Senior Staff Technical Lead (Simulator Platform Horizontal Integrations)

Waymo LLC; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 250,000 - 360,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Regular bonus and equity performance"

Generous 401(k) and regional plans

On-site meals and snacks

Educational reimbursement

Job summary

Waymo LLC’s Simulator Team seeks a Principal to drive architectural strategy across the Simulator stack in San Francisco, guiding cross-team integrations and defining interfaces between onboard autonomy and offboard simulation. You will mentor senior engineers and shape multi-team execution.

You will lead multi-quarter roadmaps, align with senior leadership, and shape evaluation methodologies to advance next-generation autonomy and fleet growth across multiple vehicle platforms.

Qualifications

• Experience integrating next-generation onboard ML architectures into simulation environments.
• Proven ability to lead large-scale software re-architecture and cross-functional integrations.
• Strong communication skills to align senior leadership, partner engineering, research, and product teams.

Responsibilities

• Architect and guide horizontal integrations across the Waymo Simulator stack.
• Define long-term technical vision, system boundaries, and extensible interfaces linking onboard autonomy with offboard simulation and evaluation workflows.
• Lead cross-team roadmaps and architectural migrations spanning simulation, evaluation, and onboard engineering.

Skills

C++

Large-scale software architecture

Cross-functional leadership

Autonomous systems

Education

BS/MS/PhD in Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Math, or related field

Tools

Simulation platform

Job description

• The Simulator Team at Waymo builds state-of-the-art simulations of realistic environments for testing and training the Waymo Driver
• We develop industry-leading simulation solutions using advanced ML algorithms that measure and enhance the performance of the Waymo Driver
• The Simulator platform is complex and evolving
• To ensure that Waymo’s Simulation and Evaluation system seamlessly supports next-generation autonomy advancements and fleet growth, this Principal technical leadership role will look across multiple teams and guide architectural strategy for horizontal integrations across the entire Simulator software stack
• You will lead simulator projects supporting the development of new onboard architectures and ML systems, new vehicle platforms, and various novel simulator capabilities and evaluation methodologies, defining scalable system interfaces and representing the Simulator Platform in wider cross-functional Waymo efforts
• Architect and lead complex, horizontal software integrations across the Waymo Simulator stack
• Define long-term technical vision, system boundaries, and extensible interfaces that cleanly integrate onboard autonomy subsystems with offboard simulation and evaluation workflows
• Drive multi-quarter, cross-organizational technical roadmaps and large-scale architectural migrations across simulation, evaluation, and onboard engineering teams
• Partner closely with senior technical leaders across onboard, sim realism, vehicle platforms, and evaluation to align on end-to-end system design and fidelity requirements
• Establish technical standards, integration frameworks, and validation methodologies that accelerate how new Waymo Driver capabilities and vehicle platforms are brought into simulation
• Mentor senior engineers and technical leads across partner teams, elevating system architecture quality and driving cohesive cross-team execution

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and dependents
• Employee assistance programs focused on mental health
• Personalized workplace adjustments for diverse needs and abilities, including physical, mental, and neurodivergent considerations
• Access to mental health apps
• Onsite wellness centers
• Second medical opinion for you and your loved ones
• Medical advocacy program for transgender employees
• Counseling services
• Support programs including menopause benefit
• Competitive compensation
• Regular bonus and equity performance grant opportunities
• Generous 401(k) and regional retirement plans
• Annual cross-company compensation review and pay equity analysis
• 1-on-1 financial coaching
• Fertility and growing family assistance
• Parental leave and baby bonding leave
• Backup childcare
• Elder care and support
• Survivor income benefit
• Caregiver leavePaid time off, including vacation, bereavement, sick leave, parental leave, disability, and holidays
• Jury duty leave
• Military leave
• Hybrid work model with remote work opportunities also available
• Educational reimbursement
• Peer learning and coaching platform
• Donation matching programs
• Employee resource groups
• Volunteer hours
• Internal community groups and local culture clubs
• Inspiring spaces to work, recharge, and collaborate with fellow Waymonauts
• On-site meals and snacks
• Fitness centers, massage programs, and ergonomic support
• On-demand fitness, wellbeing, and cooking classes
• Commuter benefits

Experience

Experience integrating next-generation onboard ML architectures, planning/behavior models, high-definition mapping, or environmental/weather models into simulationDirect experience architecting end-to-end autonomous driving or robotics simulators, including closed-loop simulation, scenario generation, and onboard/offboard software interfacesProven success leading large-scale software re-architecture and cross-functional integration projects while maintaining high developer velocity and system reliabilityExcellent communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex technical designs, trade-offs, and strategies to diverse stakeholders, including senior leadership, partner engineering, research, and product teamsBS/MS/PhD in Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Math, or a related field (or equivalent practical experience)Strong hands‑on technical proficiency in C++ and large-scale software architecture, with demonstrated ability to establish collaboration structures across team boundariesExtensive experience operating at a technical leadership level at an autonomous vehicle (AV) company, AV simulation company, robotics company, or a related complex simulation/autonomy domainProven track record of setting multi-year technical vision, driving multi-quarter roadmaps, and delivering complex horizontal software integrations across organizational boundariesDeep expertise architecting large-scale, high-complexity simulation or autonomy systems, integrating onboard software stacks, ML models, and vehicle platforms into simulationExperience driving large-scale simulation mode migrations and supporting multi-generation vehicle platforms across open-loop and closed-loop evaluation