Machine Learning Engineering Manager - Application Software
About the job
- A strong background in robotics and autonomy, including experience building and deploying systems operating in real-world environments.
- Demonstrated ability to lead and grow high-performing engineering teams, ideally in geographically distributed or independent settings.
- Ability to define goals, develop roadmaps, and deliver high-impact work with minimal supervision in ambiguous conditions.
- Broad technical fluency to review and guide work across software engineering, machine learning, controls, and systems integration.
- Ability to convey technical context and strategic vision across cultures and time zones.
- Product sense and stakeholder management skills, including interfacing directly with original equipment manufacturer customers and representing engineering in external-facing conversations.
- Prior experience in autonomous vehicles or robotic systems operating at scale.
- Familiarity with the US road environment, driving behavior, or autonomous vehicle regulatory landscape.
- A strong foundation in machine learning and its application to real-time decision-making or perception systems.
- Build and lead a self-sufficient US autonomous vehicle development team, hiring and mentoring talent across robotics and machine learning.
- Deliver autonomy capabilities tailored to US road conditions and driving norms in collaboration with central autonomy teams.
- Drive full-cycle development, from identifying local autonomy needs through designing, implementing, testing, and deploying features into production.
- Ensure the team maintains engineering standards while operating with agility and independence.
- Work with US original equipment manufacturer partners, represent the autonomy team in technical discussions, capture product requirements, and shape joint development plans.
- Establish close working relationships with US product and vehicle operations teams.
Before the detail, here's the challenge you'd help us solve.
We build the embodied intelligence that moves real vehicles safely, and the ecosystem a billion machines will run on in the future. Very few people in AI can say this. Every role here, whatever the team, plugs into that.
Here’s what this particular role covers.
🛠️ About the role
We're looking for an exceptional leader to spearhead our new Application Engineering team, a self-sufficient and high-impact group focused on localising and advancing our autonomous driving technology for the US market. This is a unique opportunity to shape Wayve’s AV capabilities in the US from the ground up.
As a founding manager, you’ll lead a small but mighty team of engineers working across robotics, machine learning, and systems integration. You'll drive development of autonomy features tailored for US's road infrastructure, cultural driving behaviours, and regulatory landscape, ensuring our AV stack performs safely and effectively in this highly distinctive environment.
We’re looking for someone who thrives in self-directed, startup-like conditions, capable of setting a vision, executing fast, and making robust decisions independently — while staying aligned with global engineering efforts.
This role requires breadth: strong experience across AV systems, including robotics and autonomy, is essential. If you also bring deep expertise in machine learning, that's a major plus.
🧩 What you’ll be working on
Build and lead a self-sufficient AV development team in the US, hiring and mentoring top talent across Robotics and ML.
Deliver autonomy capabilities tailored to road conditions and driving norms, in close collaboration with central Autonomy teams.
Drive full-cycle development: from identifying local autonomy needs, to designing, implementing, testing, and deploying features into production.
Ensure the team upholds Wayve’s high engineering standards, while operating with agility and independence.
Work closely with OEM partners in the US — representing Wayve’s autonomy team in technical discussions, capturing product requirements, and shaping joint development plans.
Establish close working relationships with our product and vehicle operations teams in the US.
🙌 You should apply if
You bring strong technical expertise, proven leadership skills, and a passion for building robust autonomous systems that can adapt to diverse real-world challenges.
Essential
A strong background in robotics and autonomy, with experience building and deploying systems that operate in real-world environments.
Demonstrated ability to lead and grow high-performing engineering teams, ideally in geographically distributed or independent settings.
Comfortable with ambiguity: you can define goals, carve out roadmaps, and deliver high-impact work with minimal supervision.
Broad technical fluency: capable of reviewing and guiding work across software engineering, ML, controls, and systems integration.
Excellent communication skills: you’re able to clearly convey technical context and strategic vision across cultures and time zones.
Strong product sense and stakeholder management skills: you’re comfortable interfacing directly with OEM customers and representing engineering in external-facing conversations.
