Vehicle Interior Engineering Specialist

Hardware Engineering is a diverse, innovative, and collaborative group of electrical, mechanical, reliability, software and vehicle engineers. We design, build, and perfect the products which are the eyes and ears of Waymo's autonomous driving technology, and integrate those products into vehicle platforms. We're seeking curious and talented teammates to keep us moving in the right direction.

You will:

• Authority on complete vehicle interior systems including; Hard Trim, Soft Trim, Door Trim, Seating, Trunk Trim, Cabin NVH
• Confident interfacing with Senior Leadership internally at Waymo, at OEM partners and Tier 1 suppliers, guiding conversations and influencing outcomes in the best interest of the Waymo product.
• Estimation of interior strategy costs (investment and piece costs) for options to inform decision making.
• Proven team lead, having managed permanent or contract staff delivering designs
• Ability to create high level interior strategies for future Waymo vehicles:
  
  
  
  • Create (or guide others to create) master sections to explain package and buildup of vehicle interior components
  • Drive conversations/meetings using examples from Benchmark/competitor vehicles
  • Relevant experience/ examples of developing vehicle interiors with low and high volume production, as well as low cost vs premium strategies. Able to communicate pros and cons of volume of manufacture vs spend.
  • Gather and present possible materials and mock-ups for group convergence on Waymo preferred solutions.
  
  
  
  
• Able to guide and recommend durable materials, suitable for high traffic vehicle interiors, along with pros and cons of different material options, working towards decision making, leaning towards premium feel packages.
• Will likely be asked from time to time to 'step-in' and Engineer, CAD and release designs when timelines are imminent, as needed.

You have:

• Vast experience (12+yrs), having launched multiple car platforms successfully, ideally working on early concept stages through to production launch.
• Extensive knowledge of vehicle interior/ whole vehicle architecture including partnering commodities, such as, Cabin HVAC, Cabin Lighting, User Experience Hardware (Phone/Laptop Charging, Display Integration etc.)
• Current working knowledge of Catia (V5/V6), able to create master sections for team to use as input
• Ability to communicate up and down with Waymo leadership, partner OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers.
• Experience working with (and preferably current contacts within) major interior suppliers and tier one vendors
• Experience Engineering vehicle structures as well as cosmetic A-Class components/ assemblies.
• Demonstrated ability to identify, engage with and downselect supplier selection working with Supply Chain and SQE.

We prefer:

• Ability to read moldflow and interpret results to guide component and tooling design
• Tool design history/ working at a tool design or injection molding company to optimize tooling design for part quality, timing and investment cost.
• PPAP quality process and how this is applied to automotive components.

Travel:

• Travel to Vehicle team in Novi MI, possibly once per quarter
• Travel to vendors and OEM partners likely once per 4-6 weeks. Some domestic, some overseas