Release Manager

Who you are

• In order to set you up for success as a Model Release Manager at Wayve, we're looking for the following skills and experience
• 5+ years in release management, software engineering, or a related field
• Strong understanding of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) and release management practices, including testing strategy, system integration, branching, and versioning
• Conceptual understanding of ML fundamentals — what training data is, the difference between training and inference, what a model version/checkpoint represents, and why model validation is probabilistic rather than pass/fail
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines and automation tools (e.g. GitHub, Buildkite, CLI tools)
• Skilled at managing releases in complex, fast-moving systems
• Comfortable operating with high ambiguity — requirements, architecture, and timelines can shift quickly, and you're able to adapt release processes and tooling as needed
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making ability, especially in release trade-offs involving limited or ambiguous data
• Good communication skills, comfortable working with engineers and presenting to leadership
• Experience in AI/ML, autonomous vehicles, or robotics
• Familiarity with MLOps methodologies and tooling
• Experience with ML evaluation practices and tooling — especially for physical systems: simulation, model leaderboards, statistically powered experiments (e.g. A/B or shadow-mode testing)
• Awareness of model hardware and software dependencies
• BSc or equivalent in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical discipline
• We understand that everyone has a unique set of skills and experiences and that not everyone will meet all of the requirements listed above. If you’re passionate about self-driving cars and think you have what it takes to make a positive impact on the world, we encourage you to apply

What the job involves

• As our Model Release Manager, you'll own how new AI models move through the full lifecycle — from hypothesis, through training, evaluation, and on-road testing, to deployment across our vehicle fleet — balancing the fast-paced, non-deterministic nature of ML with structure and disciplined release practices
• We're looking for someone pragmatic, methodical, and system-minded — someone who understands how model releases fit into the broader engineering, evaluation, and product ecosystem, and who introduces the processes and systems needed to achieve stability, clarity, and business goals
• This role rewards two things together: strong release-engineering instincts, and the judgment to know where a non-deterministic, hypothesis-driven system breaks those instincts and where it doesn't
• If you have the first and are hungry to build the second fast, this is worth a conversation
• Model release planning & coordination: Own the model release cycle, maintaining a steady and predictable cadence for shipping new models while adapting to business priorities
• Gating & promotion: Define and run the gates that promote a model from hypothesis → training → evaluation → validation → deployment. Define and justify the promotion criteria that determine what ships and what is deferred — balancing performance gains, reproducibility, product requirements, safety, and integration compatibility with the onboard software stack and vehicle platform
• Issues management: Drive investigations and follow-up actions on regressions, integration issues, and technical debt; manage rollback/roll-forward of model versions
• Bottleneck identification & improvement: Identify constraints in the model-release process and drive improvements. Implement dashboards and KPIs for visibility, and proactively escalate gaps
• Process & systems building: Understand how model releases fit into the wider system of model development, evaluation, Wayve onboard stack, and product; build processes and frameworks that support clarity, stability, and business goals
• Tooling & automation influence: Partner with ML platform and integration teams to shape end-to-end automated release tooling; define requirements that improve developer experience, release efficiency, and stakeholder communication
• Cross-functional collaboration: Work closely with ML engineering, evaluation and data science, software platform, testing, and product teams to ensure successful and stable model releases
• Clarity & communication: Act as the central point of contact for model-release status, risks, and timelines, keeping stakeholders informed at the right level of detail
• Continuous improvement: Run post-release reviews and drive corrective actions across teams

Benefits

• Private healthcare: Choose our optional health insurance for comprehensive coverage for you and your family.
• Paid time off: Paid vacation plus public holidays and additional leave programs, ensuring you have time to unwind.
• Mental health resources: Through Spill, you can access therapy and mental health support.
• Community and socials: Join clubs or attend team socials to connect over hobbies, sports, or just for fun.
• Competitive compensation: Our compensation package includes cash and equity, making you a true partner in our success.
• Learning and development: Budgets for books, courses, and company-wide training to support your continuous growth.