Essential
Prior experience in autonomous vehicles or robotic systems operating at scale.
Familiarity with US's road environment, driving behaviour, or AV regulatory landscape.
A strong foundation in machine learning and its application to real-time decision-making or perception systems.
🌱 Not ticking every box? That’s totally okay! If you’re passionate about autonomy and keen to learn, we encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet every requirement.
More about Wayve:
🚀 Wayve is building the leading AI platform for autonomous driving. We are pioneering an end to end AI approach that enables vehicles to learn directly from real world experience, developing the ability to adapt, generalise and improve at scale. Instead of relying on hand coded rules or pre mapped environments, our AI Driver learns to drive by understanding the world around it. The result is technology that navigates complex urban environments with intelligence, precision and natural flow, unlocking meaningful advances in both safety and efficiency. We believe autonomy represents a once in a generation transformation in how people and goods move, comparable to the shift from horses to cars, and from human driven vehicles to intelligent machines.
Our ambition is to make autonomy universal. Wayve’s mapless and hardware agnostic AI platform integrates with global OEM partners, enabling continuous software evolution and unlocking advanced levels of automation from L2 plus through to L4 as our core AI model scales. In a race increasingly defined by intelligence and real world learning, Wayve is taking a distinct approach, building a generalisable driving intelligence that can power any vehicle, anywhere. By combining embodied AI with scalable deployment, we are creating technology that can be shaped to each OEM brand and driver experience, accelerating the transition to a safer, more intelligent future of mobility.
How we work 💻- Locations & Flexible Working:
This role is a full-time role based in Sunnyvale, CA or Detroit, MI (hybrid).
Our main hubs are in London, Sunnyvale, Yokohama, Herzliya, Vancouver and Leonberg. We operate a hybrid working model that combines in-person collaboration in our dedicated office spaces with focused time working remotely. This gives our teams the connection and energy of working together, alongside the flexibility to do their best work in a way that fits their lives.
🔍 The Interview Process:
Our process is clear and respectful of your time:
Initial call / recruiter screen 30 min
Competency Interviews 2 hours
Deep-dive technical interviews 2-3 hours
Final interview: 45 min
We’ll always explain the format and work around your availability.
What’s in it for you (Location dependant):
💰 Salaries benchmarked against the market annually
📈 Meaningful equity, sharing in the ownership and long term success of Wayve
✈️ Relocation support and visa sponsorship where applicable
✅ Hybrid working, core hours and the chance to work hands on in vehicle workshops and labs
📚 Learning and development budgets with support for training, conferences and growth
🩺 Comprehensive benefits including health insurance, dental, enhanced maternity and paternity leave, retirement or pension where applicable, access to therapists, wellbeing partnerships, team socials and more
A quick, honest note before you apply.
Wayve is not a mature, fully-structured place with the playbook already written. Much of how we work is still being written, and if you join, you’ll help write it. That suits people who want real ownership more than people who need a settled structure from day one.
If that sounds like the kind of problem you want to spend your time on, we’d really like to hear from you.
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.
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.
About the company
Wayve provides end-to-end autonomous-driving software for automakers and fleets that runs entirely on onboard compute and sensors, without relying on HD maps or city-by-city engineering. The system uses foundation models capable of zero-shot driving and has demonstrated ability to drive across 500+ cities in Europe, North America, and Japan. Unlike traditional AV stacks that depend on mapped data and per-city customization, Wayve aims to generalize driving with its onboard AI across diverse environments. Its goal is to scale commercial robotaxi trials from 2026 and bring supervised autonomy to consumer vehicles from 2027, backed by substantial funding partnerships to support rapid deployment.
Company Size
1,001-5,000
Company Stage
Series D
Total Funding
$2.6B
Headquarters
London, United Kingdom
Founded
2017
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Mercedes-Benz will integrate Wayve into future vehicles within two years, expanding retail distribution.
- Stellantis targets 2028 North American launch for Level 2++ systems powered by Wayve.
- Volkswagen selected Wayve on October 1, 2026, beating Nvidia in testing.
