Wayve
Senior ML Engineering Manager, Application Software (US)
Wayve, San Francisco, California, United States, 94199
Senior ML Engineering Manager, Application Software (US)
Join to apply for the
Senior ML Engineering Manager, Application Software (US)
role at
Wayve .
At Wayve we’re committed to creating a diverse, fair, and respectful culture that is inclusive of everyone based on their unique skills and perspectives, and regardless of sex, race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, disability, age, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, pregnancy or related condition (including breastfeeding) or any other basis protected by applicable law.
Founded in 2017, Wayve is the leading developer of Embodied AI technology. Our advanced AI software and foundation models enable vehicles to perceive, understand, and navigate any complex environment, enhancing the usability and safety of automated driving systems. Our vision is to create autonomy that propels the world forward. Our intelligent, mapless, and hardware‑agnostic AI products are designed for automakers, accelerating the transition from assisted to automated driving. In our fast‑paced environment big problems ignite us—we embrace uncertainty, lean into complex challenges, and aim high while staying humble in our pursuit of excellence, constantly learning and evolving as we pave the way for a smarter, safer future.
About the Role We’re looking for an exceptional technical leader to establish and lead our U.S.‑based Application Software team in Sunnyvale, California, focused on supporting Wayve’s global OEM partnerships and vehicle integration programs across North America. As the founding manager, you’ll build and lead a cross‑functional team that drives autonomy capabilities tailored to U.S. road conditions and driving norms, supports local deployment and validation of Wayve’s technology stack, and collaborates closely with central Autonomy, Product, and Vehicle Operations teams.
Key Responsibilities
Build and lead a self‑sufficient AV development team in the U.S., hiring and mentoring top talent across robotics and ML.
Deliver autonomy capabilities tailored to U.S. road conditions and driving norms, in close collaboration with central Autonomy teams.
Act as the primary technical and operational bridge between the U.S. office and HQ, aligning roadmaps and communicating local insights.
Drive full‑cycle development: from identifying local autonomy needs, to designing, implementing, testing, and deploying features into production.
Ensure the team upholds Wayve’s high engineering standards while operating with agility and independence.
Work closely with OEM partners in the U.S. – representing Wayve’s autonomy team in technical discussions, capturing product requirements, and shaping joint development plans.
Establish close working relationships with our product and vehicle operations teams in the U.S.
About You To succeed in this role, you’ll bring deep technical expertise, a systems mindset, and a proven ability to lead high‑performing engineering teams that deliver results in complex, cross‑functional environments.
Essential Qualifications
A strong background in robotics and autonomy, with experience building and deploying systems that operate in real‑world environments.
Demonstrated ability to lead and grow high‑performing engineering teams, preferably in geographically distributed or independent settings.
Comfortable with ambiguity: you can define goals, carve out roadmaps, and deliver high‑impact work with minimal supervision.
Broad technical fluency: capable of reviewing and guiding work across software engineering, ML, controls, and systems integration.
Excellent communication skills: you’re able to clearly convey technical context and strategic vision across cultures and time zones.
Strong product sense and stakeholder management skills: you’re comfortable interfacing directly with OEM customers and representing engineering in external‑facing conversations.
Desirable
Prior experience in autonomous vehicles or robotic systems operating at scale.
Familiarity with the U.S.’s road environment, driving behaviour, or AV regulatory landscape.
A strong foundation in machine learning and its application to real‑time decision‑making or perception systems.
Location & Working Model This is a full‑time role based in our Sunnyvale, California office. We combine in‑person collaboration with flexibility to work from home when it best suits you and your team. We operate core working hours to enable cross‑time‑zone collaboration and trust you to design your schedule around delivering impact.
We understand that everyone has a unique set of skills and experiences and that not everyone will meet all of the requirements listed above. If you’re passionate about self‑driving cars and think you have what it takes to make a positive impact on the world, we encourage you to apply.
Disclaimer We will not ask about marriage or pregnancy, care responsibilities or disabilities in any of our job adverts or interviews. However, we do look to capture information about care responsibilities, and disabilities among other diversity information as part of an optional DEI Monitoring form to help us identify areas of improvement in our hiring process and ensure that the process is inclusive and non‑discriminatory.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Senior ML Engineering Manager, Application Software (US)
role at
Wayve .
