Application Software Engineer

Before the detail, here's the challenge you'd help us solve.

We build the embodied intelligence that moves real vehicles safely, and the ecosystem a billion machines will run on in the future. Very few people in AI can say this. Every role here, whatever the team, plugs into that.

Here’s what this particular role covers.

🛠️ About our Application Software Teams

We’re seeking an exceptional Application SW Engineer to join our Germany-based team within the Application Engineering org, focused on localising and advancing Wayve’s autonomous driving technology for the German market. This is a unique opportunity to play a hands-on role in shaping our AV capabilities in Germany from the ground up.

🧠 Your day-to-day

• Execute software bring-up on customer hardware platforms (e.g. NVIDIA Drive, Qualcomm Ride).
• Port and configure Linux-based systems, QNX, and Adaptive AUTOSAR environments.
• Integrate and validate drivers, middleware, and boot-time configurations.
• Collaborate with Verification & Release teams to integrate hardware into CI/CD, HIL, and test infrastructure.
• Work with OEM and Tier 1 teams to resolve hardware-specific integration issues.
• Implement system-level diagnostics, logging, and secure boot configuration.
• Develop automation for setup, flashing, health checks, and test execution on target hardware.

🧩 What you’ll be working on

In this role, you’ll be responsible for the bring-up and early validation of our AI software stack on customer hardware platforms, ensuring seamless performance across diverse SoCs and operating systems. You’ll collaborate closely with cross-functional teams across Verification, Release, and OEM partners to ensure smooth integration and reliable delivery.

🙌 You should apply if

In order to set you up for success as an Application Software Engineer at Wayve, we’re looking for the following skills and experience.

Essential

• 8+ years of experience in embedded or automotive software development, ideally with hands-on platform bring-up experience.
• Strong proficiency in C/C++, Bash, and Python.
• Deep understanding of Linux-based embedded systems (Yocto, systemd, bootloaders, device trees).
• Familiarity with QNX and Adaptive AUTOSAR environments and the ability to configure and debug them on target hardware.
• Experience with bring-up on automotive-grade SoCs (e.g., NVIDIA Orin, Qualcomm SA8295/SA8650, Renesas, TI).
• Comfortable working with hardware debuggers, flashing tools, serial consoles, and board support packages (BSPs).
• Familiarity with communication protocols like CAN, Ethernet, PCIe, SPI, I2C.
• Hands-on experience integrating embedded platforms into CI/CD pipelines and test automation frameworks.

Desirable

• Exposure to automotive verification environments (e.g., HIL systems, Vector toolchains, custom CI rigs).
• Experience working in a safety-critical domain with an understanding of ISO 26262, boot-time determinism, and watchdogs.
• Understanding of secure boot, OTA updates, and system-level cybersecurity topics.
• Familiarity with Docker, Jenkins, Git, and artifact management tools like JFrog Artifactory.

🌱 Not ticking every box? That’s totally okay! If you’re passionate about autonomy and keen to learn, we encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet every requirement.

More about Wayve:

🚀 Wayve is building the leading AI platform for autonomous driving. We are pioneering an end to end AI approach that enables vehicles to learn directly from real world experience, developing the ability to adapt, generalise and improve at scale. Instead of relying on hand coded rules or pre mapped environments, our AI Driver learns to drive by understanding the world around it. The result is technology that navigates complex urban environments with intelligence, precision and natural flow, unlocking meaningful advances in both safety and efficiency. We believe autonomy represents a once in a generation transformation in how people and goods move, comparable to the shift from horses to cars, and from human driven vehicles to intelligent machines.

Our ambition is to make autonomy universal. Wayve’s mapless and hardware agnostic AI platform integrates with global OEM partners, enabling continuous software evolution and unlocking advanced levels of automation from L2 plus through to L4 as our core AI model scales. In a race increasingly defined by intelligence and real world learning, Wayve is taking a distinct approach, building a generalisable driving intelligence that can power any vehicle, anywhere. By combining embodied AI with scalable deployment, we are creating technology that can be shaped to each OEM brand and driver experience, accelerating the transition to a safer, more intelligent future of mobility.

How we work 💻- Locations & Flexible Working:

Our main hubs are in London, Sunnyvale, Yokohama, Herzliya, Vancouver and Leonberg. We operate a hybrid working model that combines in-person collaboration in our dedicated office spaces with focused time working remotely. This gives our teams the connection and energy of working together, alongside the flexibility to do their best work in a way that fits their lives.

🔍 The Interview Process:

Our process is clear and respectful of your time:

• Initial Call / Recruiter Screen : general background, current situation, interests and Wayve company information & hiring context.
• Competency Interview : programming and code review.
• Deep-dive technical interviews : system integration, system design and linux.
• Final interview : mission & values alignment.

We’ll always explain the format and work around your availability.

What’s in it for you (Location dependant):

💰 Salaries benchmarked against the market annually

📈 Meaningful equity, sharing in the ownership and long term success of Wayve

✈️ Relocation support and visa sponsorship where applicable

✅ Hybrid working, core hours and the chance to work hands on in vehicle workshops and labs

📚 Learning and development budgets with support for training, conferences and growth

🩺 Comprehensive benefits including health insurance, dental, enhanced maternity and paternity leave, retirement or pension where applicable, access to therapists, wellbeing partnerships, team socials and more

A quick, honest note before you apply.

Wayve is not a mature, fully-structured place with the playbook already written. Much of how we work is still being written, and if you join, you’ll help write it. That suits people who want real ownership more than people who need a settled structure from day one.

If that sounds like the kind of problem you want to spend your time on, we’d really like to hear from you.

At Wayve we're committed to creating a diverse, fair and respectful culture that is inclusive of everyone based on their unique skills and perspectives, and regardless of sex, race, religion or belief, ethnic or national origin, disability, age, citizenship, marital, domestic or civil partnership status, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, pregnancy or related condition (including breastfeeding) or any other basis as protected by applicable law.

For more information visit Careers at Wayve. To learn more about what drives us, visit Values at Wayve

DISCLAIMER: We will not ask about marriage or pregnancy, care responsibilities or disabilities in any of our job adverts or interviews. However, we do look to capture information about care responsibilities, and disabilities among other diversity information as part of an optional DEI Monitoring form to help us identify areas of improvement in our hiring process and ensure that the process is inclusive and non-discriminatory.

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