What critics are saying
- Wayve still lacks mass-market revenue; Mercedes and Stellantis launches start in 2028.
- Volkswagen’s October 1, 2026 selection still lacks a signed contract.
- Nvidia, Mobileye, and OEM in-house stacks threaten commoditization before Wayve proves safety at scale.
What makes Wayve unique
- Wayve’s mapless, end-to-end AI Driver generalizes across vehicles without city-specific engineering.
- Mercedes-Benz signed a production agreement on September 22, 2026, validating OEM pull.
- Stellantis demoed Wayve across Jeep, Fiat, and Maserati, proving cross-platform portability.
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Benefits
- Hybrid Work Options
Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
1%1 year growth
4%2 year growth
0%Stellantis and Wayve demonstrate how AI can scale across vehicle platforms and enhance everyday mobility. * Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa and Wayve co-founder and CEO Alex Kendall discuss the future of AI-powered mobility at Wave by Vento 2026 * Artificial intelligence is transforming the vehicle from a programmed machine into an intelligent system capable of perceiving, learning and adapting to complex real-world environments * Stellantis and Wayves' partnership demonstrates how a common AI driving foundation can adapt across Stellantis vehicle platforms: Fiat 500e and Maserati Grecale development vehicles showcased hands-free door-to-door supervised driving assistant (Level 2++), enabled by Wayve AI Driver and STLA AutoDrive * A shared, scalable AI foundation connects Level 2++ and future L4-Ready Platforms(TM), supporting supervised hands-free driving for private vehicles and, in the future, driverless mobility services designed for high-use operations TURIN, Italy, Oct. 9, 2026 - Stellantis and Wayve showcased progress in their strategic technology partnership at Wave by Vento 2026, demonstrating how AI-powered driving intelligence can adapt across distinct vehicle platforms while delivering a natural, intuitive and supervised hands-free driving experience. During a conversation at the event, Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa and Wayve co-founder and CEO Alex Kendall discussed how artificial intelligence is reshaping vehicles, accelerating innovation and creating new opportunities to make mobility more useful, accessible and human-centered. Alongside the conversation, Fiat 500e and Maserati Grecale development vehicles demonstrated hands-free door-to-door supervised driving assistant (Level 2++), enabled by the integration of Wayve AI Driver with STLA AutoDrive. The two development vehicles progressed from integration to real-world road testing in less than four weeks, building on the successful Jeep(R) Grand Cherokee integration earlier this year and reflecting the adaptability of the technologies and the deepening collaboration between the Stellantis and Wayve engineering teams. Announced in May 2026, the strategic partnership combines Wayve's end-to-end AI driving intelligence with Stellantis' STLA AutoDrive technology platform, automotive engineering expertise and scalable vehicle architectures. This approach enables a common AI driving foundation to support multiple vehicle platforms while adapting to differences in vehicle geometry, dynamics and sensor positioning. Hands-free, door-to-door supervised driving assistant, available across highway and urban environments, is targeted to launch in 2028, starting in North America. Traditional driving assistant systems largely depend on predefined rules and specifically programmed scenarios. Artificial intelligence introduces a different approach, enabling vehicles to interpret complex real-world situations and support decision-making in real time. Wayve AI Driver uses end-to-end embodied AI technology that learns from real-world experience to understand driving environments and respond appropriately without relying on high-definition maps, hand-coded driving rules or custom hardware. Integrated with STLA AutoDrive, this intelligence supports Stellantis' ambition to develop advanced driver-assistance systems that feel natural and intuitive, adapt to varying customer expectations and scale efficiently across brands and markets. As AI continues to evolve, vehicles are progressively transitioning from machines executing a fixed set of programmed instructions into intelligent systems capable of perceiving their surroundings, learning from experience and responding to complex real-world conditions. For Stellantis and Wayve, advancing AI is not an end in itself. Its technology's value lies in improving everyday mobility by reducing driver workload and making travel safer, smoother and more intuitive. Stellantis and Wayve share a long-term vision in which generalizable AI driving technology can support different levels of vehicle automation and address distinct mobility needs. Level 2++ is designed to bring supervised, hands-free, door-to-door driving to customers in their own vehicles. while