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3D Car Modeling Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

ALSO

Wire Harness Engineer

Palo Alto, CA · On-site

$180K - $230K/yr

Our mission is to inspire everyone to ride ALSO--replacing many local car, truck and SUV miles with ... Deep expertise in 3D CAD modeling, drafting, GD&T and utilizing PLM systems for doc and release ...

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All Jobs3D Car Modeling Jobs3D Car Modeling Jobs in California

3D Car Modeling information

See California salary details

$39K

$77.4K

$122.9K

How much do 3d car modeling jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 11, 2026, the average yearly pay for 3d car modeling in California is $77,445.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $57,700.00 and $96,700.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in 3d car modeling?

Success in 3D Car Modeling requires strong proficiency in 3D modeling software, a solid understanding of automotive design principles, and often a degree in industrial design or a related field. Familiarity with tools such as Autodesk Maya, Blender, or 3ds Max, and sometimes CAD software, is typically expected, along with certifications or a portfolio showcasing relevant work. Attention to detail, creativity, teamwork, and effective communication are key soft skills for collaborating within multidisciplinary teams and meeting project deadlines. These capabilities are crucial for delivering accurate, visually appealing automotive models that align with industry standards and client specifications.

What does a typical workday look like for a 3d car modeler, and how do they interact with other team members?

A typical day for a 3D Car Modeler often starts with reviewing design briefs and reference materials provided by automotive designers or engineers. Throughout the day, you’ll create or modify detailed 3D car models, adjust surface details, and ensure that the virtual models meet both aesthetic and functional requirements. Frequent collaboration with team members—including design leads, engineers, and texture artists—is common to resolve technical challenges and incorporate feedback. Regular meetings, project reviews, and file sharing are integral to keeping projects aligned and progressing smoothly. This collaborative environment helps ensure consistency and quality across all aspects of the vehicle design process.

What is 3d car modeling?

A 3D Car Modeling job involves creating highly detailed and accurate digital models of cars using specialized 3D software such as Blender, Maya, or 3ds Max. These models are used in video games, movies, automotive design, and virtual reality applications. The role requires a strong understanding of vehicle anatomy, surface modeling techniques, and texturing. Modelers may work from blueprints, reference images, or concept sketches to ensure realism. Attention to detail and proficiency in industry-standard tools are essential for success in this field.

What are the most commonly searched types of 3D Car Modeling jobs in California? The most popular types of 3D Car Modeling jobs in California are:
What are popular job titles related to 3D Car Modeling jobs in California? For 3D Car Modeling jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching 3D Car Modeling jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for 3D Car Modeling jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for 3D Car Modeling jobs? Cities in California with the most 3D Car Modeling job openings:
3D Car Modeling jobs near you
Infographic showing various 3D Car Modeling job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 89% Full Time, and 11% Contract. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $77,445 per year, or $37.2 per hour.

Senior/Staff ML Engineer, 3D/4D World Modeling, Simulation

Waymo

Mountain View, CA • On-site

$213K - $263K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 11 days ago

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.
The Simulator Team at Waymo builds state-of-the-art simulations of realistic environments for testing, training, and validation of the Waymo Driver. Our team is a diverse, and collaborative group of machine learning (ML) engineers, software engineers, and ML research engineers. We develop industry-leading simulation solutions using advanced generative and reconstructive ML algorithms, to model the real world, encompassing realistic agents, roads, traffic systems, weather, and the full sensor suite (Camera, Lidar, Radar).
To accelerate the fidelity, scalability, controllability, and richness of our simulations, we are pushing the frontiers of 3D world modeling. We leverage state-of-the-art ML technologies trained on large-scale datasets to create dynamic and semantically rich virtual worlds, directly impacting the development and validation of the Waymo Driver.
In this role, you will report to a Senior Staff Engineering Manager.
You will:
  • Lead the design, development and deployment of cutting-edge 4D world models and generative systems for ultra-realistic and controllable sensor and semantics generation for simulation use cases at waymo.
  • Architect and implement scalable and robust ML pipelines for training, evaluating, and deploying large-scale generative models into our simulation infrastructure, including techniques like model distillation and quantization.
  • Build and scale production-ready video generation techniques (e.g., Diffusion, Flow Matching) to create dynamic and interactive simulation environments.
  • Apply Vision Language Models (VLMs) to enhance the semantic understanding and controllability of our world simulation products.
  • Partner with world class research teams across Waymo and Alphabet to leverage State-of-The-Art research in 4D world modeling and generative AI into robust, production-ready solutions.
  • Mentor and provide technical guidance to other engineers on the team.

You have:
  • MS or PhD in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Robotics, or a related field.
  • 5+ years of experience in ML engineering and applied Deep Learning, with a strong portfolio of shipped products or publication record.
  • Proven experience in developing and training large-scale generative models for video generation (e.g., Diffusion models, Flow Matching) or Vision Language Models (VLMs) and their applications.
  • Deep expertise in 3D World Modeling or 3D computer vision.
  • Familiarity with 3D reconstruction and rendering techniques (e.g., 3D Gaussian Splatting).
  • Strong programming skills in Python and experience with ML frameworks such as Jax/Flax, PyTorch or Tensorflow.

We prefer:
  • PhD and a strong track record of delivering impactful ML products in 3D generative models, world models, or video generation..
  • Experience in simulating sensor data (Camera, Lidar, Radar) and/or semantic scenes.
  • Experience with autonomous systems, robotics, or autonomous vehicle simulation.
  • Experience in training and optimizing large scale models on GPU/TPU clusters for efficient serving.
  • Experience in C++ for production systems.

#LI-Hybrid
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
$213,000-$263,000 USD

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