Validation Manager (Platforms)

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. Waymo Operations exists to deliver the Waymo Driver to the world. In this hybrid role, you will report to a Head of Validation Operations.

Responsibilities

Lead New Product Introduction (NPI) Validation Operations: Drive end-to-end program management for bringing new platform variants online in validation fleets, managing the critical path from vehicle arrival and upfit to public road mapping and testing.; Align Planning with Execution: Spearhead weekly operating plans to bridge the gap between monthly product demand forecasts and daily operational execution, adjusting for real-time vehicle online rates and operator constraints.; Maximize Fleet Efficiency & Yield: Partner with Regional Validation Managers (RVMs) and product teams to build out dynamic forecasting tools to optimize Operations and Efficiency.; Manage Vendor Performance; Standardize Executive Reporting: Formulate and automate executive-level progress dashboards to provide visibility into operational readiness and fleet uptime constraints.

Requirements

Operational Strategy & Program Management Expertise: 7-10+ years of experience in Program Management or Technical Program Management, specifically in roles focused on process excellence, logistics, or physical operations.; Cross-Functional Leadership: A proven track record of managing complex dependencies and driving alignment across diverse stakeholders (Engineering, Product, Supply Chain, Safety, and Legal); Data-Centric Problem Solving: Exceptional analytical skills with hands-on experience using data-driven metrics to identify process bottlenecks, manage capacity models, and build tracking tools.; Ambiguity Tolerance: Comfort working in a fast-paced, rapidly shifting engineering environment with the ability to maintain forward progress despite incomplete information; Travel Requirements: 15-30%

Nice to have

NPI & Vehicle Testing Experience: Direct experience launching or validating new automotive or robotic hardware platforms; Vendor Operations Management: Familiarity with cost-plus or outcome-based staffing models in outsourced operations.

Benefits

discretionary annual bonus program; equity incentive plan; generous Company benefits program; top-notch medical, dental and vision insurance; mental wellness support; gym membership; special wellness programs; competitive compensation; bonus opportunities; equity; employee provident fund; perks and employee discounts; flexibility to work from another location for four weeks per year; on-site or hybrid work model; remote working opportunities; paid time off; bereavement leave; sick leave; parental leave