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VP Engineering, Robotaxi

Wayve - Sunnyvale, CA, United States - Hybrid - posted 2026-10-06

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Wayve is building end-to-end AI technology for autonomous driving. As VP Engineering, Robotaxi, you will lead the engineering organization responsible for developing and deploying Wayve's Level 4 autonomous robotaxi product from development through real-world scale. You will own the complete engineering strategy and execution for the Robotaxi program, working closely with leaders across AI, Product, Validation, Vehicle Engineering, and Operations. This is a systems leadership role requiring you to bring together AI behavior, onboard software, compute, sensors, vehicle interfaces, safety systems, and operational infrastructure into one coherent autonomous system. Key responsibilities include: - Owning the engineering roadmap and execution for L4 Robotaxi development and deployment - Leading end-to-end system integration across AI, software, hardware, vehicle systems, validation, and operations - Driving engineering work to progressively remove the safety driver through rigorous development and validation - Leading development and integration of on-vehicle software systems between Wayve's AI Driver and the physical vehicle - Establishing tight feedback loops between fleet behavior, engineering development, validation, and release - Making critical architectural decisions across complex AI, software, compute, sensors, and vehicle systems - Building and leading a world-class engineering organization including senior engineering leaders and technical individual contributors - Partnering cross-functionally with AI, Product, Validation, Application Engineering, and Operations teams - Balancing long-term technical strategy with execution, making difficult prioritization decisions while maintaining speed You will spend significant time close to the product itself, using real-world vehicle performance and testing data to understand where the system needs improvement and helping teams translate those insights into engineering priorities. Wayve operates a hybrid working model with main hubs in London, Sunnyvale, Yokohama, Herzliya, Vancouver, and Leonberg. The company offers relocation support and visa sponsorship where applicable. REQUIREMENTS: - Led a significant engineering organization building autonomous vehicles, robotics, or another complex real-world autonomous system - Experience developing and deploying safety-critical software and hardware systems in the physical world (not purely cloud or consumer software) - Strong technical depth across complex software systems with credibility operating with senior engineers across AI, embedded software, systems, and hardware - Understanding of challenges in taking autonomous technology from development/testing into production-grade real-world operation - Experience owning a complex product or system end-to-end, not just one narrow component of the technology stack - Demonstrated strong systems thinking across software, hardware, vehicle behavior, safety, reliability, and operational constraints - Built and led large, high-performing engineering organizations with experience leading senior managers, directors, and technical leaders - Ability to combine long-term technical strategy with execution, making difficult prioritization and architectural decisions while keeping teams moving quickly - Comfortable operating in ambiguity and taking accountability for outcomes without an established playbook - Deep care for engineering quality balanced with urgency to get technology into the real world - Exceptional cross-functional leadership ability Experience with L4 autonomous vehicles, Robotaxi systems, robotics, autonomous trucking, aerospace, defense autonomy, or other safety-critical physical AI systems is particularly valuable.

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