Waymo · 4 weeks ago
Senior CMF (Color, Material, Finish) Designer
Mountain View, CA
Full-time
Hybrid
Senior Level
$196K/yr - $248K/yr
5+ years expWaymo is an autonomous driving technology company with the mission to be the world's most trusted driver. The Senior CMF Designer will define and maintain the CMF design language, lead collaborations with OEM partners, and manage material selections to ensure quality and consistency across vehicle platforms.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)AutomotiveAutonomous VehiclesSensorTransportation
Responsibilities
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
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
Qualification
Required
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
Preferred
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
Benefits
Waymo’s discretionary annual bonus program
Equity incentive plan
Generous Company benefits program
Company
Waymo
Waymo is a mobility technology company that improves transportation by developing self-driving solutions for travelers and daily commuters. It is a sub-organization of Alphabet.
1001-5000 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Waymo has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (231)
2024 (175)
2023 (268)
2022 (306)
2021 (298)
2020 (317)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
$11.1BKey Investors
Alphabet
2024-07-23Series C· $5.6B
2021-06-16Series B· $2.5B
2020-05-12Series A· $750M
Leadership Team
Tekedra Mawakana
Co-Chief Executive Officer
Elisa de Martel
Chief Financial Officer
Recent News
2026-01-09
Sherwood News
2026-01-09
2026-01-09
Company data provided by crunchbase