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Waymo Engineering Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Waymo is an autonomous driving technology company with the mission to be the world's most trusted ... As the Engineering Manager for Rider Growth, you will build, lead, and inspire a high-performing ...

Software Engineering builds the brains of Waymo's fully autonomous driving technology. Our software allows the Waymo Driver to perceive the world around it, make the right decision for every ...

Partner with cross-functional teams including Data Science and Systems Engineering who will help with number crunching and expert understanding of the Waymo Driver internals. You have: * 3+ years of ...

Work with partner engineering and data science teams to answer whether the results of the "virtual driver's test" are predictive of the Waymo Driver's real-world driving behavior. * Align the overall ...

Software Engineering builds the brains of Waymo's fully autonomous driving technology. Our software allows the Waymo Driver to perceive the world around it, make the right decision for every ...

This role follows a hybrid work schedule and reports to the Director of Engineering, Waymo DevAI. You will: * Revolutionize the Inner Loop: Develop multi-agent frameworks and tools designed to enable ...

Waymo is an autonomous driving technology company with the mission to be the world's most trusted ... let engineers and automated evaluation pipelines analyze driving data. You will: • Build and ...

Partner with cross-functional teams including Data Science and Systems Engineering who will help with number crunching and expert understanding of the Waymo Driver internals. You have: * 3+ years of ...

Software Engineering builds the brains of Waymo's fully autonomous driving technology. Our software allows the Waymo Driver to perceive the world around it, make the right decision for every ...

Partner with cross-functional teams including Data Science and Systems Engineering who will help with number crunching and expert understanding of the Waymo Driver internals. You have: * 3+ years of ...

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Waymo Engineering information

See California salary details

$32.1K

$62.2K

$94.2K

How much do waymo engineering jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 14, 2026, the average yearly pay for waymo engineering in California is $62,152.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $46,400.00 and $71,100.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

How much do Waymo engineers make?

Waymo engineers typically earn between $100,000 and $160,000 annually, depending on experience, role, and location. Salaries for software and autonomous vehicle engineers often include additional benefits such as stock options and bonuses, and require skills in programming, robotics, or machine learning.

What are some common challenges faced by engineers working at Waymo, and how are they addressed within the team?

Engineers at Waymo often encounter complex technical challenges related to developing and refining autonomous vehicle systems, such as ensuring safety, reliability, and scalability of self-driving technology. These challenges are addressed through a collaborative, cross-functional team environment where engineers work closely with specialists in hardware, software, machine learning, and testing. Regular code reviews, simulation testing, and open communication help identify and solve issues efficiently. Additionally, Waymo encourages ongoing learning and knowledge sharing to stay at the forefront of innovation in autonomous driving.

What is the difference between Waymo Engineering vs Waymo Software Developer?

AspectWaymo EngineeringWaymo Software Developer
Required CredentialsBachelor's or higher in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field; experience in autonomous vehicle systemsBachelor's or higher in Computer Science or related field; programming skills in C++, Python
Work EnvironmentResearch and development, testing autonomous vehicle hardware and systemsSoftware development, coding, debugging, and deployment of autonomous vehicle software
Employer & Industry UsageUsed within Waymo's autonomous vehicle projects, often in cross-disciplinary teamsPrimarily within Waymo's software teams, focusing on application and system development

Waymo Engineering roles focus on hardware integration, system testing, and research in autonomous vehicle technology, while Waymo Software Developers concentrate on coding, software design, and implementation of autonomous driving systems. Both roles require technical expertise but differ in their focus areas within the autonomous vehicle industry.

What is Waymo Engineering?

Waymo Engineering refers to the team and roles involved in designing, developing, and maintaining the technology behind Waymo's self-driving vehicles. Engineers at Waymo work on areas such as software development, artificial intelligence, robotics, sensor integration, and vehicle systems. Their primary goal is to create safe, reliable, and efficient autonomous driving technology by solving complex technical challenges. The engineering team collaborates across disciplines to ensure the vehicles can understand and navigate the world safely.

Is it hard to get a job at Waymo?

Getting a job at Waymo as an engineer can be competitive, often requiring a strong background in software development, robotics, or related fields, along with relevant experience and skills in autonomous vehicle technology. Candidates typically go through multiple interview rounds assessing technical expertise, problem-solving ability, and cultural fit.

What engineer works on the Waymo cars?

Engineers working on Waymo cars include software engineers, hardware engineers, and robotics engineers who develop autonomous driving systems, sensors, and algorithms. These roles often require expertise in areas such as machine learning, computer vision, and embedded systems, and involve collaboration across multidisciplinary teams to ensure safety and reliability.