L4 technology, combined with Stellantis' L4-Ready Platforms(TM) and Wayve's AI technology, can power driverless mobility services for high-utilization operations. A common, scalable technological foundation can accelerate learning and deployment at scale across vehicles and markets, while each application is engineered and validated according to its specific operating model and safety requirements. "Artificial intelligence is transforming the vehicle into an intelligent system capable of perceiving, learning and adapting to complex real-world environments. But, technology matters only when it improves people's lives," said Antonio Filosa, CEO of Stellantis. ""Our partnership with Wayve combines advanced AI, world-class engineering expertise and scalable vehicle platforms, reinforcing a core principle of our FaSTLAne 2030 strategy: the power of partnerships. By integrating the same core driving intelligence across different vehicles, we are showing how innovation can scale while remaining focused on what customers value most: safety, simplicity and confidence behind the wheel." "We're building a general-purpose AI Driver that can power any vehicle, anywhere," said Alex Kendall, co-founder and CEO of Wayve. "Together with Stellantis, we first integrated our technology into a Jeep Grand Cherokee earlier this year. Now, we've brought the same core intelligence to the Fiat 500e and Maserati Grecale - three very different vehicles with distinct configurations. This progress shows how embodied AI can become the foundation automakers build on to deliver safe, intelligent and delightful driving experiences at global scale." The Fiat 500e and Maserati Grecale development vehicles showcased at Wave by Vento make the partnership's progress tangible. By combining Wayve's adaptable AI technology with Stellantis' engineering capabilities, industrial scale and diverse product portfolio, the companies aim to bring advanced driving technology to more customers while preserving the distinct character and experience of each brand. About Stellantis Stellantis (NYSE: STLA / Euronext Milan: STLAM / Euronext Paris: STLAP) is a leading global automaker, dedicated to giving its customers the freedom to choose the way they move, embracing the latest technologies and creating value for all its stakeholders. Its unique portfolio of iconic and innovative brands includes Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Citroën, Dodge, DS Automobiles, FIAT, Jeep(R), Lancia, Maserati, Opel, Peugeot, Ram, Vauxhall, Free2move and Leasys. For more information, visit www.stellantis.com. About Wayve Founded in 2017, Wayve is the leading developer of Embodied AI technology for automated driving. Its advanced AI software and foundation models for autonomy enable vehicles to perceive, understand, and navigate any environment, enhancing the usability and safety of autonomous driving systems. Wayve develops mapless and hardware-agnostic Embodied AI products for automakers and fleet owners, accelerating the path from assisted to automated driving. To learn more, please visit www.wayve.ai. Stellantis Media Contact: Massimo De Micheli + 39 335 40 15 30 - [email protected] [email protected]
Stellantis, Wayve deal could cut autonomous driving development costs and timelines, CEO says. Published on 10/09/2026 at 09:52 am EDT Reuters - Translated by Marketscreener - See original Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa said the automaker's partnership with British startup Wayve could help drastically reduce the time and cost of developing advanced driver-assistance systems, as automakers race to bring autonomous driving features to market. Speaking alongside Wayve CEO Alex Kendall at the Wave technology event in Turin, Filosa stressed that production scale will be crucial to making autonomous driving affordable and promoting its faster adoption. "If adoption follows the path that we believe it will on a large scale, the industrial scale of the automotive sector, which is one of the complementary assets we bring to Alex, will help reduce costs, which is obviously very important," Filosa said, referring to so-called Level 2++ driver-assistance technology, which allows hands-free driving while still requiring driver supervision. According to Filosa, reducing development timelines, currently around 24 months for Stellantis, has been a key benefit of working with technology partners. In May, Stellantis announced a partnership with Wayve to integrate the startup's artificial intelligence-based driving software into its STLA AutoDrive platform. The first product is expected to launch in North America in 2028. Meanwhile, European regulators are still working to harmonize approval rules for increasingly sophisticated driver-assistance systems, as automakers push for broader adoption. COMPETITION GROWING EVER MORE INTENSE Traditional automakers initially sought to develop advanced autonomous driving systems mostly in-house, but with costs soaring and returns taking longer than