Lead Functional Safety Engineer-Federal

System Safety; Irvine, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

Field AI seeks a Lead Functional Safety Engineer to own safety architecture for wheeled robotic platforms, including remote E-Stops, indicator lighting, and non-line-of-sight safety strategies. You will configure PLCs, ensure safe handoffs between operators and autonomy, and lead field deployment in demanding environments.

This role requires hands-on hardware work, PLC programming expertise, and the ability to mentor a growing safety team as Field AI expands its Federal projects in Irvine, CA.

Qualifications

• BS or MS in Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, Computer Engineering, or related field.
• Hands-on experience configuring, programming, and debugging Safety PLCs.
• Experience with remote E-Stops, safety relays, and safety lidars.
• Ability to operate as a self-directed individual contributor and technical authority.
• Collaboration with electrical engineers and software engineers for handoffs.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement safety architectures for COTS UGV platforms in challenging environments.
• Configure and test Safety PLCs, remote E-Stops, and indicator lighting in real hardware.
• Develop safe transitions between human operators and autonomy stack with E-Stop/RC units.
• Deploy, verify, and validate safety systems on physical robots in field environments.
• Provide technical leadership and guide scalable safety testing and team growth.

Skills

Safety PLCs programming

Electrical system integration

Ladder logic

Education

BS in Electrical Engineering

MS in Mechatronics

Computer Engineering

Tools

Safety PLC hardware

Job description

Who are We?

Field AI is transforming how robots interact with the real world. We are building risk-aware, reliable, and field-ready AI systems that address the most complex challenges in robotics, unlocking the full potential of embodied intelligence. We go beyond typical data-driven approaches or pure transformer-based architectures, and are charting a new course, with already-globally-deployed solutions delivering real-world results and rapidly improving models through real-field applications.

Learn more at https://fieldai.com.

About the Job

At FieldAI, we build autonomous robotic systems that operate in demanding, real-world environments where tight integration between hardware and software is critical. We’re looking for a Lead Functional Safety Engineer to support systems-level design, integration, and validation for our wheeled robotic platforms across both federal and commercial programs.

In this role, you will serve as the team’s resident safety expert and primary individual contributor, owning our approach to UGV functional safety. First, you will design and deploy a supervised safety system featuring remote E-Stops and indicator lights to ensure safe personnel interaction. Next, you will lead the transition to a non-line-of-sight autonomous safety architecture. You will architect the system, get hands‑on with configuring the PLCs, and ensure seamless control handoffs between the safety hardware, human operators, and the autonomy stack. This is a highly impactful role for a hands‑on engineer who can drive our immediate safety milestones and lay the groundwork to build and lead a dedicated safety team as the company scales.

What You Will Get To Do

1. Safety System Architecture & Design

• Architect the functional safety systems for COTS UGV platforms navigating unstructured construction environments.
• Design and implement supervised safety systems, including remote E-Stops and safe-to-approach indicator lighting.
• Design and implement non-line-of-sight safety architectures, defining the use of safe limited speed, collision avoidance, and automatic braking to enable autonomous operations without a safety operator in line-of-sight

2. Hands-on Hardware Configuration

• Select, integrate, and configure Safety PLCs, safety lidars, and related hardware components.
• Work closely with the Electrical Engineering team to guide wiring diagrams, harness designs, and physical integration of safety hardware.
• Directly write, implement, and test ladder logic and safety configurations on the PLCs.

3. Autonomy & Human-Machine Interface Integration

• Design and implement safe transitions of control, allowing a human operator to seamlessly take over via an E-Stop/RC unit to unstick a robot, and safely transfer control back to the autonomy stack.
• Ensure all vehicle safety states are clearly communicated to on-site personnel through visual indicators and lighting.
• Collaborate with the core software team to establish reliable interfaces between hardware safety loops and high-level autonomy software.

4. Field Deployment & Testing

• Deploy, verify, and validate safety systems directly on physical robots operating in real-world construction environments.
• Troubleshoot, debug, and optimize system configurations to ensure maximum reliability and uptime in the field.

5. Technical Leadership & Scalability

• Serve as the resident functional safety expert, filling critical knowledge gaps and guiding technical strategy for the broader engineering team.
• Establish scalable safety testing and validation procedures for future vehicle platforms.
• Act as a foundational team member with the opportunity to hire, mentor, and build out a dedicated safety engineering team in the future.

What You Have

• BS or MS in Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, Computer Engineering, or a related field with significant relevant industry experience.
• Deep, hands‑on expertise in configuring, programming, and debugging Safety PLCs.
• Proven experience selecting and integrating hardware safety components such as remote E-Stops, safety relays, and safety lidars.
• Strong ownership mindset with the ability to operate as a self‑directed individual contributor and technical authority.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with electrical engineers (for wiring/integration) and software engineers (for system handoffs).

The Extras That Set You Apart

• Familiarity with relevant safety standards (e.g., ISO 13849, ISO 3691-4, IEC 61508, or ANSI/RIA R15.08).
• Prior experience working with robotics, autonomous vehicles, off-road equipment, or heavy machinery.
• Experience deploying systems in demanding environments like construction, mining, or agriculture.
• Familiarity with software interfaces (ROS/ROS2, C++) to better understand the handoff between safety systems and the autonomy stack.
• Previous experience serving as a technical lead or mentoring junior engineers.

This position is for our FieldAI Federal Team. This team works on projects connected to the U.S. government which requires U.S. Person eligibility. A U.S. Person as defined by 22 C.F.R §120.62 includes U.S. Citizen, U.S. National, lawful permanent residents (green card holders) refugee or asylee.

Compensation

The salary range for this role is $70,000-$300,000. The actual offer for this position will be based on factors such as relevant experience, competencies, certificates, and how well the candidate meets the qualifications outlined above. Part of our compensation package also includes full benefits, equity, and generous time off.

Field AI Onsite Work Philosophy

At Field AI, we believe the most effective way to collaborate and solve complex challenges is by working together in person. This is a fully onsite role, and candidates will be expected to work from our Mission Viejo, CA office. In-person engagement is essential to our success, and we offer flexible working hours to support focus and work‑life balance.

Why Join Field AI?

We are solving one of the world’s most complex challenges: deploying robots in unstructured, previously unknown environments. Our Field Foundational Models set a new standard in perception, planning, localization, and manipulation, ensuring our approach is explainable and safe for deployment.

Be Part of the Next Robotics Revolution

To tackle such ambitious challenges, we need a team as unique as our vision — innovators who go beyond conventional methods and are eager to tackle tough, uncharted questions. We’re seeking individuals who challenge the status quo, dive into uncharted territory, and bring interdisciplinary expertise. Our team requires not only top AI talent but also exceptional software developers, engineers, product designers, field deployment experts, and communicators.

We are headquartered in always-sunny Irvine, Southern California and have US based and global teammates.

Join us, shape the future, and be part of a fun, close-knit team on an exciting journey!

We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Candidates and employees are always evaluated based on merit, qualifications, and performance. We will never discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status.