Principal Vehicle Integration Lead

Before the detail, here's the challenge you'd help us solve.

We build the embodied intelligence that moves real vehicles safely, and the ecosystem a billion machines will run on in the future. Very few people in AI can say this. Every role here, whatever the team, plugs into that.

Here’s what this particular role covers.

Vehicle Integration Lead

️ About our Engineering Teams

As a Vehicle Integration Lead at Wayve, you’ll provide technical leadership for the electrical architecture, integration, validation and delivery of our autonomous driving systems across vehicle platforms.

This role sits at the intersection of electrical and mechanical engineering, vehicle systems, autonomous driving hardware, software and integration. You’ll lead the integration of compute, sensing, power, communications and supporting hardware into development and production-intent vehicles, ensuring systems perform reliably and safely in real-world environments.

You’ll work closely with Systems Engineering, Embedded Software, Autonomy, Safety, Vehicle Operations, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, OEM partners and external suppliers. You’ll provide technical direction while remaining close to the engineering—leading design decisions, troubleshooting complex integration issues and driving programs through validation and vehicle readiness.

Your day-to-day

You’ll own vehicle integration from early architecture and requirements through prototype builds, bring-up, validation, production readiness and deployment. You’ll define system requirements, interfaces, architecture and integration strategies while ensuring hardware, software and base-vehicle systems operate together as one cohesive system.

You’ll lead architecture and design reviews, make technical trade-offs across performance, reliability, safety, packaging, manufacturability, cost and schedule, and work hands-on during critical vehicle integration and testing. You’ll also partner directly with OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, contract manufacturers, upfitters and integration partners to resolve technical challenges and move programs toward production readiness.

What you’ll be working on:

• Leading the electrical architecture, mechanical design and vehicle integration of Wayve’s autonomous driving hardware across multiple development vehicle platforms.

• Owning integration from early vehicle architecture and requirements through prototype builds, validation, production readiness and deployment.

• Leading integration of high-performance compute platforms; cameras, radar, lidar, GNSS, IMUs and other perception and supporting sensors; power distribution and management systems; ECUs and embedded electronics; CAN, LIN, Automotive Ethernet and other vehicle networks; wiring harnesses and connectors; and custom electronics and PCBAs.

• Defining system requirements, interfaces, architecture and integration strategies for new vehicle platforms.

• Partnering with Software, Systems, Autonomy, OEMs and assembly partners to ensure hardware and software interfaces are clearly defined and validated.

• Leading architecture and design reviews and making technical trade-offs across performance, reliability, safety, packaging, manufacturability, cost and schedule.

• Driving vehicle-level integration, bring-up, commissioning and validation.

• Leading troubleshooting and root-cause analysis of complex integration issues spanning vehicles, hardware and software.

• Developing verification and validation strategies to ensure systems meet performance, reliability, environmental and safety requirements.

• Identifying technical risks early and driving mitigation plans through development and vehicle launch.

• Partnering with Functional Safety and Systems Engineering to ensure the electrical architecture supports applicable safety requirements.

• Working directly with OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, contract manufacturers, upfitters and integration partners to establish technical requirements and resolve integration challenges.

• Partnering with Supply Chain and Manufacturing on component selection, supplier technical evaluations, production readiness and engineering changes.

• Supporting prototype and vehicle builds, including issue triage and resolution during critical integration and test activities.

• Establishing and continuously improving electrical engineering standards, design practices, documentation and vehicle integration processes.

• Mentoring electrical engineers and providing technical guidance across programs.

You should apply if:

• You have significant experience in electrical and mechanical engineering, vehicle integration, autonomous vehicles, ADAS, robotics or advanced mobility.

• You have a deep understanding of vehicle electrical and electronic architectures.

• You have demonstrated experience integrating complex electrical systems into development or production vehicles and taking vehicle hardware from requirements and architecture through prototype integration, validation and production readiness.

• You have strong knowledge of vehicle power distribution and power management; automotive compute and ECUs; camera and perception sensor integration; CAN, LIN and Automotive Ethernet; wiring harnesses, connectors and electrical interfaces; PCBAs and electronic hardware; EMC/EMI; signal and power integrity; grounding and shielding; and electrical verification and validation.

• You bring strong hands-on debugging, bring-up and root-cause analysis experience and can diagnose issues spanning electrical hardware, embedded software, mechanical systems and vehicle networks.

• You have experience working with vehicle schematics, wiring diagrams, interface control documents, requirements and diagnostic tools.

• You have experience working with OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, upfitters, contract manufacturers or vehicle integration partners.

• You understand automotive product development, engineering change management, configuration management and release processes.

• You have experience with structured engineering methods including DFMEA, DVP&R, requirements management and design reviews.

• You bring strong systems thinking and can balance technical requirements with program timelines and business objectives.

• You have demonstrated the ability to lead technical work across multiple teams without relying solely on organisational authority.

