California State Policy Manager

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.

The Waymo Policy and Government Affairs team has a front seat in this exciting moment in the evolution of autonomous driving technology, transportation and tech policy. Successful navigation of the policy landscape is critically important to deploying and scaling our business. Our team works directly with policymakers and third party groups at the national, state and local levels to help advance transportation policy, educate on the safety benefits of the technology, and advance consumer awareness and acceptance. Internally, our efforts support the innovative work of engineering, product, strategy, and partnerships teams, and we work closely with highly-skilled legal and safety experts.

This role is based in Sacramento (remote) and reports to the Regional Head of the West.

You will

Serve as the face of Waymo in Sacramento: Lead direct advocacy and relationship-building with members and staff in the California State Legislature, the Governor’s Office, and relevant executive state agencies to preserve and expand operational freedom.

Drive regional and county-level outreach: Cultivate proactive partnerships with local elected officials, county boards of supervisors, and municipal agencies—with dedicated focus on Solano, Yolo, and Napa counties—to support existing and planned service expansion.

Strategize through political headwinds: Continuously evaluate the political landscape to identify emerging regulatory risks, determine key stakeholder engagement priorities, and advise leadership on how to conduct business safely and sustainably across California.

Collaborate cross-functionally across internal teams: Translate state legislative developments into actionable guidance for Legal, Communications, Product, and Operations teams to ensure seamless commercial alignment.

Manage advocacy operations and executive reporting: Steer internal briefing cadences, organize strategic preparation for legislative hearings, and represent Waymo at external industry forums, coalition tables, and Capitol events.

You have

7–10 years of professional experience in public policy, government affairs, legislative advocacy, or regulatory affairs within California.

Demonstrated track record of direct Sacramento engagement, including lobbying, building relationships, and negotiating policy outcomes with the California Legislature, the Governor's Office, and state agencies.

Ability to navigate local governments, specifically navigating city councils, county supervisors, and local government dynamics in Northern California (including or adjacent to Solano, Yolo, and Napa counties)

Strategic public policy problem-solving skills, with the proven ability to navigate high-stakes political environments, analyze complex legislation, and safeguard commercial freedom to operate.

Exceptional cross-functional teamwork and organizational discipline, with demonstrated ability to manage fast-moving priorities, deliver structured internal updates, and align diverse internal stakeholders.