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Director Autonomous Driving Engineer Jobs in Seattle, WA

As a Deep Learning Engineer, you will design, develop, and deploy deep learning systems for ... in autonomous driving or ADAS is a plus -- background in perception pipelines, sensor fusion, or ...

As a Deep Learning Engineer, you will design, develop, and deploy deep learning systems for ... in autonomous driving or ADAS is a plus -- background in perception pipelines, sensor fusion, or ...

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Director Autonomous Driving Engineer information

See Seattle, WA salary details

$83.1K

$221.6K

$289.1K

How much do director autonomous driving engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 22, 2026, the average yearly pay for director autonomous driving engineer in Seattle, WA is $221,584.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $161,000.00 and $287,900.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a director autonomous driving engineer do?

A Director Autonomous Driving Engineer leads and manages teams responsible for developing self-driving vehicle technologies. This role oversees the technical strategy, project execution, and integration of hardware and software for autonomous systems. Directors in this position collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, ensure safety and regulatory compliance, and drive innovation to advance autonomous vehicle capabilities. They also mentor engineers, set technical standards, and work with stakeholders to align product goals with business objectives.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a director autonomous driving engineer?

To thrive as a Director Autonomous Driving Engineer, you need deep expertise in robotics, computer vision, sensor fusion, and machine learning, typically supported by an advanced degree in engineering or computer science and significant industry experience. Familiarity with tools such as ROS, simulation platforms, automotive-grade software systems, and relevant safety certifications (like ISO 26262) is crucial. Strong leadership, strategic thinking, and effective communication are essential soft skills for guiding multidisciplinary teams and collaborating with stakeholders. These abilities are vital for driving innovation, ensuring technical excellence, and delivering safe, reliable autonomous driving solutions.

How does a director autonomous driving engineer typically collaborate with cross-functional teams within an organization?

As a Director of Autonomous Driving Engineering, you'll regularly collaborate with cross-functional teams such as hardware engineers, data scientists, product managers, safety and compliance experts, and user experience designers. Your role involves aligning the technical roadmap with business goals, ensuring seamless integration of software and hardware, and facilitating effective communication between departments. This collaborative approach is crucial for addressing complex challenges, maintaining project momentum, and ensuring the autonomous driving system meets safety, regulatory, and performance standards.

What is the difference between Director Autonomous Driving Engineer vs Senior Autonomous Driving Engineer?

AspectDirector Autonomous Driving EngineerSenior Autonomous Driving Engineer
ResponsibilitiesOversees autonomous driving projects, manages teams, sets strategic goalsDesigns and develops autonomous driving systems, implements algorithms
Required CredentialsAdvanced degree (Master's/PhD), extensive experience, leadership skillsRelevant engineering degree, several years of experience in autonomous systems
Work EnvironmentLeadership roles in R&D teams, cross-department collaborationHands-on engineering in labs or development teams
Industry UsageCommon in tech and automotive companies for strategic rolesCommon in engineering teams focused on system development

The main difference is that the Director Autonomous Driving Engineer focuses on leadership, strategy, and project oversight, while the Senior Autonomous Driving Engineer is primarily involved in technical development and implementation. Both roles require relevant technical credentials, but the director position emphasizes management and strategic planning within autonomous driving projects.

What are popular job titles related to Director Autonomous Driving Engineer jobs in Seattle, WA?

For Director Autonomous Driving Engineer jobs in Seattle, WA, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Director Autonomous Driving Engineer jobs in Seattle, WA look for?

The top searched job categories for Director Autonomous Driving Engineer jobs in Seattle, WA are:

Infographic showing various Director Autonomous Driving Engineer job openings in Seattle, WA as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 86% Full Time, 9% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 88% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $221,584 per year, or $106.5 per hour.

