2027 Summer Intern, PhD, Perception Systems Engineering: Pedestrian Detection Precision

Waymo|28 Sep 2026

fulltimeonsite

Before you apply

Listed location: San Francisco, California

Work arrangement: onsite. A remote label does not confirm worldwide eligibility or visa sponsorship.

Read the employer’s description for qualifications, compensation and work eligibility. Confirm the position is still open on the application page.

Job description supplied by Waymo; category and skill labels may be inferred. How our listings work · Report a problem

Job Description

Waymo is an autonomous driving technology company with the mission to be the world's most trusted driver. Since its start as the Google Self-Driving Car Project in 2009, Waymo has focused on building the Waymo Driver—The World's Most Experienced Driver™—to improve access to mobility while saving thousands of lives now lost to traffic crashes. The Waymo Driver powers Waymo’s fully autonomous ride-hail service and can also be applied to a range of vehicle platforms and product use cases. The Waymo Driver has provided over ten million rider-only trips, enabled by its experience autonomously driving over 100 million miles on public roads and tens of billions in simulation across 15+ U.S. states.

Waymo's Systems Engineering team works together to blend software and hardware systems in groundbreaking new ways. We set the high performance standards that ensure our vehicles run smoothly and keep passengers safe, then design and perform the tests that validate that performance. We're looking for talented teammates who’ll help us maintain strong teamwork and are passionate about driving results.

Waymo interns partner with leaders in the industry on projects that create impact to the company. We believe learning is a two-way street: applying your knowledge while providing you with opportunities to expand your skill-set. Interns are an important part of our culture and our recruiting pipeline. Join us at Waymo for a fun and rewarding internship!

You will:

Determine and author requirements and verification items for detection models that cover pedestrians near the Waymo vehicle.
Collect and analyze data from existing logs and/or structured tests to test these requirements and identify false-positive clusters.
Run evaluations and triage results to track performance and identify release-over-release changes.
Leverage the evaluation framework you build to highlight areas with headroom and help the Perception teams hillclimb.

You have:

Currently pursuing a PhD in a technical field, such as Engineering, Physics, CS, etc.
Software engineering fundamentals
Familiarity with systems engineering, particularly the logical flow of requirements to tests

We prefer:

Experience handling large data sets/queries (e.g., SQL, Python) and/or automating test flows
Understanding of the fundamentals of an autonomous vehicle stack, including the data pipeline from sensors to Perception
Existing knowledge/skills/experience related to the autonomous vehicle industry or other similar forms of automation

Note: This will be a hybrid onsite internship position. We will accept resumes on a rolling basis until the role is filled. To be in consideration for multiple roles, you will need to apply to each one individually - please apply to the top 3 roles you are interested in.

The expected hourly rate for this full-time position is listed below. Interns are also eligible to participate in the Company’s generous benefits programs, subject to eligibility requirements.

Hourly PhD Pay

$85—$85 USD

Skills mentioned

PythonSQL

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2027 Summer Intern, PhD, Perception Systems Engineering: Pedestrian Detection Precision position at Waymo remote?

The 2027 Summer Intern, PhD, Perception Systems Engineering: Pedestrian Detection Precision role at Waymo does not have a confirmed remote arrangement in our data. Check the employer description for its work location.

What type of employment is the 2027 Summer Intern, PhD, Perception Systems Engineering: Pedestrian Detection Precision role?

Waymo is hiring for a full-time 2027 Summer Intern, PhD, Perception Systems Engineering: Pedestrian Detection Precision position.

Which skills are mentioned for the 2027 Summer Intern, PhD, Perception Systems Engineering: Pedestrian Detection Precision job at Waymo?

Detected skill labels include Python, SQL. Check the employer description to distinguish required skills from preferred experience.

How do I apply for the 2027 Summer Intern, PhD, Perception Systems Engineering: Pedestrian Detection Precision position at Waymo?

You can apply for the 2027 Summer Intern, PhD, Perception Systems Engineering: Pedestrian Detection Precision role directly through Waymo's official application link provided on this page.