International Standardization Lead (Staff Researcher)

The Waymo Safety team works to promote and help to continuously improve the safety of Waymo’s fully autonomous driving technology. Our experts develop safety goals and strategies, and conduct safety engineering analyses to ensure safety is being considered throughout the design and development of our vehicles. The team develops and promotes safety strategies and policies for autonomous vehicles for its work with regulatory authorities, lawmakers, law enforcement and public and non-profit organizations. Our Safety Team also helps advise on compliance with applicable environmental, health, and safety regulations.

In this hybrid role, you will report to the Head of Safety and Best Practices.

You will:

• Set Standardization Strategy: Develop a thoughtful, coordinated, company-wide strategy and approach for Waymo’s engagement with SDOs (inclusive of ISO, IEEE, SAE), defining clear goals, levels of engagement, and governance processes for content accountability.
• Act as an Internal/External Medium: Serve as the primary liaison between Waymo's internal practices and external Standard Development Organizations, actively working to consolidate internal consensus and assess how Waymo’s practices align with or differentiate from external ones.
• Run Internal Training: Develop and run internal training programs to align engineering, product, and cross-functional teams on external standardization landscapes, compliance goals, and Waymo’s internal stances.
• Shape Industry Optionality: Strategically prioritize Waymo's participation in working groups to contribute to shape consensus and advance safety across space while retaining the necessary optionality.
• Drive Publication and Leadership: Lead efforts to formulate and publish Waymo's internal best. practices to external committees, continuing to establish Waymo as a critical partner across the industry.
• Cross-Functional Coordination: Collaborate closely with the rest of the Safety Management and Best Practices (SMBP) team, legal regulatory groups, and engineering to establish appropriate platforms for critiquing perspectives and consolidating a consistent positioning on topics of interest.

You have:

• Minimum 7+ years of experience actively engaging with and participating in Standards Development Organizations (e.g., ISO, IEEE, SAE), inclusive of ISO TC 22 SC 32/36/39; ISO TC 204; SAE ORAD.
• Proven track record of developing and setting corporate strategy for standardization engagement within a highly technical or safety-critical domain.
• Demonstrated ability to build consensus, translate complex external requirements into actionable internal policies, and serve as a medium between technical teams and external stakeholders.
• Deep understanding of automotive safety frameworks, Verification & Validation methods, and behavioral evaluation.
• Exceptional communication skills with the ability to represent the company publicly, navigate ambiguity, and maintain poise in committee settings.

We prefer:

• Prior leadership positions or placements on umbrella committees within ISO, SAE, or IEEE that allow visibility into multiple subcommittees
• Experience designing and running internal training programs or educational initiatives across complex matrix organizations.
• Track record of contributions to published scholarly literature, recommended practices, or technical reports
• Familiarity with Waymo’s approach to safety and its safety case

Travel requirements:

• Travel is required for key SDO committee meetings, conferences, and team onsites.