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Automotive Research Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Waabi

Research Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site +1

$122K - $215K/yr

Waabi is backed by and partners with world leaders in AI, automotive, logistics, and deep tech. ... To learn more visit: www.waabi.ai As a Research Engineer, you will be at the forefront of advancing ...

Waabi

Research Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site +1

$122K - $215K/yr

Waabi is backed by and partners with world leaders in AI, automotive, logistics, and deep tech. ... To learn more visit: www.waabi.ai As a Research Engineer, you will be at the forefront of advancing ...

Turing

Senior Research Engineer

Palo Alto, CA · On-site

$122K - $168K/yr

... and frontier research benchmarks that improve model capabilities in software engineering ... automotive, and CPG to build and deploy end-to-end agentic AI systems inside mission-critical ...

Turing

Staff Research Engineer

Palo Alto, CA · On-site

... and frontier research benchmarks that improve model capabilities in software engineering ... automotive, and CPG to build and deploy end-to-end agentic AI systems inside mission-critical ...

Harmonic

Research Engineer, Formal Methods

Palo Alto, CA · On-site

$140 - $200/hr

Experience verifying programs in safety critical fields such as; aerospace/defense, automotive, medical, cryptography, etc * Proven track record in research or development of programming languages

Qualcomm

Speech & Audio Research Engineer

San Diego, CA · On-site

$148.30 - $222.50/hr

... mobile, XR, Compute, IoT, and Automotive. Our technologies have been incorporated into ... Research, development, and standardization of new conversational speech codecs for wireless ...

Waabi

Research Engineer, World Models

San Francisco, CA · On-site +1

$155K - $269K/yr

Waabi is backed by and partners with world leaders in AI, automotive, logistics, and deep tech. ... As a Research Engineer in the World Models team, you will develop algorithms and productionize the ...

Waabi

Research Engineer, World Models

San Francisco, CA · On-site +1

$155K - $269K/yr

Waabi is backed by and partners with world leaders in AI, automotive, logistics, and deep tech. ... As a Research Engineer in the World Models team, you will develop algorithms and productionize the ...

Waabi

Research Engineer, World Models

San Francisco, CA · On-site +1

$155K - $269K/yr

Waabi is backed by and partners with world leaders in AI, automotive, logistics, and deep tech. ... As a Research Engineer in the World Models team, you will develop algorithms and productionize the ...

Waabi

Research Engineer, World Models

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$155 - $269/hr

Waabi is backed by and partners with world leaders in AI, automotive, logistics, and deep tech. ... As a Research Engineer in the World Models team, you will develop algorithms and production‑ize ...

Turing

Staff Research Engineer

Palo Alto, CA · On-site

... automotive, and CPG to build and deploy end-to-end agentic AI systems inside mission-critical ... We are looking for a Staff Research Engineer to own the end-to-end lifecycle of RL environment ...

Waabi

Research Engineer, Neural Rendering

San Francisco, CA · On-site +1

$134K - $235K/yr

Waabi is backed by and partners with world leaders in AI, automotive, logistics, and deep tech. ... To learn more visit: www.waabi.ai As a Research Engineer in Neural Rendering, you will create the ...

Waabi

Research Engineer, Neural Rendering

San Francisco, CA · On-site +1

$134K - $235K/yr

Waabi is backed by and partners with world leaders in AI, automotive, logistics, and deep tech. ... To learn more visit: www.waabi.ai As a Research Engineer in Neural Rendering, you will create the ...

Waabi

Research Engineer, Neural Rendering

San Francisco, CA · On-site +1

$134K - $235K/yr

Waabi is backed by and partners with world leaders in AI, automotive, logistics, and deep tech. ... To learn more visit: www.waabi.ai As a Research Engineer in Neural Rendering, you will create the ...

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All JobsAutomotive Research Engineer JobsAutomotive Research Engineer Jobs in California

Automotive Research Engineer information

See California salary details

$36.5K

$104.6K

$140.6K

How much do automotive research engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 5, 2026, the average yearly pay for automotive research engineer in California is $104,624.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $102,600.00 and $102,600.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does an automotive research engineer do?

An Automotive Research Engineer conducts studies and experiments to develop new vehicle technologies, improve performance, enhance safety, and increase efficiency. They work on designing, testing, and analyzing automotive components, materials, and systems. This role often involves using computer simulations, data analysis, and prototype testing to solve engineering challenges. Automotive Research Engineers collaborate with manufacturers, suppliers, and regulatory bodies to meet industry standards. Their work is essential in driving innovation in areas like electric vehicles, autonomous technology, and sustainability.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an automotive research engineer?

To thrive as an Automotive Research Engineer, you need a solid background in mechanical or automotive engineering, advanced problem-solving skills, and expertise in data analysis. Familiarity with CAD software, simulation tools like MATLAB/Simulink, and knowledge of industry standards or certifications (such as ISO/TS 16949) are typically required. Strong analytical thinking, attention to detail, and the ability to communicate complex results to multidisciplinary teams are valuable soft skills. These competencies enable you to develop innovative automotive solutions, ensure product safety, and collaborate effectively in a dynamic R&D environment.

What are the typical career advancement opportunities for automotive research engineers?

