Technical Lead Manager, Motion Control Test Engineering

Location: Mountain View, CA, US; San Francisco, CA, US

Department: Systems (78I)

Waymo's Systems Engineering team works together to blend software and hardware systems in groundbreaking new ways. We set the high performance standards that ensure our vehicles run smoothly and keep passengers safe, then design and perform the tests that validate that performance. We're looking for talented teammates who’ll help us maintain strong teamwork and are passionate about driving results.

You will:

• Lead the team: Manage and grow a team of Systems Test Engineers who own verification of motion control actuation (brakes, steering, propulsion), pedestrian / AEB safety functions, and motion planning and control software across all Waymo vehicle platforms.
• Set technical direction: Own the roadmap for how we test motion control: test methods, bench and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) infrastructure, automation, and coverage strategy for new platforms and recurring software releases.
• Deliver qualification programs: Plan, prioritize, and deliver test campaigns for platform bring-up and qualification milestones. De-risk plans early, communicate status clearly, and hold the team accountable for timely, high-quality results.
• Partner cross-functionally: Align on requirements, test scope, and resources with Motion Control Systems Engineering, Controls and Embedded Software, Hardware Engineering, Structured Testing, and OEM / supplier teams.
• Uphold test rigor: Set the bar for safe and repeatable test design, clear pass/fail criteria, high-quality reports, and root cause of unexpected behavior. Our results clear vehicles for public roads; they must be clear, complete, and correct.
• Develop people: Mentor engineers, give regular feedback, run hiring, and build a healthy, collaborative team culture.

You have:

• Education: BS or MS in Mechanical, Electrical, Aerospace, Robotics, Controls, or a related engineering field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Domain experience: 8+ years testing, integrating, or developing vehicle motion control, chassis / actuation systems, or other safety-critical electro-mechanical systems (automotive, aerospace, robotics).
• Leadership: Experience leading a technical team as a manager or tech lead, including planning, prioritization, and developing engineers.
• Hands-on test experience: Test planning and execution for controls and actuation systems, including in-vehicle testing, bench / HIL testing, and data analysis (Python, MATLAB, or similar).
• Systems engineering: Working knowledge of requirements, verification and validation, and formal sign-off for safety-critical systems.
• Communication: Strong written and verbal communication; able to explain test results, risk, and trade-offs clearly to engineers and leadership.

We prefer:

• People management: Direct experience managing engineers in a test, validation, or integration function.