Director of Engineering - Autonomous Vehicles

Nvidia

Redmond, WA

Full-time

Re-posted 21 hours ago


Nvidia rating

9.6

Company rating: 9.6 out of 10

Based on 17 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

7th of 246 rated software companies


Job description

Job Description

NVIDIA has been transforming computer graphics, PC gaming, and accelerated computing for more than 25 years. It's a unique legacy of innovation that's fueled by great technology-and amazing people. Today, we're tapping into the unlimited potential of AI to define the next era of computing. An era in which our GPU acts as the brains of computers, robots, and self-driving cars that can understand the world. Doing what's never been done before takes vision, innovation, and the world's best talent. As an NVIDIAN, you'll be immersed in a diverse, supportive environment where everyone is inspired to do their best work. Come join the team and see how you can make a lasting impact on the world.

At NVIDIA, we're building the future of autonomous driving - from the silicon to the full-stack AI systems that power next-generation robots on wheels. Our ability to deliver safe, scalable autonomy depends on one thing above all: data. Extensive, diverse, high-quality data. We seek a Director of Engineering to guide international teams in Europe and the U.S. who develop systems and algorithms extracting intelligence from petascale fleets. This role offers an opportunity to build the data engine powering one of the world's most advanced AI platforms.

What You'll Be Doing:

  • Lead, encourage, and develop world-class engineering and data teams distributed across Europe and the United States.

  • Architect and operationalize NVIDIA's end-to-end data curation strategy, powering AI training, simulation, and continuous AV performance improvements.

  • Invent and deploy brand new algorithms that mine, classify, and surface the most valuable driving scenarios from massive real-world and simulated datasets.

  • Collaborate closely with NVIDIA research, AV perception, mapping, simulation, and fleet operations teams to ensure timely, high-fidelity data delivery.

  • Drive scale: build systems that operate reliably across billions of frames, thousands of edge cases, and diverse sensor configurations.

  • Champion data quality and metadata standards that accelerate development and improve safety and performance.

What We Need to See:

  • 15+ overall years of industry experience including 5+ years in technical leadership, director-level, or equivalent.

  • Bachelors degree or equivalent experience.

  • Demonstrated success leading distributed engineering or data-focused teams.

  • Deep understanding of algorithm development for data mining, filtering, clustering, or scenario discovery.

  • Hands-on experience with VLMs, LLMs, or multimodal AI systems applied to perception, data triage, or automated labeling.

  • Prior experience in the autonomous vehicle ecosystem - perception, mapping, robotics, ADAS/AD, or AV data workflows.

  • Strong expertise in large-scale data processing, systems build, or machine learning pipelines.

  • Strong communication, careful planning, and technical leadership capabilities.

Ways to Stand Out From the Crowd:

  • Hands-on experience with AV scenario mining, drive replay, or simulation feedback loops.

  • Experience building automated data quality frameworks or annotation workflows for perception systems.

  • Ability to drive clarity and alignment across research, engineering, and product leadership.

Widely considered to be one of the technology world's most desirable employers, NVIDIA offers highly competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package. As you plan your future, see what we can offer to you and your family www.nvidiabenefits.com/

Your base salary will be determined based on your location, experience, and the pay of employees in similar positions. The base salary range is 320,000 USD - 488,750 USD.

You will also be eligible for equity and benefits.

Applications for this job will be accepted at least until July 25, 2026.

This posting is for an existing vacancy.

NVIDIA uses AI tools in its recruiting processes.

NVIDIA is committed to fostering an inclusive work environment and proud to be an equal opportunity employer. As we highly value diversity in our current and future employees, we do not discriminate (including in our hiring and promotion practices) on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status or any other characteristic protected by law.

What Nvidia employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

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About Nvidia

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

NVIDIA has been transforming computer graphics, PC gaming, and accelerated computing for more than 25 years. It's a unique legacy of innovation that's fueled by great technology--and amazing people. Today, we're tapping into the unlimited potential of AI to define the next era of computing. An era in which our GPU acts as the brains of computers, robots, and self-driving cars that can understand the world. Doing what's never been done before takes vision, innovation, and the world's best talent.

Industry

Computer and electronic product manufacturing

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Santa Clara, CA, US

Year founded

1993