Data Scientist

About the role

About The Company

Waymo is a pioneering autonomous driving technology company dedicated to transforming mobility and enhancing safety on roads worldwide. Established as the Google Self-Driving Car Project in 2009, Waymo has evolved into a leader in developing the Waymo Driver, the world's most experienced autonomous driving system. The company's mission is to be the most trusted driver in the world, striving to improve access to mobility while significantly reducing traffic-related fatalities. The Waymo Driver powers Waymo's fully autonomous ride-hail service and is adaptable to various vehicle platforms and applications. With over ten million rider-only trips completed and more than 100 million miles driven on public roads across multiple states, Waymo continues to push the boundaries of autonomous vehicle technology. The company emphasizes rigorous evaluation and continuous improvement of its systems to ensure safety, reliability, and scalability of its services globally.

About The Role

We are seeking a highly skilled Data Scientist to join our team in a hybrid role, reporting to the Data Science Lead for Driving Quality & Scope Expansion. The primary focus of this position is to lead initiatives related to modeling weather patterns and their impact on Waymo's ride-hailing service. You will develop and implement strategies to streamline operational procedures for mitigating weather-related challenges in real time, ensuring optimal performance of the Waymo Driver under adverse weather conditions. Your role involves building robust data pipelines, creating predictive models, and measuring the performance of the Waymo Driver in various extreme weather scenarios such as fog, rain, snow, ice, hail, and flooding. You will communicate insights to senior stakeholders, influence product and engineering roadmaps, and contribute to the ongoing improvement of Waymo's autonomous driving capabilities in diverse environments worldwide.

Qualifications

Degree in a quantitative field such as Statistics, Mathematics, Physics, or related disciplines.

PhD in a quantitative or weather-adjacent field (e.g., Atmospheric Science, Meteorology, Hydrology) with academic or industry experience.

8+ years of industry experience in solving complex data science problems with a focus on modeling and analysis, or 12+ years of relevant experience without a PhD.

Proficiency in working with and modeling spatio-temporal data.

Experience leading technical teams and managing data science projects.

Strong expertise in advanced statistical methods and familiarity with machine learning systems and models.

Proficiency with data analysis libraries and packages in Python, R, and SQL.

Experience working with third-party weather data sources and integrating multiple data streams.

Demonstrated ability to develop scalable, repeatable analysis frameworks for diverse climate conditions and geographical regions.

Excellent communication skills to effectively present findings to technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Responsibilities

Define and maintain high standards for measurement rigor to ensure reliable evaluation signals for deployment and scaling decisions.

Identify gaps in current evaluation signals and develop solutions to enhance their scalability and actionability.

Build and optimize data pipelines and models that incorporate various weather-specific data sources to improve Waymo's weather intelligence and prediction capabilities.

Assess and measure the performance of the Waymo Driver in extreme weather conditions, providing insights on operational readiness and safety.

Develop analysis frameworks that support multiple climate types across domestic and international locations, ensuring adaptability and robustness.

Streamline operational procedures to address adverse weather challenges efficiently and effectively across different geographical areas.

Collaborate with product, engineering, and systems teams to align data science initiatives with Waymo’s long-term roadmap and deployment milestones.

Act as a technical leader and contributor, solving ambiguous problems through innovative statistical methods and guiding junior team members.

Champion data science excellence by providing constructive feedback and fostering a culture of continuous improvement within the team.

Benefits

Competitive salary within the range of $251,000—$310,000 USD, commensurate with experience and location.

Participation in Waymo's discretionary annual bonus program and equity incentive plan.

Access to comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans.

Generous paid time off and holiday leave policies.

Opportunities for professional development and career growth within a pioneering technology company.

Flexible work arrangements to support work-life balance.

Inclusive and diverse work environment committed to innovation and excellence.

Equal Opportunity

Waymo is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. We believe in fostering a workplace where everyone can thrive and contribute to our shared mission of making transportation safer and more accessible worldwide.