expected, they are increasingly turning to specialized technology companies. Wayve, which also works with other automakers, including Nissan and Mercedes, said its technology is designed to be deployed across multiple automotive brands and markets. Kendall said Stellantis' portfolio of brands, which includes Jeep, Fiat, Peugeot and Maserati, offers a unique opportunity to adapt autonomous driving features to different vehicles while using the same underlying artificial intelligence system. "One of the advantages... is the variety of vehicles and brands Stellantis has," he said. The partnership comes amid growing competition in the automated driving sector. Tesla is pressuring regulators across Europe to approve its Full Self-Driving technology, arguing that advanced driver-assistance systems can improve road safety and accelerate the adoption of autonomous features. At the Turin event, Stellantis and Wayve demonstrated hands-free driving on prototypes of the Fiat 500e and Maserati Grecale, expanding on the technology's applications first presented earlier this year on a Jeep Grand Cherokee. (Translated by Laura Boffetti, edited by Andrea Mandala) (C) Reuters - 2026
Valeo selected by Nissan as partner for ProPILOT. Valeo will integrate "Wayve AI Driver" technology with Valeo's hardware and software stack. October 6, 2026 Valeo has announced that it has been selected by Nissan as the system Tier-1 for Nissan's next-generation ProPILOT program. Valeo says it will deliver a comprehensive hardware and software platform designed to enable next-generation AI-based driving capabilities, integrating "Wayve AI Driver" software as the driving intelligence layer within an automotive-grade system. Marc Vrecko, CEO of Valeo Brain Division, said: "We are honoured to have been selected by Nissan as the System Tier-1 partner for its ambitious next-generation ProPILOT program. This program demonstrates Valeo's ability to combine a comprehensive sensor portfolio, high-performance computing and software expertise with advanced AI technology. Together with Nissan and Wayve, Valeo will deliver a seamless, safe and innovative AI Defined vehicle experience designed for mass production." Combining AI innovation with industrial scale. As the lead system integrator, Valeo will bring together advanced sensors, ADAS computing, and "Wayve AI Driver" software into a production-ready solution for Nissan's future vehicles. The program builds on Valeo's global expertise in ADAS, software, sensing technologies and the industrialization of complex automotive systems. Valeo will combine its high-performance hardware and software platform with Wayve's AI Driver technology to support Nissan's initiative for automated driving. Through this program, Valeo will bridge advanced AI capabilities with the safety, quality and scalability requirements of mass-production vehicles. As the System Tier-1 provider, Valeo will supply a full-stack hardware and software solution designed to provide 360-degree situational awareness and high-performance computing. Valeo's contribution to Nissan's next-generation ProPILOT system includes Centralized Intelligence thanks to an ADAS Domain Controller designed to process complex AI algorithms and support centralized vehicle intelligence. Valeo will work closely with Nissan and Wayve to validate, integrate and industrialize the complete solution for Nissan's next-generation ProPILOT program. Give your business an edge with its leading industry insights.
Stellantis and Wayve to showcase Level 2++ automated driving at Wave by Vento tech conference. By Zahra Awan October 2, 2026 2 Mins Read Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa and Wayve co-founder and CEO Alex Kendall will discuss the companies' developments in artificial intelligence and mobility, and technology that can be deployed at scale, at next month's Wave by Vento 2026 in Turin, Italy. At the event, the companies will also offer demonstration rides in Fiat 500e and Maserati Grecale development vehicles featuring STLA AutoDrive powered by Wayve. The vehicles integrate Wayve's AI Driver with the STLA AutoDrive platform to demonstrate hands-free, door-to-door supervised automated driving at Level 2++ in real-world conditions. These demonstrations follow the showcasing of a Jeep Grand Cherokee development vehicle at Stellantis's Investor Day in May; along with the Fiat 500e and Maserati Grecale, the he same core AI driving foundation will have been demonstrated across three distinct vehicles, platforms and configurations. The strategic partnership between the two companies, which was announced in May 2026, initially focuses on hands-free, door-to-door supervised automated driving in highway and urban environments. The first product launch is targeted for 2028 in North America. The collaboration combines Wayve's end-to-end AI driving technology with Stellantis's vehicle engineering and platforms, with the companies working to develop advanced driver-assistance systems for future vehicles.
