Senior Software Engineer, Motion Controls

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.

Hardware Engineering is an innovative and collaborative group of electrical, mechanical, reliability, software and vehicle engineers. We design, build, and perfect the products which are the eyes and ears of Waymo's autonomous driving technology, and integrate those products into vehicle platforms. We're seeking curious and talented teammates to keep us moving in the right direction.

This role follows a hybrid work schedule and reports to Technical Lead & Manager of Motion Control.

You will:

• Architect, implement, and validate control and estimation algorithms that ensure safe and comfortable movement of the Waymo Driver


• Engineer mission-critical C++ software on-vehicle to ensure reliable autonomous vehicle control


• Build tools in Python and C++ to simulate and analyze vehicle performance


• Extract actionable insights from complex field data and simulations, presenting high-impact findings to diverse, cross-functional stakeholders


• Drive cross-functional innovation by reviewing motion planning designs, establishing safety requirements, and spearheading rapid prototyping initiatives

You have:

• A degree in Engineering with a specialized focus on Control or Estimation, or equivalent practical expertise in the field


• Over 4 years of experience deploying production-grade automotive control algorithms in C++, with a background in autonomous systems or advanced ADAS


• Deep understanding of vehicle dynamics and control


• Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to articulate technical concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences

We prefer:

• Advanced proficiency in Python and/or SQL for data-driven development


• Direct experience engineering safety-critical systems where reliability is paramount


• A portfolio of open-source contributions that showcase a commitment to writing elegant, high-quality C++ software


• Versatility across various control methodologies, including Optimal Control, MPC, Sliding Mode, PID, and Successive Loop Closure

Travel requirements :

• Less than 2 weeks/year of onsite testing at one of Waymo’s state-of-the-art test facilities to experience your control algorithms first hand

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

$204,000—$259,000 USD