Autonomous Vehicle Test & Evaluation Specialist

Waabi; Phoenix (AZ); Hybrid; USD 95,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Equity awards

Health benefits

Paid time off

Retirement savings (401(k))

RSU options

Daily meals when in office

Team events

Job summary

Waabi seeks an experienced Vehicle Operator in Phoenix to run Class 8 autonomous and manual vehicles on closed courses and public roads, following the Vehicle Operator standard and safety protocols. You will document observations for engineering, support platform V&V and release testing, and travel to partner proving grounds.

A CDL A, clean driving record, and 8+ years in relevant roles are required, including 4 years on autonomous or ADAS vehicles.

Qualifications

• 8+ years as a Vehicle Operator or equivalent Class 8 operations role, including 4 years on autonomous or ADAS-equipped vehicles.
• CDL Class A, current Medical Examiner's Certificate, clean driving record, background check, and drug screen.
• Strong technical aptitude with autonomy platforms.
• Ability to characterize vehicle behavior precisely: consistent vs intermittent, reproducible vs one-off, with conditions and magnitude.
• Strong written communication for in-cab observations to reports for engineering and safety.
• Familiarity with closed-course and proving-ground protocols, including edge-case and failure-mode testing.
• Knowledge of FMCSA and DOT requirements: DVIR, Hours of Service, DOT annual inspection, CVSA out-of-service criteria, 49 CFR Parts 393 and 396.
• Experience training or certifying other commercial drivers is desirable.
• CVSA Enhanced Pre-trip certification or proving-ground licenses a strong plus.
• Willingness to maintain documentation and learn reporting tools.
• Passion for self-driving tech, safety culture, and operational excellence.

Responsibilities

• Operate Class 8 autonomous and manual vehicles on closed course and public roads, to the full Vehicle Operator standard.
• Own in-seat execution of platform V&V and release testing including testing safety assurance limits, driver override response, supervised autonomy stability, and fault injection.
• Produce written evaluations precise enough for engineering to act on, separating baseline from novel behavior and stating whether it reproduces.
• Execute vehicle dynamics and characterization campaigns — tire evaluation, trailer stability, axle-weight verification — including offsite testing at partner proving grounds.
• Serve as the qualified evaluator for operator certification: administer Knowledge and Proficiency Checks and clear operators onto a platform.
• Author and maintain platform-specific operator documentation — start-up and shutdown sequences, known-behavior references, SOP input.
• Own the DOT and CVSA compliance read on new platforms.
• Train operators on new platforms and move platform knowledge between sites ahead of any handover.
• Escalate safety-relevant findings and stop testing when equipment or vehicle behavior warrants it. Document the basis for that call.

Skills

CDL Class A

Medical Certificate

Clean driving record

FMCSA/DOT knowledge

Technical aptitude

Written communication

Training & certification

Shift flexibility

Travel readiness

Job description

Waabi seeks an experienced Vehicle Operator in Phoenix to run Class 8 autonomous and manual vehicles on closed courses and public roads, following the Vehicle Operator standard and safety protocols. You will document observations for engineering, support platform V&V and release testing, and travel to partner proving grounds.

A CDL A, clean driving record, and 8+ years in relevant roles are required, including 4 years on autonomous or ADAS vehicles.