Senior ML Engineering Manager, Application Software (US)

At Wayve we're committed to creating a diverse, fair and respectful culture that is inclusive of everyone based on their unique skills and perspectives, and regardless of sex, race, religion or belief, ethnic or national origin, disability, age, citizenship, marital, domestic or civil partnership status, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, pregnancy or related condition  (including breastfeeding) or any other basis as protected by applicable law.  

About us   

Founded in 2017, Wayve is the leading developer of Embodied AI technology.  Our advanced AI software and foundation models enable vehicles to perceive, understand, and navigate any complex environment, enhancing the usability and safety of automated driving systems.

Our vision is to create autonomy that propels the world forward.  Our intelligent, mapless, and hardware-agnostic AI products are designed for automakers, accelerating the transition from assisted to automated driving. 

In our fast-paced environment big problems ignite us—we embrace uncertainty, leaning into complex challenges to unlock groundbreaking solutions. We aim high and stay humble in our pursuit of excellence, constantly learning and evolving as we pave the way for a smarter, safer future.

At Wayve, your contributions matter.  We value diversity, embrace new perspectives, and foster an inclusive work environment; we back each other to deliver impact.  

Make Wayve the experience that defines your career!  

The Role

We’re looking for an exceptional technical leader to establish and lead our U.S.-based Application Software team in Sunnyvale, California; a high-impact group focused on supporting Wayve’s global OEM partnerships and vehicle integration programs across North America. This is a unique opportunity to shape how our AI-driven autonomous driving technology is deployed, validated, and scaled with partners in the U.S. market.

As the founding manager, you’ll build and lead a team of engineers working across systems integration, hardware-software interfacing, and vehicle testing. Your team will be responsible for local deployment and validation of Wayve’s technology stack, ensuring robust performance across diverse vehicle platforms and U.S. road environments.

Given the geographical and time zone distance from our London HQ, your team will operate with a high degree of independence. We’re looking for someone who thrives in a fast-moving, startup-like environment; capable of setting a vision, executing quickly, and making sound technical and operational decisions while maintaining strong alignment with our global engineering and product teams.

This role requires a broad systems perspective, hands-on technical depth, and excellent leadership and communication skills. Experience working with OEMs and vehicle programs is highly desirable.

Key Responsibilities

• Build and lead a world-class Application Software team in the U.S., hiring, mentoring, and scaling a group of multidisciplinary engineers.
  
  
• Drive full-cycle vehicle integration and testing, from defining technical requirements through to deployment and performance validation in real-world U.S. environments.
  
  
• Collaborate closely with global engineering, product, and OEM partnership teams to align technical roadmaps and ensure successful integration of Wayve’s autonomy stack into partner vehicles.
  
  
• Serve as the primary technical interface for OEM partners in the U.S., managing joint development activities, technical reviews, and integration milestones.
  
  
• Develop local testing and validation processes, ensuring data quality, safety, and operational excellence across U.S.-based programs.
  
  
• Operate with autonomy while maintaining clear communication and collaboration with Wayve’s HQ teams in London.
  
  
• Champion Wayve’s engineering standards, fostering a culture of technical excellence, safety, and rapid iteration.
  
  

About You

To succeed in this role, you’ll bring deep technical expertise, a systems mindset, and a proven ability to lead high-performing engineering teams that deliver results in complex, cross-functional environments.

Essential:

• Strong background in vehicle systems integration, robotics, or autonomous systems, with experience deploying real-world technologies.
  
  
• Proven track record of building and managing high-performing engineering teams, ideally across distributed geographies.
  
  
• Excellent technical breadth across software, hardware, and systems engineering.
  
  
• Comfortable operating in ambiguous, fast-paced environments, setting clear goals and executing with minimal supervision.
  
  
• Exceptional communication skills and the ability to represent engineering in discussions with internal stakeholders and external partners.
  
  
• Strong product and customer orientation.
  
  

Desirable:

• Prior experience with vehicle autonomy, ADAS, or robotics platforms at scale.
  
  
• Familiarity with U.S. automotive industry standards, validation processes, and regulatory requirements.
  
  
• Experience working in a cross-functional global engineering organization.
  
  

Location & Working Model

This is a full-time role based in our Sunnyvale, California office. At Wayve, we believe in combining the best of both worlds; in-person collaboration to fuel innovation and team culture, with flexibility to work from home when it best suits you and your team. We operate core working hours to enable cross-time-zone collaboration and trust you to design your schedule around delivering impact.

We understand that everyone has a unique set of skills and experiences and that not everyone will meet all of the requirements listed above. If you’re passionate about self-driving cars and think you have what it takes to make a positive impact on the world, we encourage you to apply.

For more information visit Careers at Wayve. 

To learn more about what drives us, visit Values at Wayve 

---

DISCLAIMER: We will not ask about marriage or pregnancy, care responsibilities or disabilities in any of our job adverts or interviews. However, we do look to capture information about care responsibilities, and disabilities among other diversity information as part of an optional DEI Monitoring form to help us identify areas of improvement in our hiring process and ensure that the process is inclusive and non-discriminatory.