Senior Staff Industrial Designer

Waymo; California (MO); Hybrid; USD 268,000 - 340,000; Full time

Job summary

Waymo is seeking a senior Industrial Designer to define and own the long‑term design vision for multiple product areas. You will partner with executive leadership and external partners to drive cohesive design across Waymo Driver hardware.

You will lead CMF strategies, integrate ID into vehicle programs, mentor designers, and collaborate with Product and Hardware Engineering to ensure a premium, safe, brand‑aligned experience.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of hands-on design experience within automotive OEM design studios.
• Proven track record leading multiple hardware products from concept to mass production.
• Exceptional 2D and 3D design skills with mastery of sketching, rendering, and CAD.
• Strong communication and presentation skills to influence senior leadership.
• Portfolio demonstrating strategic, systems-level design thinking.

Responsibilities

• Define and own the long-term industrial design vision and strategy across multiple, complex product areas; partner with external teams to co-develop designs.
• Act as a strategic partner to leadership across Product, Hardware Engineering, UXR, and Operations to drive decisions on user needs and technical requirements.
• Own and evolve the physical product design language for Waymo's hardware in line with brand and user experience goals at executive level.
• Integrate ID design into vehicle program schedules; lead the ID team to execute negotiated timelines.
• Lead CMF and manufacturing strategies with operations and suppliers to solve high-scale production challenges.
• Mentor designers to elevate craft, process, and strategic thinking.

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.

Passionate about aesthetics and product innovation, Waymo’s Industrial Design Team is responsible for envisioning the future of mobility and autonomous driving technology. The Design Team develops and applies cohesive design language to the Waymo Driver, delivering an exceptional customer experience with best-in-class product quality.

The Industrial Design Team creates smart and elegant solutions that pave the future of mobility while prioritizing our riders’ needs & safety. We are involved in every step of the engineering and product development process to optimize Waymo’s technology and delight the rider’s journey. The team is a unique fusion of creatives and innovators with the opportunity to pioneer a new industry.

This role follows a hybrid work schedule and you will report to a Head of Industrial Design.

You will:

• Define and own the long-term industrial design vision and strategy across multiple, complex product areas, driving alignment on scope and strategy in highly ambiguous environments. Work with external partners to negotiate and co-develop designs

• Act as a key strategic partner to leadership across Product, Hardware Engineering, UXR, and Operations to drive decisions on complex user needs and technical requirements

• Own, articulate, and evolve the physical product design language for Waymo's hardware, ensuring its strategic alignment with the Waymo brand and user experience goals at an executive level

• Own and drive ID design integration into the vehicle program development schedule and process as a point of contact to the ID team. Lead the ID team to execute the program timeline negotiated

• Lead and influence CMF (Color, Materials, Finish) and manufacturing strategies, partnering with operations and global suppliers to solve complex, high-scale production challenges

• Champion design excellence and mentor other designers, elevating the entire team's craft, process, and strategic thinking

You have:

• 10+ years of deep, hands-on design experience from working directly within one or more automotive OEM design studios (e.g., Ford, GM, Toyota, VW Group, Rivian, Tesla, etc.)

• A proven track record of leading multiple, complex hardware products from ambiguous early concepts to successful mass production

• A track record of defining and successfully executing hardware development programs integrating the industrial design work-stream into a larger development schedule

• Exceptional 2D and 3D design skills, with mastery of sketching, digital rendering, 3D CAD (e.g., Alias, SolidWorks, Rhino), and rapid prototyping techniques

• Exceptional communication and presentation skills, with a proven ability to influence and align senior leadership and executive stakeholders around a design vision

• A world-class portfolio of work demonstrating strategic, systems-level design thinking, exceptional problem-solving, and a meticulous attention to detail and craft

• A degree in Industrial Design, Transportation Design or a related field, or equivalent practical experience

We prefer:

• Experience at multiple automotive OEMs, providing a broad perspective on different design cultures and manufacturing processes

• Experience designing for complex hardware systems, robotics, or products with a high degree of technical integration

• Proven leadership in creating, implementing, and scaling a physical design language across a global hardware portfolio

• Experience managing and leading design teams to successfully launch products not specific to one domain of a vehicle (exterior, interior, etc)

• Deep experience and knowledge of high-volume manufacturing processes

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. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for the role location or, if the role can be performed remote, the specific salary range for your preferred location, during the hiring process.

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.

Salary Range

$268,000-$340,000 USD