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Salary: USD 314,700 - 408,100 / annual
Wayve is building an AI platform for autonomous driving that learns directly from real-world experience. As Principal Vehicle Integration Lead, you will provide technical leadership for the electrical architecture, integration, validation, and delivery of autonomous driving systems across vehicle platforms.
You will own vehicle integration from early architecture and requirements through prototype builds, bring-up, validation, production readiness, and deployment. This role sits at the intersection of electrical and mechanical engineering, vehicle systems, autonomous driving hardware, software, and integration. You'll lead the integration of compute, sensing, power, communications, and supporting hardware into development and production-intent vehicles, ensuring systems perform reliably and safely in real-world environments.
Key responsibilities include:
- Leading electrical architecture, mechanical design, and vehicle integration of autonomous driving hardware across multiple development vehicle platforms
- Defining system requirements, interfaces, architecture, and integration strategies for new vehicle platforms
- Leading integration of high-performance compute platforms, cameras, radar, lidar, GNSS, IMUs, power distribution systems, ECUs, vehicle networks (CAN, LIN, Automotive Ethernet), wiring harnesses, and custom electronics
- Partnering with Software, Systems, Autonomy, OEMs, and assembly partners to ensure hardware-software interfaces are clearly defined and validated
- Leading architecture and design reviews, making technical trade-offs across performance, reliability, safety, packaging, manufacturability, cost, and schedule
- Driving vehicle-level integration, bring-up, commissioning, and validation
- Leading troubleshooting and root-cause analysis of complex integration issues spanning vehicles, hardware, and software
- Developing verification and validation strategies to ensure systems meet performance, reliability, environmental, and safety requirements
- Identifying technical risks early and driving mitigation plans through development and vehicle launch
- Partnering with Functional Safety and Systems Engineering on electrical architecture and safety requirements
- Working directly with OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, contract manufacturers, upfitters, and integration partners to establish technical requirements and resolve integration challenges
- Supporting prototype and vehicle builds, including issue triage during critical integration and test activities
- Establishing and improving electrical engineering standards, design practices, documentation, and vehicle integration processes
- Mentoring electrical engineers and providing technical guidance across programs
You will work closely with Systems Engineering, Embedded Software, Autonomy, Safety, Vehicle Operations, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, OEM partners, and external suppliers. You'll provide technical direction while remaining hands-on with engineering, leading design decisions, troubleshooting complex issues, and driving programs through validation and vehicle readiness.
Wayve operates a hybrid working model combining in-person collaboration in offices and workshops with focused remote work, with core working hours allowing schedule flexibility.
REQUIREMENTS:
- Significant experience in electrical and mechanical engineering, vehicle integration, autonomous vehicles, ADAS, robotics, or advanced mobility
- Deep understanding of vehicle electrical and electronic architectures
- Demonstrated experience integrating complex electrical systems into development or production vehicles, taking hardware from requirements and architecture through prototype integration, validation, and production readiness
- Strong knowledge of vehicle power distribution and power management; automotive compute and ECUs; camera and perception sensor integration; CAN, LIN, and Automotive Ethernet; wiring harnesses, connectors, and electrical interfaces; PCBAs and electronic hardware; EMC/EMI; signal and power integrity; grounding and shielding; and electrical verification and validation
- Strong hands-on debugging, bring-up, and root-cause analysis experience; ability to diagnose issues spanning electrical hardware, embedded software, mechanical systems, and vehicle networks
- Experience working with vehicle schematics, wiring diagrams, interface control documents, requirements, and diagnostic tools
- Experience working with OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, upfitters, contract manufacturers, or vehicle integration partners
- Understanding of automotive product development, engineering change management, configuration management, and release processes
- Experience with structured engineering methods including DFMEA, DVP&R, requirements management, and design reviews
- Strong systems thinking; ability to balance technical requirements with program timelines and business objectives
- Demonstrated ability to lead technical work across multiple teams without relying solely on organizational authority
- Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to work effectively with engineers, suppliers, program leaders, and senior stakeholders
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related technical discipline, or equivalent practical experience
PLUS (preferred):
- Direct experience developing autonomous driving or ADAS vehicle platforms
- Experience integrating high-performance AI compute into vehicles
- Experience integrating cameras, radar, lidar, GNSS, IMUs, or other perception systems
- Knowledge of automotive functional safety, including ISO 26262
- Familiarity with automotive cybersecurity and secure vehicle architectures
- Experience with vehicle diagnostics, CAN tools, logging, telemetry, and automated validation
- Experience with automotive EMC/EMI and environmental qualification
- Experience transitioning vehicle systems from engineering prototypes into repeatable production builds
- Experience supporting vehicle fleets and diagnosing issues during real-world operation
- Experience working across multiple OEM vehicle architectures or adapting a common autonomous driving system to multiple vehicle platforms
