identities, across race, color, ethnicity, national origin or ancestry, age, citizenship, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, military or veteran status, marital status, pregnancy or parental status, caregiver status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law. We make workplace accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities as required by applicable law. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process please let our recruiting team know.