The role

As a Certification Engineer (Japan Specialist) at Wayve, you’ll be at the critical intersection of regulation and product development, helping ensure our AV2.0 technology aligns with the complex and fast-evolving global regulatory landscape, with a special focus on the Japan Market. You will own the processes and relationships to ensure our AV stack can be launched, scaled, and maintained in compliance with key automotive regulations.

This cross-functional role requires collaboration with every part of the business. You’ll collaborate across Engineering, Product, Legal and Public Policy to identify regulatory requirements for Japan, translate them into actionable internal deliverables, and track progress across complex programmes. You’ll interface with OEMs and regulators, manage documentation, and contribute to shaping the external regulatory environment.

Key responsibilities:

Regulatory Alignment & Documentation: Own the implementation of regulatory requirements in Japan, while ensuring maximal alignment between other deployment jurisdictions to avoid Engineering demand.
Cross-functional Collaboration: Set up lean but regular engagement with Product, and Engineering teams to embed regulatory alignment into programme workflows.
Regulatory Change Feedback Loop: Identify points of friction between regulation and technical reality. Escalate roadblocks and support the Public Policy team in advocating for change where necessary.
Requirements Management: Use internal tools and systems to define, track, and update compliance requirements. Ensure traceability from regulation to product delivery.
OEM & Partner Engagement: Act as a technical liaison on regulatory matters during discussions with OEM partners and suppliers.

About you

In order to set you up for success as a Certification Engineer at Wayve, we’re looking for the following skills and experience.

Essential

Experience with certification / homologation processes in Japan and at UNECE level. Ideally you also understand EU and FMVSS frameworks for US alignment.
Demonstrated ability to interpret complex regulation and operationalise it into internal documentation and tracking.
Excellent ability to compare product specifications to regulatory requirements
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Proven ability to collaborate across disciplines and bring clarity to complex technical programmes.
Structured, analytical, and detail-oriented: able to spot gaps and proactively drive resolution.

Desirable

Experience of ADAS/AV regulations, especially L2/L3 systems and how they’re currently approved.
Experience with systems and tools for tracking compliance requirements within engineering programs.
Exposure to how AI/ML-based systems interact with traditional automotive standards or safety processes.

This is a full-time role based at our Tokyo/or Yokohama offices, however we will consider other locations based on individual cases. The role is also likely to require some international travel. At Wayve we want the best of all worlds so we operate a hybrid working policy that combines time together in our offices and workshops to fuel innovation, culture, relationships and learning, and time spent working from home. We operate core working hours so you can determine the schedule that works best for you and your team.

At Wayve we want the best of all worlds so we operate a hybrid working policy that combines time together in our offices and workshops to fuel innovation, culture, relationships and learning, and time spent working from home. We operate core working hours so you can determine the schedule that works best for you and your team.

#LI-KM1

Certification Engineer - Japanese Market Specialist