Lead Data Scientist - Evaluation Metrics & Scale

Waymo; California (MO); Hybrid; USD 238,000 - 302,000; Full time

Job summary

Waymo is seeking a data science leader to measure and improve the quality of behavior evaluation for the Waymo Driver. In this hybrid role, you will lead initiatives to develop metrics, sampling strategies, and statistical approaches that ensure safe and scalable evaluation of the autonomous driving system.

You will partner with product and engineering teams, drive insights across organizations, and help design launch criteria based on rigorous evaluation frameworks.

Qualifications

• Degree in a quantitative field (e.g. Statistics, Mathematics, Physics)
• PhD in a quantitative field with 5+ years of industry experience or 7+ years of industry experience in data science
• Solid statistical background with advanced methods (experimentation design, causal inference) and familiarity with ML systems/models
• Proficiency with data analysis libraries in Python, R, or SQL
• Strong communication/leadership across organizations and products
• Ability to navigate ambiguous business requirements and propose clear technical solutions

Responsibilities

• Lead a roadmap to develop metrics, sampling strategies, and KPIs for evaluating Waymo Driver behaviors
• Influence evaluation signals used by engineers to ensure positive impacts on Waymo Driver changes
• Conduct deep-dive analyses to identify bottlenecks and prototype improvements in metrics and inference
• Become an expert in Waymo’s evaluation ecosystem for onboard software and launch criteria
• Collaborate with product and engineering teams to build scalable evaluation solutions
• Provide actionable feedback to stakeholders for continuous improvement

Skills

Statistics

Python/SQL

Communication

Experimentation

Causal inference

Education

PhD in quantitative field

Bachelor's in quantitative field

Job description

Waymo is seeking a data science leader to measure and improve the quality of behavior evaluation for the Waymo Driver. In this hybrid role, you will lead initiatives to develop metrics, sampling strategies, and statistical approaches that ensure safe and scalable evaluation of the autonomous driving system.

You will partner with product and engineering teams, drive insights across organizations, and help design launch criteria based on rigorous evaluation frameworks.