Automotive Research Engineers often begin their careers in entry-level or junior engineering roles, focusing on research and product development. With experience, they can advance to senior engineer positions, project management, or specialize in areas like powertrain, vehicle safety, or autonomous systems. Many also progress to lead teams, contribute to strategic decisions, or move into R&D management roles. Continuous learning and staying current with industry technology can significantly enhance your career growth within the automotive sector.

What are the most commonly searched types of Automotive Research Engineer jobs in California?

The most popular types of Automotive Research Engineer jobs in California are:

What are popular job titles related to Automotive Research Engineer jobs in California?

For Automotive Research Engineer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Automotive Research Engineer jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Automotive Research Engineer jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Automotive Research Engineer jobs?

Cities in California with the most Automotive Research Engineer job openings:

Automotive Research Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Automotive Research Engineer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Internship, 1% As Needed, 82% Full Time, 13% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 83% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 13% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $104,624 per year, or $50.3 per hour.

Research Engineer

Waabi

San Francisco, CA • On-site, Remote

$122K - $215K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, PTO

Re-posted 11 days ago

Job description

Waabi, founded by AI visionary Raquel Urtasun, is the leader in Physical AI. With a world-class team, we're unlocking the next era of autonomous transportation with technology that's powering commercial autonomous trucks and robotaxis. Waabi is backed by and partners with world leaders in AI, automotive, logistics, and deep tech.
 
With offices in Toronto, San Francisco, Dallas, and Pittsburgh, Waabi is growing quickly and looking for diverse, innovative and collaborative candidates who want to impact the world in a positive way. To learn more visit: www.waabi.ai

As a Research Engineer, you will be at the forefront of advancing and deploying artificial intelligence algorithms for our self-driving vehicles. You will work closely with our team of world-renowned scientists and engineers specializing in deep learning, computer vision, and self-driving technologies to develop cutting-edge solutions that enable our vehicles to understand and navigate the world around them. We value originality, innovation, and a commitment to rigorous experimental validation and code quality as we strive to bring research ideas into production and push the boundaries of self-driving technology. Senior engineers are welcome to apply.
 
You will...
  • Prototype, evaluate, and iterate on solutions, using real-world data and simulations, to improve the accuracy, robustness, and safety of our self-driving algorithms.
  • Formulate problems and propose pragmatic and long-term solutions based on research insights, leveraging your expertise in deep learning, computer vision, and self-driving technologies.
  • Support deploying solutions to our production systems, collaborating closely with platform teams to ensure seamless integration of research findings into our self-driving system.
  • Champion engineering excellence, ensuring high-quality, well structured and tested code.
  • Collaborate in a multidisciplinary team solving problems related to perception, motion forecasting, planning, traffic modeling and sensor simulation, integrating research findings into our self-driving system and contributing to the development of a unified self-driving platform.
  • Stay up-to-date with the latest advancements in the field of artificial intelligence, machine learning, computer vision, and self-driving technologies, and apply insights from the literature.
  • Work with large datasets from various sources as well as Waabi World, our high-fidelity simulator.
  • Contribute to the publication of research findings in conferences as well as Waabi's blog.
 
Qualifications:
  • Bachelor's in computer science, engineering, machine learning, or a related technical discipline.
  • Experience working on applied research projects.
  • Passion for taking research ideas and turning them into practical solutions for real-world applications.
  • Solid understanding of computing fundamentals, including code efficiency.
  • Proficient in Python programming with a focus on writing high-quality, well-structured, and tested code.
  • Comfortable working with large datasets for machine learning applications.
 
Bonus/nice to have:
  • Master/PhD in machine learning, computer science, engineering, or a related field.
  • Experience in shipping machine learning features/models into production.
  • Strong grasp of machine learning literature, including current trends and state-of-the-art techniques.
  • Previous experience in self-driving technology or related fields.
  • Publications in top-tier conferences or journals related to artificial intelligence, machine learning, computer vision, or self-driving technology.
  • Experience in working with platform teams and collaborating with research teams to implement and validate deep learning models.
  • Solid experience with concurrent, parallel, and distributed computing techniques for efficient computation.
  • Proficiency in Pytorch, Rust, C++ and/or CUDA.
The US yearly salary range for this role is: $122,000 - $215,000 USD in addition to competitive perks & benefits. Waabi US Inc.’s yearly salary ranges are determined based on several factors in accordance with the Company’s compensation practices. The salary base range is reflective of the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for the position across all US locations.  Note: The Company provides additional compensation for employees in this role, including equity incentive awards and an annual performance bonus.

Perks/Benefits:
  • Competitive compensation and equity awards.
  • Health and Wellness benefits encompassing Medical, Dental and Vision coverage (for full-time employees only).
  • Unlimited Vacation.
  • Flexible hours and Work from Home support.
  • Daily drinks, snacks and catered meals (when in office).
  • Regularly scheduled team building activities and social events both on-site, off-site & virtually.
  • As we grow, this list continues to evolve! 
 
Waabi is a technology start-up building technologies to transform the way the world moves. Join our talented team to be a part of the future and to make an impact!
 
Waabi is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating a supportive, inclusive, and accessible workplace for all our employees. We seek applicants of all backgrounds and identities, across race, color, ethnicity, national origin or ancestry, age, citizenship, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, military or veteran status, marital status, pregnancy or parental status, caregiver status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law. We make workplace accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities as required by applicable law. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process please let our recruiting team know.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.