Vehicle Performance Modelling Engineer, Robotics

Wayve; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation support

Equity / ownership

Hybrid working

Learning & development budget

Health insurance

Job summary

Wayve in London is seeking a Vehicle Modelling Engineer to develop virtual vehicle models, validate them against data, and integrate production-ready code into simulation pipelines. You will collaborate with robotics, simulation, and product teams to drive model accuracy and performance in a hybrid work setting.

The role emphasizes C++/Python development, vehicle dynamics expertise, and data-driven approaches for complex modelling challenges in autonomous mobility.

Qualifications

• Experience developing mathematical models and simulation algorithms for vehicle dynamics, robotics, or control systems.
• Strong grasp of classical mechanics, numerical analysis, and computational methods.
• Validated simulation models against experimental data and know what good enough means.
• Production-quality code in C++ or Python.
• Experience in vehicle dynamics for autonomous vehicles, automotive, or motorsport.
• Familiar with data-driven approaches for modelling systems with unknown parameters.
• Knowledge of high-fidelity vehicle dynamics tools and integration into simulation workflows.

Responsibilities

• Develop virtual vehicle models using physics-based and data-driven techniques.
• Validate models against on-road data and implement correlation improvements.
• Convert models into production-quality software components that meet accuracy, performance, and scalability requirements.
• Plan, run, and analyse experimental tests at the track or with external partners to improve model accuracy.
• Share results and insights with stakeholders across robotics, simulation, and product teams.

Skills

Mathematical modelling

Simulation algorithms

C++

Python

Vehicle dynamics

Data-driven approaches

Tools

Dymola

CarSim

CarMaker

Job description

Before the detail, here's the challenge you'd help us solve. We build the embodied intelligence that moves real vehicles safely, and the ecosystem a billion machines will run on in the future. Very few people in AI can say this. Every role here, whatever the team, plugs into that.

About Our Vehicle Modelling Teams

The Vehicle Modelling team at Wayve builds virtual vehicle models that directly improve simulation accuracy and how well our cars drive. The team's output feeds simulation, evaluation tools, fleet-wide metrics, and future commercial partnerships, giving it impact across the whole company. We're integrating vehicle models with advanced modelling technologies, building what is becoming the go-to tool for simulation and evaluation at Wayve.

Your day-to-day

• Develop virtual vehicle models using physics-based and data-driven techniques
• Validate models against on-road data and implement correlation improvements
• Convert models into efficient, high-quality software components that meet accuracy, performance, and scalability requirements
• Plan, run, and analyse experimental tests at the track or with external partners to improve model accuracy
• Share results and insights with stakeholders across robotics, simulation, and product teams

What You'll Be Working On

• Virtual vehicle models that integrate with advanced modelling technologies, becoming the go-to tool for simulation and evaluation at Wayve
• Metrics and KPIs that define what "representative" means for our simulations, feeding gaps back into modelling
• Model integration across Wayve's simulation, hardware-in-the-loop, and correlation pipelines
• Cross-functional vehicle characterisation work with robotics, simulation, and product teams
• Room to specialise over time, whether that's pure modelling, correlation/metrics, or experimental track work, as the team scales

You Should Apply If

• Experience developing mathematical models and simulation algorithms for vehicle dynamics, robotics, or control systems
• A strong grasp of classical mechanics, numerical analysis, and computational methods
• You've validated simulation models against experimental data, and know what "good enough" looks like
• Confident writing production-quality code in C++ or Python
• Bring previous experience in vehicle dynamics for autonomous vehicles, automotive, or motorsport
• Comfortable with data-driven approaches, such as machine learning or system identification, for modelling systems with unknown physical parameters
• Know your way around high-fidelity vehicle dynamics tools (e.g. Dymola, CarSim, CarMaker) and how to integrate them into simulation workflows

Not ticking every box? That's totally okay! If you're passionate about autonomy and keen to learn, we encourage you to apply even if you don't meet every requirement.

More About Wayve

Wayve is building the leading AI platform for autonomous driving. We are pioneering an end to end AI approach that enables vehicles to learn directly from real world experience, developing the ability to adapt, generalise and improve at scale. Instead of relying on hand coded rules or pre mapped environments, our AI Driver learns to drive by understanding the world around it. The result is technology that navigates complex urban environments with intelligence, precision and natural flow, unlocking meaningful advances in both safety and efficiency. We believe autonomy represents a once in a generation transformation in how people and goods move, comparable to the shift from horses to cars, and from human driven vehicles to intelligent machines.

Our ambition is to make autonomy universal. Wayve's mapless and hardware agnostic AI platform integrates with global OEM partners, enabling continuous software evolution and unlocking advanced levels of automation from L2 plus through to L4 as our core AI model scales. In a race increasingly defined by intelligence and real world learning, Wayve is taking a distinct approach, building a generalisable driving intelligence that can power any vehicle, anywhere. By combining embodied AI with scalable deployment, we are creating technology that can be shaped to each OEM brand and driver experience, accelerating the transition to a safer, more intelligent future of mobility.

How we work — Locations & Flexible Working

Our main hubs are in London, Sunnyvale, Yokohama, Herzliya, Vancouver and Leonberg. We operate a hybrid working model that combines in-person collaboration in our dedicated office spaces with focused time working remotely. This gives our teams the connection and energy of working together, alongside the flexibility to do their best work in a way that fits their lives.

The Interview Process

• Initial call / recruiter screen (30 mins)
• Competency Interviews: (Hiring manager interview & Domain; 1 hour, 30 mins)
• Deep-dive technical interviews: (Programming & System design; 2 hours)
• Final interview: mission & values alignment (1 hour)

What's in it for you (Location dependent)

• Salaries benchmarked against the market annually
• Meaningful equity, sharing in the ownership and long term success of Wayve
• Relocation support and visa sponsorship where applicable
• Hybrid working, core hours and the chance to work hands on in vehicle workshops and labs
• Learning and development budgets with support for training, conferences and growth
• Comprehensive benefits including health insurance, dental, enhanced maternity and paternity leave, retirement or pension where applicable, access to therapists, wellbeing partner discounts and more

A quick, honest note before you apply. Wayve is not a mature, fully-structured place with the playbook already written. Much of how we work is still being written, and if you join, you’ll help write it. That suits people who want real ownership more than people who need a settled structure from day one.

If that sounds like the kind of problem you want to spend your time on, we’d really like to hear from you.

At Wayve we're committed to creating a diverse, fair and respectful culture that is inclusive of everyone based on their unique skills and perspectives, and regardless of sex, race, religion or belief, ethnic or national origin, disability, age, citizenship, marital, domestic or civil partnership status, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, pregnancy or related condition (including breastfeeding) or any other basis as protected by applicable law.

For more information visit Careers at Wayve. To learn more about what drives us, visit Values at Wayve

DISCLAIMER: We will not ask about marriage or pregnancy, care responsibilities or disabilities in any of our job adverts or interviews. However, we do look to capture information about care responsibilities, and disabilities among other diversity information as part of an optional DEI Monitoring form to help us identify areas of improvement in our hiring process and ensure that the process is inclusive and non-discriminatory.