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Senior CMF (Color, Material, Finish) Designer

Mountain View, California, United States Full-Time Design 4290

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Senior CMF (Color, Material, Finish) Designer

  • 4290
  • On Site
  • Mountain View, California
  • Design
  • Full-Time

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.

Passionate about aesthetics and product innovation, Waymo’s Industrial Design Team is responsible for envisioning the future of mobility and autonomous driving technology. The Design Team develops and applies cohesive design language to the Waymo Driver, delivering an exceptional customer experience with best-in-class product quality.

The Industrial Design Team creates smart and elegant solutions that pave the future of mobility while prioritizing our riders’ needs & safety. We are involved in every step of the engineering and product development process to optimize Waymo’s technology and delight the rider’s journey. The team is a unique fusion of creatives and innovators with the opportunity to pioneer a new industry.

This role follows a hybrid work schedule and you will report to a Head of Industrial Design.

You will:

  • Define, evolve, and maintain the Waymo CMF (Color, Materials, Finish) design language and palette, ensuring visual consistency and a cohesive brand experience across all vehicle platforms and interior/exterior hardware. Follow market trends and insights to inform and strategize long term CMF direction for Waymo
  • Lead CMF collaboration with external automotive OEM partners, integrating Waymo's brand materials into existing vehicle interiors while championing unifying CMF elements across the fleet
  • Drive the material selection and finish specification for complex exterior hardware, including sensor arrays and ancillary components, ensuring technical compatibility (e.g., radar, lidar pass-through), durability, and aesthetic integration
  • Research and develop proprietary or custom material solutions and finishes, managing a digital and physical CMF library and collaborating with engineering to validate materials for automotive standards, longevity, and sustainability
  • Partner with Engineering and Operations to manage CMF vendors and material suppliers, overseeing the execution of the CMF strategy from design specification through mass production to maintain the highest quality and design intent
  • Articulate the CMF design rationale and strategic direction to cross-functional stakeholders, translating complex technical and branding requirements into clear material specifications

You have:

  • 5+ years of dedicated professional experience as a CMF Designer, Material Specialist, or Industrial Designer with a heavy CMF focus, ideally within the automotive, mobility, or high-end consumer electronics industries
  • A proven history of shipping high-volume products, demonstrating deep knowledge of material science, automotive-grade manufacturing processes, and quality control
  • Expert proficiency in CMF documentation (spec sheets, mood boards, color calibration), digital material authoring, and managing physical material libraries
  • Demonstrated ability to bridge the gap between design vision and technical constraints, particularly in validating materials for functional performance (e.g., thermal, UV, sensor compatibility)
  • Exceptional presentation skills, with a strong portfolio showcasing the strategic thinking and meticulous execution required to define a premium brand's CMF identity
  • A degree in Industrial Design, Transportation Design, Material Science, or a related field

We prefer:

  • Direct experience managing CMF programs and negotiations with automotive OEM teams or major Tier 1 suppliers
  • Specific experience in CMF selection for exterior vehicle systems, lidar, radar, or camera sensors, including experience solving signal pass-through challenges
  • Experience with advanced digital material creation and integration into visualization tools (e.g., Unreal Engine, VRED) for high-fidelity design review
  • Proficiency in 3D rendering programs to visualize CMF proposals. Physical and digital prototyping skills to communicate and represent CMF intent
  • Experience managing CMF sourcing and quality control across a global supplier base

The expected base salary range for this full-time position across US locations is listed below. Actual starting pay will be based on job-related factors, including exact work location, experience, relevant training and education, and skill level. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for the role location or, if the role can be performed remote, the specific salary range for your preferred location, during the hiring process. 

Waymo employees are also eligible to participate in Waymo’s discretionary annual bonus program, equity incentive plan, and generous Company benefits program, subject to eligibility requirements. 

Salary Range
$196,000—$248,000 USD

We appreciate your interest in Waymo. Waymo is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, committed to creating a culture of belonging and maintaining a supportive workplace for all employees. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds, and employment decisions are based on a candidate’s qualifications, experience, and alignment with job requirements and business needs. Waymo does not discriminate against, and prohibits harassment of, any applicant or employee based on race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, age, disability, military status, family status, pregnancy, genetic information or any other basis protected by applicable law. Waymo will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal records in accordance with applicable law. Waymo is committed to making sure our hiring process is accessible for all candidates. If you need assistance applying for a role or participating in the interview process due to a disability, please let the recruiting team know or email waymo-candidatesupport@google.com. (This email address is intended to be used only for requesting accommodations as part of the application process. Other inquiries will not receive a response.)

Some of our Benefits

Health and wellness

Our people are at the heart of everything we do. At Waymo, you can enjoy top-notch medical, dental and vision insurance, mental wellness support, gym membership, and special wellness programs.

Financial wellness

Your financial peace of mind is important to us. At Waymo, we offer competitive compensation, bonus opportunities, equity, employees provident fund, and lots of other perks and employee discounts.

Flexibility and time off

Take the time you need to relax and recharge. Enjoy the flexibility to work from another location for four weeks per year. We support an on-site or hybrid work model and offer remote working opportunities, paid time off, bereavement, sick, and parental leave. 

Supporting families

When it comes to growing your family or caring for your loved ones, you have our full support. Enhanced leave options include 26 weeks of paid leave for birthing parents and 18 weeks of paid leave for non-birthing parents.

Community and personal development

At Waymo, you'll find a range of opportunities to grow, connect, and give back. We offer education reimbursement, personal and professional development, mentorship, and other ways to connect through Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), other internal groups, and even time off to volunteer.

Cool perks

Access to Google offices, cafes, wellness centers, massages, and so much more. To support your wellbeing at home, you can enjoy at-home fitness and cooking classes, and more.

Ready to Apply?