About the role#
The Model Optimization & ML Runtime team focuses on maximizing the efficiency and hardware performance of perception and foundation models. You will work on bridging the gap between large-scale multi-task machine learning research and real-time onboard vehicle deployment. This role involves developing core optimization frameworks that power the Waymo Driver.
What you'll do#
- Design, implement, and benchmark parameter-efficient fine-tuning modules like LoRA and QLoRA in JAX/Flax for multi-task Vision Transformer backbones.
- Develop dual-level distillation pipelines using intermediate feature matching and task-head logit distillation to mitigate multi-task regressions.
- Partner with model optimization, quantization, and latency teams to validate static weight folding and low-precision quantization.
- Conduct empirical ablations and evaluate perception metrics on large-scale autonomous driving datasets across diverse geographic domains.
What you'll need#
- Currently pursuing a PhD or Master's in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Machine Learning, Robotics, or a related technical field.
- Strong software engineering and deep learning development skills using Python and frameworks such as JAX, Flax, PyTorch, or TensorFlow.
- Solid theoretical understanding and hands-on experience with foundation models, Transformer architectures, and multi-task learning.
- Experience with model compression, parameter-efficient fine-tuning, quantization, or knowledge distillation techniques.
- Preference for candidates with a publication record at top-tier computer vision or machine learning conferences.
- Preference for hands-on experience with model quantization, low-precision numerics, or hardware-aware model optimization.
- Preference for experience training and scaling large vision backbones on distributed accelerator clusters like TPUs or GPUs.
- Preference for familiarity with autonomous driving perception tasks such as 3D object detection, semantics, tracking, or pedestrian intent prediction.
Location & details#
- This is a full-time, paid Summer 2027 internship.
- The role is based in Mountain View, California.
- Work modality is hybrid and on-site.
- Sponsorship is not provided for this role.
About Waymo
Waymo is a technology company that develops automated driving systems. It focuses on mobility and road safety through its Waymo Driver technology. The firm operates as a private organization and employs between 1,001 and 5,000 people. It was founded in 2009 and maintains its headquarters in Mountain View, California.
How to get in at Waymo
Applying early is a significant advantage for roles at Waymo, as recruiters often review candidates before the applicant pool grows too large. Intern Insider sends an instant alert the moment a role matching your target is published anywhere, so you can submit your materials among the first. This helps ensure your application is seen before the pile grows. You can also improve your response rates by reaching out to the people actually hiring for these positions. Intern Insider surfaces the recruiters behind the company roles, allowing you to contact them directly to ask about the team or a potential referral. It is a more effective approach than sending your resume into a queue.
