Technical Program Management, Service Quality
About this role
A candidate who thrives in ambiguous, complex environments and enjoys driving tangible improvements through cross-functional collaboration would find this role suitable. This position is central to ensuring the quality and reliability of the Waymo Driver, the core technology behind autonomous driving services. The Technical Program Manager will be responsible for executing roadmap initiatives that directly impact the rider experience across various operating markets.
This role requires a proactive approach to managing technical and operational challenges where established procedures are lacking. The individual will act as a critical liaison, aligning Product, Engineering, Data Science, and Operations teams to structure and drive work toward real-world deployments. A successful candidate will use strong technical judgment to evaluate system trade-offs while simultaneously focusing on establishing quality metrics and proactively managing risks.
This role exists to ensure the continuous improvement of the Waymo Driver by translating complex technical realities into clear, actionable plans. It is designed for someone who can bridge the gap between deep technical understanding and high-level organizational strategy, ensuring that quality goals are met under conditions of high complexity.
What you will do
- Lead critical Service Quality Improvement programs spanning Product, Engineering, Data Science, and Operations.
- Establish and define key quality metrics and frameworks necessary to track and continuously enhance the rider experience across all operating markets.
- Drive strategic initiatives to proactively identify, prioritize, and manage dependencies and risks within complex programs.
- Align stakeholders across the organization and present program outcomes to executive leadership to remove obstacles and ensure accountability.
- Apply strong technical judgment to assess system trade-offs, focusing on improving scalability and ensuring delivery quality.
- Manage program roadmaps, portfolio prioritization, and resource allocation to guarantee the timely delivery of core business outcomes.
What you need
- Possess over seven years of experience managing highly complex, cross-functional programs with a comprehensive understanding of business-wide functions like Product, Engineering, and Operations.
- Demonstrate a proven track record of driving large-scale, ambiguous technical programs from inception to completion, effectively managing dependencies, timelines, and risks across numerous stakeholders.
- Require a strong technical background enabling credible engagement in technical design discussions with engineering teams and the evaluation of technical trade-offs.
- Must have an aptitude for analyzing diverse data points and metrics to create structured priorities and actionable paths for incremental, measurable quality gains.
- Exceptional communication and leadership skills, evidenced by the ability to align diverse cross-functional teams and influence executive leadership effectively.
Nice to have
- Expertise with complex technical systems that bridge software with physical operations
- Experience working closely with operational logistics, customer support operations, or field-facing technical programs
- Familiarity working with large datasets, metrics, or reliability / quality engineering frameworks to diagnose system issues
Benefits
- Discretionary annual bonus program
- Equity incentive plan
- Generous Company benefits program
Skills and tech stack
Questions candidates ask
What is the work environment like?
The role involves working closely with every function of Waymo to structure and own work toward real-world deployments. The team operates with a thoughtful urgency when facing complex technical and operational challenges.
What is the compensation range?
The expected base salary range for this full-time position across US locations is listed between $230,000 and $284,000 USD. Actual starting pay depends on job-related factors like location and experience.
What kind of technical background is expected?
A strong technical background is required, specifically the ability to engage credibly in technical design discussions with engineering and evaluate technical trade-offs.
What is the team structure like?
The Technical Program Managers and Program Managers are accountable for the roadmap execution. They partner closely with every function of Waymo to drive work toward deployments.