• You have strong written and verbal communication skills and can work effectively with engineers, suppliers, program leaders and senior stakeholders.

• You have a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related technical discipline, or equivalent practical experience.

• Direct experience developing autonomous driving or ADAS vehicle platforms is a plus.

• Experience integrating high-performance AI compute into vehicles is a plus.

• Experience integrating cameras, radar, lidar, GNSS, IMUs or other perception systems is a plus.

• Knowledge of automotive functional safety, including ISO 26262, is a plus.

• Familiarity with automotive cybersecurity and secure vehicle architectures is a plus.

• Experience with vehicle diagnostics, CAN tools, logging, telemetry and automated validation is a plus.

• Experience with automotive EMC/EMI and environmental qualification is a plus.

• Experience transitioning vehicle systems from engineering prototypes into repeatable production builds is a plus.

• Experience supporting vehicle fleets and diagnosing issues observed during real-world operation is a plus.

• Experience working across multiple OEM vehicle architectures or adapting a common autonomous driving system to multiple vehicle platforms is a plus.

You’ll be successful in this role if you’re a hands-on technical leader who can move comfortably between hardware architecture, vehicle-level systems thinking, design reviews, supplier discussions and hands-on troubleshooting. You’ll lead through technical credibility, sound judgement and collaboration, creating clarity across disciplines and making thoughtful trade-offs while maintaining a high engineering bar.

Not ticking every box? That’s totally okay! If you’re passionate about autonomy and keen to learn, we encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet every requirement.

More about Wayve:

Wayve is building the leading AI platform for autonomous driving. We are pioneering an end to end AI approach that enables vehicles to learn directly from real world experience, developing the ability to adapt, generalise and improve at scale. Instead of relying on hand coded rules or pre mapped environments, our AI Driver learns to drive by understanding the world around it. The result is technology that navigates complex urban environments with intelligence, precision and natural flow, unlocking meaningful advances in both safety and efficiency. We believe autonomy represents a once in a generation transformation in how people and goods move, comparable to the shift from horses to cars, and from human driven vehicles to intelligent machines.

Our ambition is to make autonomy universal. Wayve’s mapless and hardware agnostic AI platform integrates with global OEM partners, enabling continuous software evolution and unlocking advanced levels of automation from L2 plus through to L4 as our core AI model scales. In a race increasingly defined by intelligence and real world learning, Wayve is taking a distinct approach, building a generalisable driving intelligence that can power any vehicle, anywhere. By combining embodied AI with scalable deployment, we are creating technology that can be shaped to each OEM brand and driver experience, accelerating the transition to a safer, more intelligent future of mobility.

How we work – Locations & Flexible Working:

This is a full-time role based in Sunnyvale, CA . The reasonably estimated salary range for this role is $314,700–$408,100, plus a competitive equity package . Actual compensation is based on the candidate’s skills, qualifications and experience.

Our main hubs are in London, Sunnyvale, Yokohama, Herzliya, Vancouver and Leonberg. We operate a hybrid working model that combines in-person collaboration in our offices and workshops with focused time working remotely. We also operate core working hours so you can determine the schedule that works best for you and your team.

The Interview Process:

Our process is clear and respectful of your time:

1. Initial call / recruiter screen (30 mins)

2. Competency interviews (Hiring Manager Interview) (45 mins)

3. Deep-dive interviews (Technical Interviews) (2 hrs, 25 mins)

4. Final interview (30 mins)

We’ll always explain the format and work around your availability.

What’s in it for you:

Salaries benchmarked against the market annually
Meaningful equity, sharing in the ownership and long term success of Wayve
✈️ Relocation support and visa sponsorship where applicable
✅ Hybrid working, core hours and the chance to work hands on in vehicle workshops and labs
Learning and development budgets with support for training, conferences and growth
Comprehensive benefits including health insurance, dental, enhanced maternity and paternity leave, retirement or pension where applicable, access to therapists, wellbeing partnerships, team socials and more

A quick, honest note before you apply.

Wayve is not a mature, fully-structured place with the playbook already written. Much of how we work is still being written, and if you join, you’ll help write it. That suits people who want real ownership more than people who need a settled structure from day one.

If that sounds like the kind of problem you want to spend your time on, we’d really like to hear from you.

At Wayve we're committed to creating a diverse, fair and respectful culture that is inclusive of everyone based on their unique skills and perspectives, and regardless of sex, race, religion or belief, ethnic or national origin, disability, age, citizenship, marital, domestic or civil partnership status, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, pregnancy or related condition (including breastfeeding) or any other basis as protected by applicable law.

For more information visit Careers at Wayve. To learn more about what drives us, visit Values at Wayve

DISCLAIMER: We will not ask about marriage or pregnancy, care responsibilities or disabilities in any of our job adverts or interviews. However, we do look to capture information about care responsibilities, and disabilities among other diversity information as part of an optional DEI Monitoring form to help us identify areas of improvement in our hiring process and ensure that the process is inclusive and non-discriminatory.