Sr Software Engineer, Linux Kernel

Waymo • Mountain View, CA

11d

About The Position

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 Onboard Infrastructure is responsible for low-level software and infrastructure on various components of the Waymo self-driving system. The team's scope covers everything from low-level system software to high-bandwidth data logging, IPC (low-latency and high-throughput), performance analysis, and full-system debugging. We work with the Hardware, Compute, Sensor, Perception, Behavior and Machine Learning teams to build the most performant and low-latency self-driving solution in the industry. You will join the System Software Team and focus on the Telematics unit —the critical Linux-based gateway responsible for all data flow in and out of the autonomous vehicle. This includes vital functions like real-time diagnostics, over-the-air (OTA) software updates, and high-bandwidth telemetry . You will be essential in developing, securing, and maintaining the connectivity infrastructure that enables Waymo's fleet to operate and improve continuously.

Requirements

• Education: BA/BS degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a relevant technical field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Programming: Proficiency in C and C++ is required.
• Linux Expertise: 3+ years of experience developing, debugging, and deploying software in a Linux environment .
• Networking Fundamentals: A strong understanding of the IP-based networking stack and experience with its configuration and debugging in a Linux context.

Nice To Haves

• Embedded Linux: Experience with Embedded Linux build systems such as Yocto or Buildroot .
• Low-Level Software: Experience in Linux kernel and device driver development .
• Wireless Technologies: Working knowledge of Wi-Fi (especially in congested environments), cellular and Bluetooth protocols.
• Hardware Debugging: Working knowledge of hardware bring-up and debugging , including the ability to read schematics/datasheets and use common tools (oscilloscopes, multimeters, logic analyzers).
• Testing Infrastructure: Experience building and maintaining testing infrastructure for OS, kernel, and other low-level code, including HIL testing stations.
• Vendor Collaboration: Experience successfully collaborating with diverse industry partners (CM, ODM, OEM, or ISV).

Responsibilities

• System Software Development: Work on a small team of System Software and Linux Kernel Engineers to design, develop, and deploy production-grade system software components for driverless vehicles, from initial prototyping through launch.
• Linux OS Ownership: Maintain and upgrade the operating system of the Telematics unit, including Linux kernel, device drivers, and core OS services .
• Networking & Connectivity: Design and implement robust, high-performance networking solutions, focusing on reliable data transfer over wifi and cellular modems.
• Infrastructure & Testing: Design and implement comprehensive testing methodology and infrastructure to ensure the reliability and security of low-level software and seamless deployment of updates across the fleet. Leverage automated testing of hardware to exercise low-level hardware-software systems.
• Cross-Functional Problem Solving: Collaborate effectively with hardware partners (SoC vendors, ODMs) and internal engineering teams to tackle ambiguous, cross-disciplinary system challenges.
• Network Topology: Contribute to the design and implementation of depot network topologies for efficient vehicle servicing.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level