Program Manager, Mapping Operations
The Program Manager, Mapping Operations at Waymo plays a pivotal role in the Mapping Operations team, which is responsible for building, validating, and continuously improving the high-definition maps that power Waymo’s autonomous driving system. This team ensures that the vehicle has an accurate, up-to-date understanding of the world by transforming raw sensor data into reliable, production-ready map assets. The Program Manager will work at the intersection of autonomous driving, data operations, and quality assurance, partnering closely with Engineering, Machine Learning, and Product teams to support safe, scalable deployment across new and existing markets.
Key responsibilities include leading deep dives into map quality issues to identify organizational breakdowns, workflow vulnerabilities, and metric anomalies, moving beyond surface-level fixes to understand fundamental root causes and generate robust, scalable solutions. The Program Manager will serve as the connector between Engineering/Product and Operations, prioritizing and contextualizing operational escalations for technical stakeholders while translating complex logic into clear, executable guidance for Mapping Operators. Additionally, the role involves managing progress on multiple initiatives, ensuring next steps are clear and deadlines are aligned, and scrutinizing data trends to back up assertions and explore anomalies, keeping analyses structured and reproducible.
The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience, with 2+ years of experience in operations, analytics, or project management, and a track record of driving process improvements. Advanced proficiency with data is essential, including comfort with organizing large datasets, utilizing complex formulas, and creating structured models to derive insights in Google Sheets or Excel. Exceptional communication skills are required to distill complex technical logic into clear instructions for non-technical audiences. Comfort with ambiguity is also important, with a history of making pragmatic decisions and maintaining momentum even when data is incomplete or processes are undefined.
Preferred qualifications include experience with SQL, the ability to write basic queries to retrieve data and answer questions without relying on an analyst, familiarity with mapping concepts such as understanding the basics of spatial data (lat/long, polygons) or experience using map editing tools, and vendor management experience, including creating guidelines or managing quality/workflows for outsourced or contingent teams.
Waymo offers a competitive compensation package, including participation in the discretionary annual bonus program, equity incentive plan, and a generous company benefits program. The expected base salary range for this full-time position is $48.56—$61.06 USD per hour, with actual starting pay based on job-related factors such as exact work location, experience, relevant training and education, and skill level. Waymo is committed to creating a culture of belonging and maintaining a supportive workplace for all employees, welcoming applicants of all backgrounds and making employment decisions based on qualifications, experience, and alignment with job requirements and business needs.