Structured Testing Vendor Engineering Lead

Waymo LLC; Arizona; Hybrid; USD 230,000 - 284,000; Full time

Job summary

Waymo LLC is seeking a Systems Test Engineering Manager to govern a large‑scale test program. You will lead vendor engineers across multiple proving grounds, covering sensing, perception, motion control, fault protection, and cybersecurity to ensure robust testing and safe operation.

You will drive alignment on handover of technical workflows, partner with engineering leads to set long-term roadmaps, and build sustainable, repeatable processes.

Qualifications

• Real world testing in automotive, aerospace or robotics with test equipment and data analysis.
• Experience establishing engagements with external engineering or testing vendors.
• Ability to lead large cross functional teams without direct authority.
• Proven transitions of large workflows to new engineering organizations.
• Experience building new engineering organizations and defining workflows.

Responsibilities

• Govern the operational performance of a large-scale test program with vendor engineers across multiple sites.
• Align on strategic handover of engineering workflows and project responsibilities.
• Collaborate with Waymo technical leads to roadmap long-term projects and integrate AI tooling.
• Develop sustainable, repeatable engineering workflows from ad hoc processes.
• Partner with engineering to design optimal organizational structure and process flows.
• Foster a culture of engineering excellence at scale within a growing organization.

Skills

Real-world testing

Vendor engagement

Cross-functional leadership

Engineering workflows

Methodologies

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.

Waymo's Systems Engineering team works together to blend software and hardware systems in groundbreaking new ways. We set the high performance standards that ensure our vehicles run smoothly and keep passengers safe, then design and perform the tests that validate that performance. We're looking for talented teammates who’ll help us maintain strong teamwork and are passionate about driving results.

This role follows a hybrid work schedule and reports to a Systems Test Engineering Manager, Structured Testing.

You will:

• Govern the operational performance and output of a large-scale test engineering program comprised of Vendor Test Engineers working across multiple vendors and three proving grounds and covering Systems Engineering technical domains including: Sensing, Perception, Motion Control, Fault Protection, Low Voltage, Cyber Security, Hardware in the Loop, and Commercialization domains
• Drive towards alignment on strategic handover of technical Engineering workflows and project responsibility
• Work with Waymo technical leads to establish long term project roadmaps to ensure that the latest automation and AI tooling is being incorporated into the testing pipeline to ensure that our testing can provide comprehensive coverage while efficiently utilizing resources
• Understand how to develop sustainable and repeatable engineering workflows from unstructured one off development processes
• Collaborate with engineering partners to create the ideal organizational structure and Engineering process flows
• Create a culture of Engineering excellence at scale for a growing Engineering organization

You have:

• Experience in real world testing in automotive, aerospace or robotics, including test equipment, data acquisition, and automated analysis
• Experience establishing new engagements with vendors providing engineering, testing, or operational services
• The ability to effectively lead large cross functional teams and projects without direct authority
• Demonstrated experience in successfully transitioning large engineering workflows from an established team to a new Engineering organization. Examples include transitioning workflows from an overseas OEM to a local team, or from a company’s HQ to a remote location
• Experience developing a new Engineering organization and establishing effective methodologies and processes to allow the team to take on new and specialized technical workflows

We prefer:

• Experience with automotive testing across a diverse range of operating conditions and technical domains. (Vehicle Dynamics, ADAS, Noise and Vibration, Durability, Sensing, Perception, etc.)
• Experience with physical hands-on testing of Autonomous Vehicles and related technologies
• Experience converting manually executed and analyzed test campaigns into more efficient automated verification methodologies
• Strong knowledge of Systems Engineering principles and experience with verification coverage plans developed from system level requirements

Travel:

• Domestic and International Travel: 20%

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

$230,000—$284,000 USD