Machine Learning Engineer, Maneuvering Tech
Waymo Open · verified Oct 22, 2026 At a glance
Mid-level Machine Learning Engineering role at Waymo. Mountain View · $175,000–$215,000 base.
aimlroles summary, based on the employer's posting.
What you'll do
- Build ML systems that improve the driver’s abilities and help it scale to more use cases
- Adapt and compare generative models for vehicle perception, motion prediction and trajectory planning
- Write tested, scalable production code that puts machine learning models into use
- Work with engineers and product managers to deliver safe, smooth vehicle behavior
What you bring
- A graduate degree in computer science, machine learning, robotics or a related technical area, or equivalent practical experience
- At least three years deploying, assessing and maintaining ML systems in production settings
- Strong Python or C++ skills, with analytical and debugging ability
- Expertise with a modern deep learning framework such as JAX or PyTorch
Who this fits
This mid-level engineering role suits someone with production machine learning experience who wants to work on autonomous vehicle perception, prediction and planning. The role is based in Mountain View, and the stated base salary range is $175,000 to $215,000 per year.
From the employer
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.
Driver Refinement and Validation’s (DRV) mission is to build upon the high-quality ML Driver developed by Driver Intelligence, refining its performance to improve autonomous driving in specific, complex real-world contexts and problem areas (e.g., Ride-Hailing contexts). It aims to ensure that the Waymo Driver always computes safe, compliant, comfortable, and useful plans. As an Engineer in DRV, you will bridge the gap between cutting-edge machine learning and real-world vehicle performance, engineering the validation and onboard systems that ensure the autonomous vehicle reliably executes intelligent and predictable maneuvers.
You will:
- Develop next-generation, ML-powered systems that enhance the capabilities of the ML driver and accelerate the rapid scaling of Waymo’s business
- Fine-tune, adapt, and benchmark state-of-the-art generative models to improve autonomous vehicle perception, motion prediction, and trajectory planning
- Write high-quality, scalable, and thoroughly tested code to bring cutting-edge ML into production
- Partner with world-class engineers and product managers to deliver safe and smooth autonomous vehicle behaviors
You have:
- MS in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Robotics, or related technical field, or equivalent practical experience
- 3+ years of industry experience deploying, evaluating, and maintaining ML-based systems in real-world, production environments
- Proficient programming skills in Python and/or C++, coupled with strong analytical and debugging abilities
- Expertise with modern deep learning frameworks, such as JAX or PyTorch
We prefer:
- Experience in deep learning, reinforcement learning, and ML systems
- Domain expertise in solving prediction, behaviors, motion planning, or related robotics problems
- ML post-training experience
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$175,000—$215,000 USD