Senior Systems Engineer, Vehicle Body Control Systems

Waymo
Mountain View, CA
On-site

Who this role is best for

Aimed at senior engineers with automotive body control expertise who thrive in hybrid work settings and cross-functional collaboration.

Best fit for

  • Senior engineers with hands-on body control systems experience in automotive contexts.
    — “At least 3 years experience in an automotive (or similar industry) Body Controls and software role
  • Architecture-focused professionals comfortable defining requirements across hardware and software.
    — “Experience mapping out architectures and drafting requirements for complex vehicle systems
  • Detail-oriented problem solvers with a rigorous approach to system gaps.
    — “Rigorous mindset and an attention to detail, to ensure gaps and flow-downs are fully covered

Things to consider

  • Hybrid work arrangement requires periodic in-office presence.
    — “This role follows a hybrid work schedule
  • Must collaborate extensively with both internal teams and external OEM partners.
    — “Collaborate with internal product teams and external OEM partners

How to stand out

  • Demonstrate specific examples of negotiating requirements with automotive OEMs.
    — “Experience creating & negotiating requirements with automotive partners and OEMs
  • Highlight troubleshooting cases where you resolved field defects in vehicle systems.
    — “analyze data, and troubleshoot field/prototype defects across various platform phases
  • Showcase your methodology for developing validation plans for body control features.
    — “Create and execute effective test / design validation plans
Pace · SteadyCollaboration · HighAutonomy · MediumDecision Impact · TeamLevel · Senior

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

  • defined OEM requirements and architecture
  • developed embedded software/hardware specifications
  • executed verification and validation
  • managed fleet delivery and integration
Typical background
electrical engineeringrobotics engineeringmechatronics engineering

Skills & requirements

Required

Vehicle Body Control SystemsEmbedded SoftwareHardware SpecificationsFunctional SafetyVerification And Validation

Preferred

Root Cause AnalysisHands-on TestingNetwork Architectures

Stack & domain

CanFlexrayLinEthernetVehicle Communication Network SystemsProblem SolvingRoot Cause AnalysisAutomotiveMechatronicsEmbedded Systems

About the role

Original posting from Waymo

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.

Hardware Engineering is an innovative and collaborative group of electrical, mechanical, reliability, software and vehicle engineers. We design, build, and perfect the products which are the eyes and ears of Waymo's autonomous driving technology, and integrate those products into vehicle platforms. We're seeking curious and talented teammates to keep us moving in the right direction.

This role follows a hybrid work schedule and you will report to a Systems Engineering Manager. 

You will:

Define OEM Requirements & Architecture: Collaborate with internal product teams and external OEM partners to author requirements for vehicle Body Control systems, network architectures, and functional safety interfaces

Develop Embedded Software/Hardware Specifications: Write detailed requirements for internal embedded software and hardware adjacencies to implement Body Control functions (e.g., doors, locks, windows, HVAC, lighting, and SDS interfaces)

Lead Core Feature Development: Drive the development, power mode management, and digital key architecture from initial target-setting through to verification and validation against program milestones

Execute Verification & Validation (V&V): Create V&V plans, execute tests, analyze data, and troubleshoot field/prototype defects across various platform phases, leveraging operations teams for resolution

Bridge Engineering & Implementation: Work closely with embedded software teams during implementation, authoring and updating architecture design documents to ensure all requirements are met

Manage Fleet Delivery & Integration: Track and manage the delivery timing of feature sets and software updates to the vehicle prototype fleet, resolving troubleshooting issues to meet capability targets

You have:

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Robotics Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, or similar

At least 3 years experience in an automotive (or similar industry) Body Controls and software role delivering hardware and/or software

Working knowledge of vehicle communication network systems (CAN, FlexRay, LIN, Ethernet, etc.)

Experience with body control systems such as doors, interior/exterior lighting, windows, seats, switchgear, etc

Experience mapping out architectures and drafting requirements for complex vehicle systems

Rigorous mindset and an attention to detail, to ensure gaps and flow-downs are fully covered

We prefer:

Deep experience with Body Control systems, related software, and vehicle hardware

Experience creating & negotiating requirements with automotive partners and OEMs

Create and execute effective test / design validation plans 

A strong root-cause analysis mindset to problem solving

A hands-on attitude to testing & verification

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$196,000—$242,000 USD

Source: Waymo careers

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