Volkswagen announce autonomous driving partnership with Wayve. VW is set to collaborate with British AI start-up Wayve on autonomous driving in future. According to media reports, Wayve may have prevailed in an internal comparison - including against Nvidia. By Jasmin Apitzsch-Krause 01.10.2026 - 19:00 Volkswagen has reportedly selected Wayve as its new technology partner for autonomous driving. According to a report by Der Spiegel, citing three insiders, the British startup emerged victorious in an internal selection process against Nvidia and other providers. The report states that Volkswagen tested several systems against each other in a major southern German city a few weeks ago. Wayve reportedly impressed both technically and financially. Volkswagen, its IT subsidiary Cariad, and Wayve all declined to comment to media representatives. Time is of the essence for the Group. Driver assistance systems are increasingly becoming a competitive factor, particularly in the premium segment. VW subsidiary Audi, for example, is under pressure in the field of automated driving functions when compared directly with Mercedes and BMW. Tesla, too, relies on a highly data-driven software architecture with its FSD system. Like Tesla, Wayve pursues an end-to-end approach, where AI derives driving decisions as directly as possible from large volumes of sensor data, rather than relying primarily on pre-defined rules. During a test drive, an Audi A6 e-tron equipped with Wayve software reportedly recognised that an oncoming vehicle had waived its right of way with a flash of its headlights and subsequently manoeuvred independently into a parking space, according to Spiegel. Volkswagen integrates Wayve into its software strategy. The potential collaboration with Wayve follows the end of the Automated Driving Alliance between Cariad and Bosch. The alliance had developed an AI-based Level 2 system, which Volkswagen intends to continue using, including in the planned ID.EVERY1. However, for further development towards higher levels of automation, the Group sought a new partner. Wayve had already been considered a potential candidate in the summer. For Cariad, the selection of the British startup is initially positive. Wayve is expected to primarily provide the AI software, which Cariad would then integrate into its existing technical architecture, including sensors, computing hardware, and other software components. With Nvidia, the division of roles would apparently have been different. The US company is said to have offered Volkswagen a complete system, which could have made a significant portion of the approximately 1,200 employees in Cariad's autonomous driving division redundant. However, Nvidia is not necessarily out of the running. The chip manufacturer has a stake in Wayve and supplies computing hardware for the startup's autonomous driving projects. It remains unclear which hardware Volkswagen will ultimately use. The decision to partner with Wayve could also impact Volkswagen's robotaxi activities. The Group has long been searching for an external investor for MOIA but has so far apparently been unsuccessful. Recently, there have been considerations to involve a technology partner like Wayve or Nvidia not only at Cariad but also at MOIA. This could allow Volkswagen to more closely align its passenger car assistance systems and Level 4 robotaxi business technologically. In parallel, Cariad will continue to downsize. The software subsidiary is to improve its operating result by €400 million and reduce its investments by around €6.1 billion over the next five years. Cariad CEO Peter Bosch has also announced the elimination of around 1,000 of the current 4,000-plus jobs. The distribution of tasks within the Group also remains in flux. Volkswagen is developing the next generation of software-defined electric cars jointly with Rivian. Cariad is to focus more strongly on selected technology areas in the future, including infotainment and autonomous driving. It remains unclear how budget, personnel, and responsibilities will be distributed between Cariad and Audi in the future. According to the report, a final contract with Wayve has not yet been signed. Initially, Audi's procurement department is to negotiate the terms with the British startup. 0 comments. about "Volkswagen announce autonomous driving partnership with Wayve"