2027 Summer Intern PhD Machine Learning Research PlanningPrediction

Waymo LLC; Mountain View (CA); On-site; USD 97,000 - 138,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Housing/relocation bonus

Health, dental, vision insurance

Intern events and networking

Free meals on site

Google shuttles access

Onsite gym

Job summary

Waymo LLC is seeking a PhD candidate to join our team focused on predictive planning for the Waymo Driver. You will research and implement advanced generative models, run experiments, and deliver robust code working closely with researchers and engineers.

The role emphasizes deep learning, reinforcement learning, and practical ML tooling (TensorFlow, JAX, PyTorch) within a robust autonomous driving research environment. Onsite perks support collaboration and learning.

Qualifications

• Currently pursuing a PhD in Computer Science, ML, Robotics, or related field.
• Experience with deep learning or reinforcement learning.
• Hands-on experience with modern deep learning libraries (TensorFlow, JAX, PyTorch) and programming (Python, C/C++).
• Strong analytical and debugging skills.

Responsibilities

• Research, implement, and evaluate state-of-the-art generative models for planning and predictions using JAX.
• Conduct machine learning model experiments.
• Product high-quality, thoroughly tested code.
• Collaborate with research, product, and engineering teams to introduce new research concepts.

Skills

Deep learning

Reinforcement learning

Python programming

Education

PhD in Computer Science or related field

Tools

TensorFlow

JAX

PyTorch

Job description

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.

Software Engineering builds the brains of Waymo’s fully autonomous driving technology. Our software allows the Waymo Driver to perceive the world around it, make the right decision for every situation, and deliver people safely to their destinations. We think deeply and solve complex technical challenges in areas like robotics, perception, decision-making and deep learning, while collaborating with hardware and systems engineers. If you’re a software engineer or researcher who’s curious and passionate about Level 4 autonomous driving, we’d like to meet you.

The subteam for this role will be:

The Predictive Planning team (PrePlan) develops and deploys state of the art machine learning solutions that predicts the future State of the world and plan the Waymo Driver’s Behavior. Our mission is to transform Waymo’s unprecedented scale of driving data into robust, generalizable, and perform at deep neural networks. These models enable the autonomous vehicle to navigate complex environments safely and efficiently.

Waymo interns partner with leaders in the industry on projects that create impact to the company. We believe learning is a two-way street: applying your knowledge while providing you with opportunities to expand your skill-set. Interns are an important part of our culture and our recruiting pipeline. Join us at Waymo for a fun and rewarding internship!

You will:

• Research, implement, and evaluate state-of-the-art generative models for planning and predictions using JAX
• Conduct machine learning models experiments
• Product high-quality, thoroughly tested code
• Collaborate with research, product, and engineering teams to introduce new research concepts

You have:

• Currently pursuing a PhD degree in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Robotics, or related field
• Experience with deep learning, or reinforcement learning
• Hands-on experience with modern deep learning libraries (eg: TensorFlow, JAX, Pytorch) with basic programming skills (eg: Python, C/C++)
• Strong analytical and debugging skills

We prefer:

• Publications in top-tier conferences such as: ICML, NeurIPS, CVPR, ICCV, ECCV, ICLR, IROS, CoRL, ACL, or EMNLP
• Prior software development or research industry experience (including internships)

General Perks

• Competitive compensation packages with a housing/relocation bonus (if applicable)
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Fun intern events and networking opportunities

Onsite Perks

• Free breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks
• Free access to Google shuttles
• Onsite gym

The expected hourly rate for this full-time position is listed below. Interns are also eligible to participate in the Company’s generous benefits programs, subject to eligibility requirements.

Hourly PhD Pay $85-$85 USD