Technical Program Manager - Onboard Systems, ML Modeling
About this role
Managing cross-functional execution and delivery of projects within the onboard team forms the daily focus of this position, requiring close collaboration with engineering, product, and release management groups. Program managers handle schedules, isolate risks and dependencies, and build mitigation strategies while contributing to strategic planning and technical roadmaps for the Waymo Foundation Model program. The team drives work toward real-world deployments of the autonomous driving system across multiple platforms and geographies, navigating complex operational hurdles without pre-existing playbooks.
Candidates joining the organization need a strong background in software engineering program management and machine learning environments. Successful professionals thrive by facilitating communication across research and engineering units, tracking key performance indicators for leadership, and proactively resolving roadblocks that span organizational boundaries.
What you will do
- Drive cross-functional execution and delivery of projects within the onboard team by collaborating with engineering, product, and release management groups.
- Manage project schedules, identify risks and dependencies, and develop mitigation strategies for complex technical initiatives.
- Facilitate communication and collaboration between engineering, research, and product teams to ensure alignment on program goals, milestones, and technical requirements.
- Track and report on project progress, risks, and key performance indicators to leadership and stakeholders.
- Contribute to strategic planning, objective setting, and the technical roadmap for the Waymo Foundation Model program.
- Proactively identify and resolve roadblocks and dependencies by coordinating across organizational boundaries.
What you need
- Hold a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field.
- Demonstrate at least 5 years of experience as a Technical Program Manager within a software engineering environment.
- Show a proven track record of successfully managing complex technical projects involving machine learning and or AI.
- Bring direct experience working with machine learning models, training pipelines, or evaluation frameworks.
- Possess excellent communication, interpersonal, and presentation skills to convey technical concepts to diverse audiences.
- Apply strong analytical, problem-solving, and technical judgment skills to daily operational challenges.
Nice to have
- Experience with large language models, vision language models, generative AI, diffusion models, large-scale model training, data labeling, data generation and packaging for model training
- Strong background in 3D computer vision, sensor fusion, spatial reasoning, and 3D reconstruction methods
- Experience with cloud-based machine learning platforms and infrastructure
- Experience with simulation environments for autonomous systems, model validation strategies, and reliability methods
- Master's degree or PhD in a related field
Benefits
- Discretionary annual bonus program
- Equity incentive plan
- Company benefits program
Skills and tech stack
Questions candidates ask
What is the salary range for this role?
The expected base salary range for this full-time position across US locations is $159,000 to $196,000 USD. Actual starting pay will be based on job-related factors, including exact work location, experience, relevant training and education, and skill level.
What additional compensation is available beyond base pay?
Waymo employees are eligible to participate in Waymo’s discretionary annual bonus program, equity incentive plan, and generous Company benefits program, subject to eligibility requirements. Your recruiter can share more details during the hiring process.
What kind of experience is required for this position?
You need a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field along with 5+ years of experience as a Technical Program Manager in a software engineering environment. A proven track record of managing complex technical projects involving machine learning or AI is also required.