Engineering & Hardware Category Manager

Waymo is an autonomous driving technology company focused on building the Waymo Driver and expanding access to safe, fully autonomous mobility. The Engineering & Hardware Category Manager will develop procurement strategies for engineering services and R&D hardware, manage outsourced engineering contracts, negotiate complex agreements, optimize manufacturing relationships, and advise Engineering and Hardware leadership on sourcing and supply chain decisions.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute a comprehensive procurement strategy for Engineering Services and R&D Hardware, balancing cost optimization with speed-to-market for prototypes and technical development
• Proactively manage a high-volume pipeline of outsourced engineering workforce contracts; lead negotiations for mission-critical engineering design firms to secure favorable long-term commercial and IP terms
• Structure and negotiate complex Statements of Work (SOWs) and Non-Recurring Engineering (NRE) agreements for hardware development to ensure successful project delivery and ROI
• Optimize Joint Design Manufacturing (JDM) and Original Design Manufacturing (ODM) relationships for R&D components, ensuring competitive pricing and seamless fulfillment logistics for hardware iterations
• Act as the trusted advisor to Engineering and Hardware leadership; lead complex "make vs. buy" analyses and influence technical requirements to drive commercial value and mitigate supply chain risk
• Partner with Legal (IP/Security) to ensure all engineering services and hardware agreements meet Waymo’s rigorous intellectual property protection and cybersecurity standards

Requirements:

• 7+ years of strategic procurement experience, with at least 4+ years dedicated to Engineering Services, R&D, or Hardware sourcing
• Deep expertise in outsourced engineering models (managed services, staff augmentation, fixed-bid) and experience negotiating with Tier 1 engineering service providers
• Proven ability to draft and negotiate complex commercial contracts, including MSAs, NREs, JDM/ODM agreements, and highly technical Professional Services SOWs
• Experience managing R&D hardware lifecycles (EVT, DVT, PVT) and negotiating with custom component manufacturers and prototyping houses
• Strong financial acumen with the ability to present TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) analysis to Finance and Hardware Engineering leadership
• Ability to operate in a high-velocity environment, managing multiple concurrent high-priority sourcing events for unreleased technologies
• Estimated 10-15% (Vendor QBRs, supplier audits, & HQ visits as needed)
• Experience in a hyper-growth Tech, Autonomous Vehicle (AV), or automotive manufacturing environment
• Engineering background or profound understanding of hardware development and systems engineering principles
• Experience using Ariba P2P, e-sourcing, and Spend Analysis tools