Staff Hardware Reliability Engineer

Waymo is an autonomous driving technology company with the mission to be the world's most trusted driver. Since its start as the Google Self-Driving Car Project in 2009, Waymo has focused on building the Waymo Driver—The World's Most Experienced Driver™—to improve access to mobility while saving thousands of lives now lost to traffic crashes. The Waymo Driver powers Waymo’s fully autonomous ride-hail service and can also be applied to a range of vehicle platforms and product use cases. The Waymo Driver has provided over ten million rider-only trips, enabled by its experience autonomously driving over 100 million miles on public roads and tens of billions in simulation across 15+ U.S. states.

This role will report to a Manager of Hardware Reliability Engineering.

You will:

• Lead the reliability program for a Waymo hardware product area (e.g. LiDAR) across its full lifecycle from early development and prototyping, through EVT - DVT - PVT - production ramp and field deployment

• Define and improve reliability processes, including risk analyses (DFMEA, FTA), design verification, test and failure analysis, and cross-functional optimizations

• Work closely with US-based and international CMs, ODMs and Tier-1s to develop reliability test and validation programs that meet Waymo’s standards of reliability

• Develop, communicate, and maintain long-term reliability roadmaps and strategies for your product area. Work collaboratively with TPMs to build reliability schedules and take responsibility for all deliverables while updating senior engineering leadership

• Provide technical evaluations and strategic recommendations on designs, processes, materials and vendor selection to teams within the Waymo Engineering, and navigate complex vendor relationships

• Manage program-level risks related to complex, multi-dimensional reliability issues and play a key role in mitigate those risks

You have:

• Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Material Science, or Physics

• 10 years of experience in end to end management of reliability programs for complex electromechanical systems

• Experience in delivering on the reliability of 1-2 generations of products, from concept & prototyping, to production ramp and field deployment.

• Experience in managing the DFMEA or other risk analysis process across a product line.

• Extensive experience developing comprehensive reliability test plans, resolving complex failure analyses, and leading root-cause resolution across functions.

• Strong technical background in the mechanics of materials and physics of failure for electronics and sensors.

We prefer:

• PhD Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Material Science, or Physics

• 15 years of experience, as a manager, directing the reliability program at CMs, ODMs or international vendors and suppliers for electronic components and sub-systems

• Experience in OEM automotive, Tier-1 suppliers, autonomous vehicle or sensor domain reliability

• Experience in managing a reliability test lab with thermal, vibration and environmental test equipment

• Product development and launch experience across multiple independent, high-volume hardware product categories.

• Strong mentorship skills with a track record of driving technical leadership within a team

The expected base salary range for this full-time position across US locations is listed below. Actual starting pay will be based on job-related factors, including exact work location, experience, relevant training and education, and skill level. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for the role location or, if the role can be performed remote, the specific salary range for your preferred location, during the hiring process.

Waymo employees are also eligible to participate in Waymo’s discretionary annual bonus program, equity incentive plan, and generous Company benefits program, subject to eligibility requirements.

Salary Range $210,000—$259,000 USD