Senior/Staff Machine Learning Engineer, Simulation Realism

About the role

The Simulation Team at Waymo builds state-of-the-art simulations of realistic environments for testing and training the Waymo Driver. Our team is a diverse, and collaborative group of software engineers, machine learning (ML) engineers, and data scientists. We develop industry-leading simulation solutions using advanced ML algorithms that measure and enhance the performance of the Waymo Driver. By applying machine learning, we model the real world, including realistic agents (vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists), roads, traffic control systems, and weather conditions. A key aspect of our simulation effort is the generation of foundational data that enables realistic simulation and trustworthy evaluations. This involves producing high-fidelity world representations from complex, large-scale multi-modal sensor datasets. Key challenges we tackle include guaranteeing the highest levels of quality and accuracy in these datasets. We are also constantly innovating to build scalable and efficient systems to manage the sheer volume and intricacy of this data.

Responsibilities

• Apply ML expertise to enhance the quality and accuracy of labeled data derived from multi-modal sensors.
• Develop and implement models to identify and correct issues in perception-based data for simulation.
• Analyze data quality, investigate anomalies, and drive improvements in our data labeling pipelines.
• Collaborate with perception and simulation teams to refine data requirements and quality standards.
• Lead efforts to address complex data quality challenges and define ML strategies for high-fidelity data generation.

Requirements

• MS or BS in Computer Science or a related field.
• 5+ (L5) / 7+ (L6) years of experience in applied Deep Learning/Machine Learning.
• Strong background in computer vision, sensor fusion, or perception.
• Proficiency in Python and common ML frameworks (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch).
• Experience with data analysis and quality assessment.
• Strong coding and design skills.

Preferred

• PhD degree in Computer Science or a similar discipline.
• Experience with autonomous vehicle sensor data.
• Familiarity with data labeling processes and challenges.
• Experience taking ML models from research to production.

Benefits

Waymo offers a comprehensive benefits package including health and wellness, financial wellness, flexibility and time off, supporting families, community and personal development, and cool perks. 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.

Pay

The expected base salary range for this full-time position across US locations is $251,000—$310,000 USD.

Schedule

This is a full-time position.