Software Engineer, Planner (L4)

Waymo is a leading autonomous driving technology company with a mission to become the world's most trusted driver. Originating from the Google Self-Driving Car Project in 2009, Waymo has pioneered self-driving technology through the development of the Waymo Driver™. With more than 100 million autonomous miles driven on public roads and billions of simulation miles completed across the United States, Waymo continues to advance safe, reliable, and scalable autonomous transportation solutions.

About the Role

Waymo is seeking an experienced Software Engineer to join its Software Engineering team, which develops the intelligence behind the Waymo Driver. This team is responsible for building systems that enable autonomous vehicles to perceive their environment, make intelligent driving decisions, and safely transport passengers in complex real-world conditions.

In this role, you will work on challenging robotics, motion planning, machine learning, perception, and decision-making problems that directly impact the performance and safety of autonomous vehicles. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams of software engineers, researchers, hardware engineers, and systems engineers to develop innovative solutions that operate at large scale and in real-time environments.

Reporting to a Technical Lead Manager, you will help design and implement software systems that ensure Waymo vehicles behave safely, predictably, and naturally while interacting with other road users in dynamic traffic scenarios.

Key Responsibilities

1. Develop software solutions for autonomous vehicle behavior, planning, and decision-making systems.
2. Design algorithms that enable vehicles to safely navigate complex traffic situations.
3. Create tools and frameworks for evaluating vehicle performance and driving behavior.
4. Transform open-ended real-world challenges into structured engineering problems.
5. Build scalable software systems capable of processing large-scale datasets.
6. Develop real-time solutions that operate efficiently on autonomous vehicle platforms.
7. Improve vehicle interactions in challenging scenarios such as merging, lane changes, intersections, and narrow road negotiations.
8. Handle uncertain, incomplete, and noisy sensor data effectively.
9. Collaborate closely with machine learning, robotics, perception, hardware, and systems engineering teams.
10. Participate in software design reviews, code reviews, testing, and performance optimization.
11. Contribute to the continuous improvement of autonomous driving technologies and safety systems.

Required Qualifications

1. Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Robotics, Engineering, or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience.
2. Minimum 5 years of professional software engineering experience.
3. Strong programming experience in C++.
4. Experience developing efficient, high-performance software systems.
5. Ability to work collaboratively across multiple teams and technical disciplines.
6. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
7. Excellent communication and teamwork abilities.

Preferred Qualifications

1. Master's degree in Computer Science, Robotics, Machine Learning, or a related field.
2. Experience working on motion planning systems or robotics applications.
3. Experience developing autonomous systems or self-driving technologies.
4. Familiarity with machine learning-based systems and evaluation methodologies.
5. Experience solving large-scale engineering problems involving real-time decision-making.
6. Knowledge of robotics software architecture and distributed systems.

Technical Skills

1. C++
2. Software Engineering
3. Robotics
4. Motion Planning
5. Autonomous Vehicles
6. Machine Learning
7. Algorithm Development
8. Real-Time Systems
9. Data Processing
10. Decision-Making Systems
11. Perception Systems
12. Performance Optimization
13. Distributed Systems
14. Simulation Technologies

Work Environment

1. Hybrid work arrangement.
2. Collaboration with world-class engineers, researchers, and technical experts.
3. Opportunity to work on cutting-edge autonomous driving technologies.
4. Fast-paced and innovation-driven engineering culture.

Why Join Waymo?

1. Work on one of the world's most advanced autonomous driving platforms.
2. Solve highly complex technical challenges in robotics and AI.
3. Contribute to technology that improves road safety and mobility.
4. Collaborate with leading experts in software engineering, machine learning, and autonomous systems.
5. Make a direct impact on the future of transportation.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Waymo is committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and supportive workplace. The company provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, military status, family status, pregnancy, genetic information, or any other legally protected characteristic.

Reasonable accommodations are available throughout the recruitment and hiring process for candidates who require assistance.