Google on hiring spree at driverless car unit

Google is boosting hiring for its self-driving car project as it looks to accelerate the drive to bring the vehicles to market.

There are 36 job listings by the Alphabet (GOOGL)-owned company from marketing to manufacturing jobs, highlighting how Google sees its role in the future of the auto industry.

One listing for a marketing manager expects the person to shape a "go-to-market strategy and storytelling to win hearts and minds of community members, influences and governments".

Another role for a manufacturing process engineer lays out responsibilities which include "designing factory assembly stations, optimizing production floor layout, automating critical manufacturing processes and approving fixture designs used in the assembly of electronic modules for the self-driving car".


There are a number of roles that focus on engineering and operations. Google has previously said that it was not looking to make cars, but instead partner with auto companies that could use its technology. However, the list of jobs shows that Google is focused on hardware too, though exactly how that might manifest itself is unclear.

Google has been bolstering the autonomous vehicle unit since last year. In September, the company appointed former Hyundai Motors America chief executive John Krafcik to head the driverless car division .

And the project got a huge boost after key U.S. regulator, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, said that the computer controlling the self-driving car should be legally defined as a "driver" rather than a human.

Along this vein, Google is hiring a policy analyst to "handle our various product agendas with policy makers inside and outside government".

Another interesting post is the role of head of real estate and workplace services who will "collaborate across sites to share best practices, increase efficiency, and put foundations in place for programs that scale seamlessly with growth". The job hints that Google may not be done hiring yet and could increase its physical presence for the project.

Google is currently testing its driverless cars in Mountain View, California, Austin, Texas and now Kirkland, Washington . The vehicles have driven over 1.3 million miles autonomously.