Industrial Designer

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.

Passionate about aesthetics and product innovation, Waymo’s Industrial Design Team is responsible for envisioning the future of mobility and autonomous driving technology. The Design Team develops and applies cohesive design language to the Waymo Driver, delivering an exceptional customer experience with best-in-class product quality.

The Industrial Design Team creates smart and elegant solutions that pave the future of mobility while prioritizing our riders’ needs & safety. We are involved in every step of the engineering and product development process to optimize Waymo’s technology and delight the rider’s journey. The team is a unique fusion of creatives and innovators with the opportunity to pioneer a new industry.

This role follows a hybrid work schedule and you will report to Head of Product and Customer Research.

You will:

• Own vehicle design outcomes for major vehicle platforms and interior collaborations, translating product requirements and user insights into vision/concept work as well as production-feasible designs
• Drive vehicle design execution through the vehicle development lifecycle; from early packaging and concept sketches to clay/digital modeling, gateway milestones, and final release
• Champion Waymo’s design language across vehicle partnerships, ensuring aesthetic cohesion, brand identity, and rider awareness while accommodating complex hardware constraints
• Partner with vehicle engineering, tooling specialists, and automotive suppliers to resolve complex manufacturing, packaging, and assembly challenges without compromising design intent
• Set the bar for design craft, modeling fidelity, and execution across the studio, providing informal technical mentorship and optimizing team development workflows

You have:

• 8+ years of hands-on design experience within automotive OEM design studios on dedicated production vehicle programs
• Proven experience taking production vehicle programs from initial sketch through tooling and volume manufacturing
• Expertise in rapid ideation sketching, digital rendering, and 3D modeling tools (e.g., Alias, Rhino, SolidWorks), with a strong foundation in automotive Class-A surfacing and physical mockups
• Deep knowledge of vehicle packaging, body structures, stamping, injection molding, draft angles, and safety/ergonomic compliance (FMVSS/ECE)
• Demonstrated the ability to lead complex design workstreams, influence engineering and product partners, and clearly communicate design rationale to cross-functional leadership
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Industrial Design, Transportation Design, or equivalent practical experience, backed by a portfolio showcasing production-intent vehicle design and refined craftsmanship

We prefer:

• Exposure to multiple OEM design studios or innovative mobility startups, bringing diverse perspectives on studio workflows and program timing
• Versatility designing both exterior vehicle surfaces/aerodynamics and cabin interior architecture, seating, and touchpoints

Travel requirements :

• Ability to travel domestically and internationally up to 15–20% as needed to visit automotive OEM partners, design modeling studios, tier-1 suppliers, and assemb

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$230,000—$284,000 USD