Lead Noise, Vibration, and Harshness (NVH) Engineer

Waymo; Mountain View (CA); Hybrid; USD 230,000 - 284,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Discretionary annual bonus

Equity incentive plan

Benefits program

Job summary

Waymo is seeking a senior NVH engineer to own the vehicle NVH architecture across the development cycle. You will lead the integration of NVH strategies for the Self Driving System with the base vehicle, guiding design choices to deliver a quiet, reliable ride.

You will apply CAE tools (Nastran, Optistruct, Abaqus) and NVH testing methods to predict, analyze, and optimize noise and vibration. Collaboration with design teams and OEM partners is essential for compatibility and performance.

Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering with 12+ years in automotive NVH and full-vehicle design/analysis.
• Strong knowledge of acoustics, vibration, modal analysis, and sound quality metrics.
• Proficiency with NVH CAE tools (Nastran, Optistruct, Abaqus) and NVH test equipment such as B&K or Simcenter Testlab.

Responsibilities

• Define and own the complete vehicle NVH architecture from top-level requirements to component targets.
• Lead integration of NVH strategy for Self Driving System with base vehicle, influencing design where needed.
• Use CAE tools to predict, analyze, and optimize NVH throughout development cycle.
• Plan, execute, and analyze vehicle and component-level NVH tests in lab and on road.
• Drive adoption of new NVH technologies and develop robust countermeasures for complex issues.
• Collaborate with design teams and OEM partners to ensure NVH compatibility across vehicle attributes.

Skills

NVH Engineering

Acoustics

Modal Analysis

Sound Quality

Education

Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Nastran

Optistruct

Abaqus

Hypermesh

Simlab

Ansa

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.

Our vehicle engineers work with the cars of the future every day. We touch every part of the vehicle — electrical and thermal systems, chassis and interiors, power and energy storage and beyond — as we add self-driving power to existing auto designs and create new systems of our own. Our goal: To build a new generation of high-performing vehicles that are comfortable, reliable and safe.

This role follows a hybrid work schedule and you will report to a Lead Mechanical Simulation Engineer.

You Will

• Full Vehicle NVH Architecture: Define and implement the complete vehicle NVH strategy, from top-level vehicle requirements to component-level targets, end-to-end engineering including tracking and delivery of targets
• Design and Integration: Lead the implementation of the NVH strategy for the integration of the Self Driving System and the base vehicle platform. Where necessary influencing all elements of the integration and vehicle/system design to ensure a quiet and calm environment for our end users, including: body structure, powertrain mounts, suspension, tires, acoustic treatments, isolations etc
• Simulation and Analysis: Utilize advanced CAE tools (e.g., finite element analysis (FEA), statistical energy analysis (SEA)) to predict, analyze, and optimize NVH characteristics throughout the product development cycle
• Testing and Validation: Plan, execute, and analyze vehicle and component-level NVH tests (e.g., sound quality, road noise, wind noise, powertrain contribution) both in the lab and on the road
• Technology leadership and Problem Solving: Stay current with and drive the adoption of emerging NVH technologies, materials, and measurement techniques, develop innovative solutions like utilizing cabin noise and induced sound through speakers to predict mechanical failures, lead root cause analysis and develop robust engineering countermeasures for complex NVH issues identified during virtual and physical validation
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with Waymo internal design teams and OEM partners to ensure NVH solutions are compatible with all other vehicle attributes and develop detailed NVH models for the Waymo components in collaboration with the CAE team

You Have

• Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering with minimum 12 years of experience in automotive NVH engineering with increasing responsibility, including significant experience in full vehicle design/analysis and target setting.
• Deep theoretical and practical knowledge of acoustics, vibration, modal analysis, and sound quality metrics.
• Expertise in NVH CAE tools like Nastran, Optistruct and Abaqus, NVH signal processing tools, and familiarity in model building with tools like Hypermesh, Simlab and Ansa.
• Proficiency in NVH test equipment and software (e.g., B&K, Simcenter Testlab, VIacoustics) and expertise in performing NVH tests

We Prefer

• Experience with electric vehicle (EV) NVH challenges, including driveline whine, brake noise, and battery pack isolation
• Familiarity with global automotive NVH regulations and standards
• Experience in the selection and application of door seals, cabin interior trims, thermal ducts materials, and other acoustic materials for NVH

The expected base salary range for this full-time position across US locations is listed below.

Actual starting pay will be based on job‑related factors, including exact work location, experience, relevant training and education, and skill level.

Salary Range

$230,000—$284,000 USD

Waymo employees are also eligible to participate in Waymo’s discretionary annual bonus program, equity incentive plan, and generous Company benefits program, subject to eligibility requirements.