Research Scientist, Prediction & Planning

Job Summary

The Predictive Planning team (PrePlan) at Waymo is seeking a highly skilled researcher to design, implement, and evaluate state-of-the-art generative models for autonomous vehicle planning and prediction. This role involves developing next-generation, ML-powered systems that enhance the capabilities of the Waymo Driver and accelerating the rapid scaling of Waymo’s business.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and evaluate state-of-the-art generative models for autonomous vehicle planning and prediction
• Develop next-generation, ML-powered systems that enhance the capabilities of the ML driver and accelerate the rapid scaling of Waymo’s business
• Translate open-ended, real-world driving challenges into well-defined machine learning problems, applying cutting-edge techniques, including foundation models and reinforcement learning
• Write high-quality, scalable, and thoroughly tested code to bring cutting-edge research into production
• Partner with world-class researchers, engineers, and product managers to deliver safe and smooth planning behaviors, and publish findings at top-tier academic venues

Requirements

• PhD in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Robotics, a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience
• A proven track record of publications in top-tier conferences (e.g., NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, CVPR, ICCV, ECCV, ICRA, IROS, RSS, CoRL, ACL, or EMNLP)
• Demonstrated impact on the broader ML community through influential research, widely adopted open-source projects, or significant industry contributions
• Hands-on expertise with modern deep learning frameworks, for example JAX or PyTorch
• Proficient programming skills in Python and/or C++, coupled with strong analytical and debugging abilities

Preferred

• Specialized research experience in deep learning, reinforcement learning, causal reasoning, or foundation models
• Prior industry experience (e.g. internships) in applied ML research or software development
• Domain expertise in solving motion planning, prediction, or related robotics problems
• Hands-on experience deploying, evaluating, and maintaining ML-based systems in real-world, production environments

Qualifications

• PhD in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Robotics, a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience
• Proven track record of publications in top-tier conferences (e.g., NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, CVPR, ICCV, ECCV, ICRA, IROS, RSS, CoRL, ACL, or EMNLP)
• Demonstrated impact on the broader ML community through influential research, widely adopted open-source projects, or significant industry contributions
• Hands-on expertise with modern deep learning frameworks, for example JAX or PyTorch
• Proficient programming skills in Python and/or C++, coupled with strong analytical and debugging abilities

Benefits

• Discretionary annual bonus program
• Equity incentive plan
• Generous Company benefits program

Pay

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.