At Wayve we’re committed to creating a diverse, fair, and respectful culture that is inclusive of everyone based on their unique skills and perspectives, and regardless of sex, race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, disability, age, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, pregnancy or related condition (including breastfeeding) or any other basis protected by applicable law.
Founded in 2017, Wayve is the leading developer of Embodied AI technology. Our advanced AI software and foundation models enable vehicles to perceive, understand, and navigate any complex environment, enhancing the usability and safety of automated driving systems. Our vision is to create autonomy that propels the world forward. Our intelligent, mapless, and hardware‑agnostic AI products are designed for automakers, accelerating the transition from assisted to automated driving. In our fast‑paced environment big problems ignite us—we embrace uncertainty, lean into complex challenges, and aim high while staying humble in our pursuit of excellence, constantly learning and evolving as we pave the way for a smarter, safer future.
About the Role We’re looking for an exceptional technical leader to establish and lead our U.S.‑based Application Software team in Sunnyvale, California, focused on supporting Wayve’s global OEM partnerships and vehicle integration programs across North America. As the founding manager, you’ll build and lead a cross‑functional team that drives autonomy capabilities tailored to U.S. road conditions and driving norms, supports local deployment and validation of Wayve’s technology stack, and collaborates closely with central Autonomy, Product, and Vehicle Operations teams.
Key Responsibilities
Build and lead a self‑sufficient AV development team in the U.S., hiring and mentoring top talent across robotics and ML.
Deliver autonomy capabilities tailored to U.S. road conditions and driving norms, in close collaboration with central Autonomy teams.
Act as the primary technical and operational bridge between the U.S. office and HQ, aligning roadmaps and communicating local insights.
Drive full‑cycle development: from identifying local autonomy needs, to designing, implementing, testing, and deploying features into production.
Ensure the team upholds Wayve’s high engineering standards while operating with agility and independence.
Work closely with OEM partners in the U.S. – representing Wayve’s autonomy team in technical discussions, capturing product requirements, and shaping joint development plans.
Establish close working relationships with our product and vehicle operations teams in the U.S.
About You To succeed in this role, you’ll bring deep technical expertise, a systems mindset, and a proven ability to lead high‑performing engineering teams that deliver results in complex, cross‑functional environments.
Essential Qualifications
A strong background in robotics and autonomy, with experience building and deploying systems that operate in real‑world environments.
Demonstrated ability to lead and grow high‑performing engineering teams, preferably in geographically distributed or independent settings.
Comfortable with ambiguity: you can define goals, carve out roadmaps, and deliver high‑impact work with minimal supervision.
Broad technical fluency: capable of reviewing and guiding work across software engineering, ML, controls, and systems integration.
Excellent communication skills: you’re able to clearly convey technical context and strategic vision across cultures and time zones.
Strong product sense and stakeholder management skills: you’re comfortable interfacing directly with OEM customers and representing engineering in external‑facing conversations.
Desirable
Prior experience in autonomous vehicles or robotic systems operating at scale.
Familiarity with the U.S.’s road environment, driving behaviour, or AV regulatory landscape.
A strong foundation in machine learning and its application to real‑time decision‑making or perception systems.
Location & Working Model This is a full‑time role based in our Sunnyvale, California office. We combine in‑person collaboration with flexibility to work from home when it best suits you and your team. We operate core working hours to enable cross‑time‑zone collaboration and trust you to design your schedule around delivering impact.
We understand that everyone has a unique set of skills and experiences and that not everyone will meet all of the requirements listed above. If you’re passionate about self‑driving cars and think you have what it takes to make a positive impact on the world, we encourage you to apply.
Disclaimer We will not ask about marriage or pregnancy, care responsibilities or disabilities in any of our job adverts or interviews. However, we do look to capture information about care responsibilities, and disabilities among other diversity information as part of an optional DEI Monitoring form to help us identify areas of improvement in our hiring process and ensure that the process is inclusive and non‑discriminatory.
#J-18808-Ljbffr