Nuro

Who can join

• Available for on-site work in one of the cities Nuro is hiring for. On 28 Oct 2026 every open operator posting was in California: San Francisco, Santa Clara and Los Angeles (Playa Vista). Openings change with headcount, so check the board for your city.
• A current valid California driver's license, and a valid license held for the three years immediately before you apply.
• A clean driving record: no more than one point or one non-major moving violation in the last three years, no DUI conviction or DUI suspension in the last 10 years, never at fault in an accident that caused injury or death, and able to qualify for an Autonomous Vehicle Tester license where state law requires one.
• Able to pass a criminal background check and a drug test after a conditional offer. The California postings say applicants with arrest and conviction records are considered under the state's Fair Chance Act.
• Available five days a week on the one fixed shift you choose when you apply. Each posting names its shifts, for example overnight 10pm to 6:30am in Santa Clara or morning 5:45am to 2:15pm in Los Angeles.
• Physically able to sit 3 to 4 hours at a time for up to 8 hours a day in an enclosed vehicle, bend, squat and lift up to 25 pounds regularly, and tolerate a vehicle that may brake, swerve, slow or stop abruptly.
• No degree or robotics background is required. The postings ask for safe driving, following detailed procedures, clear written and spoken communication and comfort with tools such as Slack and Google Meet.

Step by step

1. 1

   Find an Operator posting for your city and shift

   Nuro lists Autonomous Vehicle Operator openings on its careers page (nuro.ai/careers). Each posting is for one city and one or more named shifts, and you pick your fixed shift when you apply, so choose the posting that matches where you live and the hours you can keep. Nuro also runs on-site hiring events, posted on the same board.

2. 2

   Apply directly on Nuro's board

   Submit your resume through the posting itself. There is no third-party fast-track and no legitimate shortcut into the role.

3. 3

   Recruiter and screening interview

   Expect a screen on the basics: shift availability, your driving history, communication and whether you can meet the physical demands. Nuro does not publish the operator interview's structure or number of rounds. In September 2026 Glassdoor showed an average process of about 23 days and a difficulty of 3.24 out of 5 across all Nuro roles, not operators specifically.

4. 4

   Background check, drug test and driving-record review

   After a conditional offer you must pass a criminal background check and a drug test, and your driving record is checked against the posting's rules (points, violations, DUI history, at-fault injury accidents and three years of licensed driving).

5. 5

   Offer as a temporary 12-month hourly employee

   If hired you join Nuro as a full-time hourly employee on a 12-month temporary assignment, paid every two weeks, with medical, dental and vision cover from day one, paid time off, a daily meal reimbursement and eligibility for a discretionary contract completion bonus.

6. 6

   Training and checkpoints

   You train before driving solo and must pass training checkpoints in and out of the vehicle. Operator reviews on Glassdoor, as read in September 2026, describe the first two weeks or so of Bay Area training being based in San Francisco or Santa Clara.

7. 7

   Drive missions and collect data

   On the job you drive test vehicles in manual and autonomous mode for up to eight hours a day, monitor the vehicle's systems, collect driving data with Nuro's software and give feedback to engineers, run vehicle checks before and after each shift (including washing and tire pressure), coordinate with dispatch on problems, and sometimes host ridealongs for leaders, investors and guests.

Tips to get accepted

• Apply directly on Nuro's own careers board, never through a third-party recruiter or a paid fast-track service. There is no legitimate shortcut into the role.
• Choose the shift you can genuinely keep five days a week. You pick one fixed shift when you apply, and reliable attendance is part of what Nuro screens for.
• Read the driving-record rules in the posting before applying. They are specific (points, minor violations, DUI history, at-fault injury accidents) and are checked after the offer.
• Sell calm, safe, attentive driving over speed or car enthusiasm. You spend up to eight hours a day switching between manual and autonomous mode and must react safely when the vehicle brakes, swerves or stops abruptly.
• Go in knowing it is a 12-month temporary assignment, not a permanent hire. Plan around the end date; the contract completion bonus is discretionary.