Google Offers To Pay $20 An Hour To Arizonians Willing To Babysit Self-Driving Cars
Not all jobs at Google entail crunching code or having familiarity with APIs. If you have a clean driving history, excellent written and verbal communication skills, can type at least 40 words per minute, and a BS or BA degree, you could end up working for Google in a position on one of its self-driving car teams (and no, not the San Andreas team).
The gig pays $20 per hour to test Google's autonomous vehicles. It entails driving (or riding) in an autonomous Lexus for six to eight hours per day as it roams the city streets of Arizona. However, you wouldn't be able to just kick your legs up and take an extended nap—you'd have to monitor the software systems, take notes, and compete daily reports. You know, actual work.
"Test drivers play an important role in developing our self-driving technology," said Brian Torcellini, head of operations for Google's Self-Driving Car initiative. "They give our engineers feedback about how our cars are driving and interacting with others on the road, and can take control of the vehicle if needed."
As for what type of people Google is looking for, the company isn't sure. Torcellini says the role of test driver is a new one without any past precedent to lean on, and that Google has hired people from a variety of backgrounds, "from English teachers to orbital welders." The only real preference is that applicants be locals who know the Phoenix area.
Google's been a strong advocate of autonomous vehicles. It started testing self-driving cars in 2009 and has since logged more than 1.6 million miles. Google's fleet of self-driving cars includes nearly three dozen prototypes it built from the ground up, plus another 23 converted Lexus SUVs.
If this is the job you've been waiting for, head here and fill out the online application.
The gig pays $20 per hour to test Google's autonomous vehicles. It entails driving (or riding) in an autonomous Lexus for six to eight hours per day as it roams the city streets of Arizona. However, you wouldn't be able to just kick your legs up and take an extended nap—you'd have to monitor the software systems, take notes, and compete daily reports. You know, actual work.
"Test drivers play an important role in developing our self-driving technology," said Brian Torcellini, head of operations for Google's Self-Driving Car initiative. "They give our engineers feedback about how our cars are driving and interacting with others on the road, and can take control of the vehicle if needed."
As for what type of people Google is looking for, the company isn't sure. Torcellini says the role of test driver is a new one without any past precedent to lean on, and that Google has hired people from a variety of backgrounds, "from English teachers to orbital welders." The only real preference is that applicants be locals who know the Phoenix area.
Google's been a strong advocate of autonomous vehicles. It started testing self-driving cars in 2009 and has since logged more than 1.6 million miles. Google's fleet of self-driving cars includes nearly three dozen prototypes it built from the ground up, plus another 23 converted Lexus SUVs.
If this is the job you've been waiting for, head here and fill out the online application.
