Industrialization Engineer
About The Position
Waymo is seeking an Industrialization Engineer for its Hardware Engineering group, which designs and integrates hardware products for Waymo’s autonomous driving technology. The role leads industrialization of build-to-print automotive autonomous sensors and ECUs—including cameras, radars, lidars, and compute—at external supplier facilities. It oversees the design, installation, and validation of automated and semi-automated assembly lines, and tracks readiness for NPI and early production builds. The engineer ensures supplier processes meet engineering requirements and automotive quality standards, leads manufacturing and quality planning, and manages supplier launches through equipment buy-off, PPAP, and Start of Production. The role also handles supplier technical and commercial matters, coordinates cross-functional teams, tracks manufacturing and test development status, and drives improvements in yield, cycle time, production efficiency, and product quality. Domestic and international travel to supplier sites is required during critical launch phases, approximately 30%.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Manufacturing, Electrical, Industrial Engineering, or a related field.
- 10+ years of process or manufacturing engineering experience in the automotive industry, with direct experience handling automotive sensors, ECUs, or complex electronic assemblies.
- Deep understanding of build-to-print manufacturing models, automated assembly processes, sensor testing and calibration, and automotive core tools including APQP, PPAP, PFMEA, SPC, and MSA.
- Proven ability to drive Tier 1/Tier 2 suppliers and equipment integrators to meet launch deadlines and quality metrics.
- Hands-on experience reviewing, negotiating, and executing technical contracts, SOWs, and capital equipment agreements.
- Strong project management skills.
Nice To Haves
- PMP certification.
- Hands-on experience with automation, active alignment of optical lenses, precision automated adhesive/TIM dispensing, UV curing, wire bonding, or ISO Class 5–7 cleanroom manufacturing.
- Familiarity with ECU end-of-line functional testing, optical target rooms for cameras or LiDAR, or radar RF testing in anechoic chambers.
- Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification.
- Experience using statistical analysis software such as Minitab or JMP to analyze supplier yield data.
- Basic CAD proficiency, such as CATIA or SolidWorks, for reviewing engineering prints and supplier DFM feedback.
- Deep working knowledge of TS16949, ISO 26262 (Functional Safety), and ASPICE, particularly as they relate to manufacturing traceability, serialization, and line-side controls.
Responsibilities
- Lead industrialization of build-to-print automotive autonomous sensors and ECUs at external supplier facilities.
- Oversee design, installation, and validation of automated and semi-automated assembly lines.
- Track production line readiness for PCBA and FATP across NPI and early production builds.
- Resolve open technical questions from external suppliers.
- Ensure supplier manufacturing processes adhere to engineering drawings, tolerances, and automotive quality standards.
- Drive completion of DFx, PFMEA, Control Plans, MSA, and capability studies (Cp/Cpk).
- Enforce structured equipment and station development using an FMEA approach.
- Support ILQC audits and implementation of preventative and detective controls at external suppliers.
- Manage supplier launches as the primary technical project manager; establish timelines, track milestones, manage FAT/SAT equipment buy-offs, and drive execution through PPAP and SOP.
- Coordinate material supply to keep manufacturing development schedules on track.
- Ensure contract manufacturers have current BOMs and corresponding component specifications.
- Mitigate process-development and qualification risks that could threaten product performance or quality requirements.
- Collaborate with Procurement and Legal on SOWs, technical specifications, and equipment contracts; negotiate technical terms, manage change orders, enforce supplier obligations, and track supplier CapEx spending.
- Serve as the technical liaison among internal R&D, Quality, Purchasing, and external manufacturing partners.
- Coordinate cross-functional technical support to debug and resolve manufacturing-line qualification issues.
- Ensure compliance with defined requirements and manage changes proposed by Waymo or suppliers.
- Provide Waymo management with updates on manufacturing processes and test-development and qualification status.
- Identify supplier-line bottlenecks, yield issues, and cycle-time constraints; lead root-cause analysis and corrective actions.
- Capture lessons learned and ensure target action items are completed.
- Evaluate and implement product or component changes while mitigating risks to production and equipment processes.
Benefits
- Eligibility to participate in Waymo’s discretionary annual bonus program.
- Eligibility to participate in an equity incentive plan.
- Company benefits program, subject to eligibility requirements.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
