Software Engineer (Python, SQL)
About The CompanyWaymo is a pioneering autonomous driving technology company dedicated to creating the world’s most trusted driver. Originating from the Google Self-Driving Car Project initiated in 2009, Waymo has continuously advanced its mission to enhance mobility access while prioritizing safety and saving lives. The company’s flagship innovation, the Waymo Driver, is recognized as the most experienced autonomous driver, having driven over 100 million miles on public roads and completed more than ten million rider-only trips across various states in the U.S. Waymo’s technology integrates sophisticated perception, planning, and control systems, powering fully autonomous ride-hail services and enabling applications across diverse vehicle platforms. With a commitment to research and collaboration, Waymo leverages extensive real-world data and simulation to refine its models, aiming to make transportation safer and more accessible for all.About The RoleWe are seeking an experienced and innovative Senior Machine Learning Engineer to join our Perception team. In this role, you will be instrumental in developing sensor-fusion foundation models that underpin the Waymo Driver’s perception capabilities. Your primary focus will be to create models capable of providing a comprehensive temporal and spatial understanding of the environment, facilitating safe and reliable autonomous driving. You will collaborate closely with cross-functional teams—including AI Foundation, Planning, and Simulation—to accelerate model development and deployment processes. Your expertise will help solve large-scale training challenges, optimize system latency, and implement solutions for rapid model updates, ensuring that our autonomous systems remain at the forefront of technology. Reporting to the Director of Engineering, you will lead technical initiatives that shape the future of self-driving technology and contribute to Waymo’s mission of making transportation safer and more accessible.QualificationsMaster's degree or PhD in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field10+ years of experience in machine learning model development4+ years of experience with large-scale vision, video, or multi-modal foundation model development and integration6+ years of experience in ML-driven production systems involving large-scale data, training, evaluation, and deployment6+ years of technical leadership experience, leading teams and setting strategic directions in ML engineering organizations3+ years of experience with computer vision models, large language models (LLMs), or vision-language modelsProficiency in programming languages such as C++, Python, and familiarity with deep learning frameworks like PyTorch or JAXStrong passion for engineering excellence, automation, and continuous improvement of model qualityResponsibilitiesDevelop and refine sensor-fusion foundation models capable of real-time environmental understanding on autonomous vehiclesAddress large-scale, multi-stage training processes utilizing extensive driving data while optimizing resource utilizationCreate solutions for frequent model updates, reducing time-to-impact from observation to actionOptimize end-to-end system latency from model training and updating to deployment, ensuring real-time performanceLead collaborative efforts across Perception, AI Foundation, Planning, and Simulation teams to accelerate development cyclesPartner with research teams within Alphabet to incorporate cutting-edge innovations and foster knowledge sharingDrive technical excellence by implementing automation workflows, improving model quality, and scaling model deployment processesBenefitsCompetitive salary range of $349,000 to $431,000 USD, commensurate with experience and locationParticipation in Waymo’s discretionary annual bonus program and equity incentive planComprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance coverageGenerous paid time off and flexible work arrangements, including hybrid optionsOpportunities for professional development and continuous learningAccess to innovative projects at the forefront of autonomous driving technologyInclusive work environment that values diversity and collaborationEqual OpportunityWaymo is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or any other protected status. We believe that diverse teams foster innovation and help us achieve our mission to build safer and more accessible transportation solutions for everyone.