What engineer makes $500,000 a year?

Senior engineers at leading technology companies, including those working on autonomous vehicle systems like Waymo, can earn $500,000 or more annually through base salary, bonuses, and stock options. Such compensation typically requires extensive experience, advanced skills in software development, and contributions to high-impact projects in the field of autonomous driving or AI engineering.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Waymo Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Waymo Engineer, you need expertise in computer science, robotics, or a related engineering field, with strong proficiency in programming languages such as C++ or Python. Familiarity with autonomous vehicle systems, machine learning frameworks, and tools like ROS or TensorFlow is typically required, along with relevant certifications or advanced degrees. Excellent problem-solving, teamwork, and communication skills help engineers innovate and collaborate effectively in multidisciplinary teams. These skills are crucial for developing safe, reliable autonomous driving technology that meets rigorous industry standards.
What are the most commonly searched types of Waymo Engineering jobs in California? The most popular types of Waymo Engineering jobs in California are:
What are popular job titles related to Waymo Engineering jobs in California? For Waymo Engineering jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What cities in California are hiring for Waymo Engineering jobs? Cities in California with the most Waymo Engineering job openings:
Engineering Manager, Rider Growth

Engineering Manager, Rider Growth

Waymo

Mountain View, CA • On-site

$251K - $310K/yr

Full-time

Posted 18 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.
As the Engineering Manager for Rider Growth, you will build, lead, and inspire a high-performing, cross-functional engineering squad (comprising backend, full-stack, and mobile engineers) focused on driving sustainable rider acquisition, activation, retention, and lifetime value (LTV).
The team will build features that educate and onboard new riders to driverless technology, design subscription and loyalty programs that drive daily commuter habits, and leverage machine learning and economics to optimize dynamic promotions that shape passenger demand to match fleet availability.
You will:
  • Recruit, mentor, and grow a diverse, inclusive, and highly skilled engineering team. Foster a culture of high ownership, rapid iteration, and technical craftsmanship.
  • Partner with Product Management, User Experience (UX) Design, and Data Science, define the strategy and execute a roadmap aimed at accelerating rider growth and retention.
  • Lead the technical strategy for rider onboarding, focusing on shrinking the time-to-value (TTV) from app download to the first driverless trip. Build smooth UX flows that solve high cognitive trust barriers, educate riders on vehicle safety, and optimize physical pickup/drop-off logistics.
  • Architect and scale rider retention frameworks, including subscription services, commuter packages, and loyalty programs that incentivize frequent, habitual riding.
  • Collaborate with ML scientists and economists to design and scale highly reliable, low-latency promotional engines. Build backend systems that distribute personalized, budget-capped promotions to shape rider demand and maximize incremental ridership.
  • Champion a highly quantitative, data-driven engineering culture. Drive standard-setting experimentation practices, ensuring the team runs robust A/B tests, interprets statistical outcomes accurately, and rapidly integrates learnings back into the product.
  • Oversee the scalability, latency, and reliability of your team's services. Ensure seamless, high-performance integrations with Waymo's core routing, fleet dispatch, pricing engines, and billing ledgers.

You have:
  • 4+ years of experience directly managing and scaling high-performing software engineering teams, with a strong track record of mentoring senior and staff-level engineers.
  • 6+ years of hands-on software development experience building highly scalable, distributed backend systems (Go, Java, C++, or Python) and/or high-performance B2C mobile applications (iOS/Android).
  • Deep, practical experience running systematic product experiments (A/B testing, multivariate testing) with a strong grasp of statistical significance, experimental design, and cohort analysis.
  • Fluency in using data analytics tools (SQL, Python/Pandas, Tableau, etc.) to diagnose user drops, analyze funnel health, and identify new conversion opportunities.
  • The ability to thrive in a fast-paced, evolving environment, managing multiple parallel product experiments while maintaining absolute engineering craftsmanship.

We prefer:
  • Extensive experience scaling B2C products by driving measurable improvements across the Acquisition, Retention, and LTV (Lifetime Value) lifecycle.
  • Proven success architecting ML-driven systems for real-time offer surfacing and ranking, leveraging techniques like Multi-Armed Bandits to optimize incentives at scale.
  • Outstanding communication and collaboration skills. You can seamlessly translate high-level business and economic goals into rigorous technical requirements and align stakeholders across the business.

#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
$251,000-$310,000 USD